CHALLENGES AND WORKLOAD BURDEN AMONG QUALITY PERSONNEL DURING ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS (EMR) IMPLEMENTATION IN PRIVATE TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS OF TELANGANA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69980/2590kb07Keywords:
Electronic Medical Records, Healthcare Digital Transformation, Quality Personnel, Workload Burden, Hospital Management, Change ManagementAbstract
Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are increasingly introduced in hospitals to improve documentation, operational efficiency, quality monitoring, and accreditation compliance. However, their implementation creates organisational and managerial challenges, particularly for quality personnel responsible for documentation review, audit preparedness, compliance monitoring, and coordination between clinical and information technology teams. Guided by the Technology Organisation Environment (TOE) framework, this study examined technological issues, organisational support, training adequacy, workload burden, and compliance-related pressures during EMR implementation in private tertiary care hospitals in Telangana. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 75 quality personnel using a structured questionnaire, and data were analysed through frequency and percentage distribution. The findings revealed that 85.3% of respondents reported increased work responsibilities, while 85.3% identified inadequate training as a major implementation challenge. Increased documentation workload was reported by 70.7%, and 56.0% experienced higher audit and compliance monitoring activities. Staff resistance and technical issues were reported by 42.7% and 40.0%, respectively. The study concludes that effective EMR implementation requires structured training, workload planning, leadership involvement, technical support, workflow redesign, and change management to improve quality outcomes.
References
1.Adler-Milstein, J., & Huckman, R. S. (2013). The impact of electronic health record use on physician productivity. American Journal of Managed Care, 19(10), SP345–SP352.
2.Ash, J. S., Sittig, D. F., Dykstra, R., Campbell, E., & Guappone, K. (2007). Exploring the unintended consequences of computerized physician order entry. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 129, 198–202.
3.Boonstra, A., & Broekhuis, M. (2010). Barriers to the acceptance of electronic medical records by physicians. BMC Health Services Research, 10, 231.
4.Brommeyer, M., & Liang, Z. (2022). A systematic approach in developing management workforce readiness for digital health transformation in healthcare. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(21), 13843.
5.Buntin, M. B., Burke, M. F., Hoaglin, M. C., & Blumenthal, D. (2011). The benefits of health information technology: A review of the recent literature shows predominantly positive results. Health Affairs, 30(3), 464–471.
6.Campanella, P., Lovato, E., Marone, C., Fallacara, L., Mancuso, A., Ricciardi, W., & Specchia, M. L. (2016). The impact of electronic health records on healthcare quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Public Health, 26(1), 60–64.
7.Cresswell, K., & Sheikh, A. (2013). Organizational issues in the implementation and adoption of health information technology innovations. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 82(5), e73–e86.
8.De Benedictis, A., Lettieri, E., Gastaldi, L., Masella, C., Urgu, A., & Tartaglini, D. (2020). Electronic Medical Records implementation in hospital: An empirical investigation of individual and organizational determinants. PloS one, 15(6), e0234108.
9.Gagnon, M. P., Desmartis, M., Labrecque, M., et al. (2012). Systematic review of factors influencing the adoption of information and communication technologies by healthcare professionals. Journal of Medical Systems, 36(1), 241–277.
10.Gjellebæk, C., Svensson, A., Bjørkquist, C., Fladeby, N., & Grundén, K. (2020). Management challenges for future digitalization of healthcare services. Futures, 124, 102636.
11.Goldzweig, C. L., Towfigh, A., Maglione, M., & Shekelle, P. G. (2009). Costs and benefits of health information technology. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, 132, 1–71.
12.Holden, R. J. (2011). Physicians’ beliefs about using EMR and CPOE: In pursuit of a contextualized understanding. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 80(2), 71–80.
13.Jeilani, A., & Hussein, A. (2025). Impact of digital health technologies adoption on healthcare workers’ performance and workload: perspective with DOI and TOE models. BMC Health Services Research, 25(1), 271.
14.Kraus, S., Schiavone, F., Pluzhnikova, A., & Invernizzi, A. C. (2021). Digital transformation in healthcare: Analyzing the current state-of-research. Journal of business research, 123, 557-567.
15.Kremer, L., Lipprandt, M., Roehrig, R., & Breil, B. (2022). Examining mental workload relating to digital health technologies in health care: systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(10), e40946.
16.Kruse, C. S., Kristof, C., Jones, B., Mitchell, E., & Martinez, A. (2016). Barriers to electronic health record adoption: A systematic literature review. Journal of Medical Systems, 40(12), 252.
17.Ludwick, D. A., & Doucette, J. (2009). Adopting electronic medical records in primary care: Lessons learned from health information systems implementation experience in seven countries. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 78(1), 22–31.
18.Mauro, M., Noto, G., Prenestini, A., & Sarto, F. (2024). Digital transformation in healthcare: Assessing the role of digital technologies for managerial support processes. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 209, 123781.
19.McAlearney, A. S., Robbins, J., Kowalczyk, N., Chisolm, D., & Song, P. H. (2012). The role of cognitive and learning theories in supporting successful EHR implementation. Advances in Health Care Management, 12, 107–133.
20.Menachemi, N., & Collum, T. H. (2011). Benefits and drawbacks of electronic health record systems. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 4, 47–55.
21.Moy, A. J., Hobensack, M., Marshall, K., Vawdrey, D. K., Kim, E. Y., Cato, K. D., & Rossetti, S. C. (2023). Understanding the perceived role of electronic health records and workflow fragmentation on clinician documentation burden in emergency departments. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 30(5), 797-808.
22.Moy, A. J., Schwartz, J. M., Chen, R., Sadri, S., Lucas, E., Cato, K. D., & Rossetti, S. C. (2021). Measurement of clinical documentation burden among physicians and nurses using electronic health records: a scoping review. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 28(5), 998-1008.
23.Murad, M. H., Stelling, B. E. V., West, C. P., Hasan, B., Simha, S., Saadi, S., ... & Wang, Z. (2024). Measuring documentation burden in healthcare. Journal of general internal medicine, 39(14), 2837.
24.Nguyen, L., Bellucci, E., & Nguyen, L. T. (2014). Electronic health records implementation: An evaluation of information system impact and contingency factors. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 83(11), 779–796.
25.Provenzano, M., Cillara, N., Curcio, F., Pisu, M. O., González, C. I. A., & Jiménez-Herrera, M. F. (2024). Electronic health record adoption and its effects on healthcare staff: A qualitative study of well-being and workplace stress. International journal of environmental research and public health, 21(11), 1430.
26.Ratwani, R. M., Reider, J., & Singh, H. (2019). A decade of health information technology usability challenges and the path forward. JAMA, 321(8), 743–744.
27.Sheikh, A., Cornford, T., Barber, N., et al. (2011). Implementation and adoption of nationwide electronic health records in secondary care in England: Final qualitative results from prospective national evaluation. BMJ, 343, d6054.
28.Singh, H., Spitzmueller, C., Petersen, N. J., Sawhney, M. K., Sittig, D. F. (2013). Information overload and missed test results in electronic health record–based settings. JAMA Internal Medicine, 173(8), 702–704.
29.Sittig, D. F., & Singh, H. (2010). A new sociotechnical model for studying health information technology. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 19(Suppl 3), i68–i74.
30.Stoumpos, A. I., Kitsios, F., & Talias, M. A. (2023). Digital transformation in healthcare: technology acceptance and its applications. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(4), 3407.
31.Wager, K. A., Lee, F. W., & Glaser, J. P. (2017). Health Care Information Systems: A Practical Approach for Health Care Management (4th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
32.Yusof, M. M., Kuljis, J., Papazafeiropoulou, A., & Stergioulas, L. K. (2008). An evaluation framework for Health Information Systems. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 77(6), 386–398.



