Evaluating Health Information Technology Adoption Among Hospitals in South East Nigeria

Health information technology adoption in hospitals in South East Nigeria remains fragmented and below the potential needed to realise substantial improvements in clinical decision support, patient safety, and health system efficiency. This study professionally evaluates the current state of health information technology adoption in secondary and tertiary hospitals across the five South East states. A structured assessment survey was administered to IT managers, clinical informatics officers, and hospital administrators at 25 hospitals. Adoption was evaluated using the HIMSS Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM) as a reference framework, supplemented by Nigeria-specific indicators for power supply resilience, internet connectivity, and health data interoperability standards compliance. Findings indicate that 68 percent of assessed hospitals have not reached EMRAM Stage 2 (three or more ancillary systems operational). Only two hospitals (8 percent) have implemented any form of clinical decision support. Paper-based records coexist with partial electronic systems in 80 percent of hospitals, creating dual workflow burden. Interoperability between hospital systems is absent in all assessed institutions. Power supply dependency is identified as the primary infrastructure barrier, with 72 percent of hospitals unable to sustain electronic systems during generator outages. The study recommends a South East Nigeria Hospital Digital Health Investment Programme targeting power resilience, clinical staff training, and EMR standardisation, coordinated through the Federal Ministry of Health's eHealth Nigeria programme.

Keywords: health information technology, hospital IT adoption, South East Nigeria, EMRAM, electronic medical records