Determinant factors in applying electronic medical records in health-care

Background: Electronic Medical Record (EMR) offers remarkable facilities such as reducing medical errors, decreasing healthcare costs and promoting quality of healthcare services by collecting, storing and displaying information at the point of care. Aims: This study was carried out to identify the determinants of electronic medical record (EMR) adoption by presenting a comprehensive model. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in which 330 healthcare personnel working in hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, were selected as the study sample. A proposed conceptual path model of technology, organization and environment (TOE), and technology acceptance model (TAM) was developed to identify the determinants of EMR adoption. The model was authorized by structural equation modeling (SEM) and represented by Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS). Results: The results of the study showed that the integrated model of TOE-TAM explained 68 percent (R-2 = 0.68) of the variance of EMR adoption. The findings also evidenced that perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, technological context, organization context and environmental context have significant effect on EMR adoption. Conclusions: The study findings suggest that the proposed conceptual integrated model of TOE-TAM is a favourable model for identifying the relevant factors of EMR adoption. The present study clearly recognized nine significant determinants that affect end-users' intention when comprehensive implementation of ERMs is considered.