CONCEPT PAPER
TOPIC: AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CHALLENGES INFLUENCING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS SYSTEMS FOR HIVCARE PATIENT MONITORING AND CLINICAL MANAGEMENT.
(A case study of Mbagathi District Hospital and Makadara Health Centre in Nairobi County)
INTRODUCTION – BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY.
The implementation of electronic medical records (EMR) systems is a complex process that is receiving more focus in developing countries to support understaffed and overcrowded health facilities deal with the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Timely access to accurate and relevant health and medical information is crucial to the development and administration of healthcare services, research and teaching. The advent of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has brought many opportunities and challenges in the provision of information services in the health sector worldwide.

The current health situation of many developing countries is a dire one, with many facing double and triple burden of disease (ie infectious and chronic) one contributor to this condition is the HIV/AIDS epidemic. HIV/AIDS has the highest prevalence in developing countries, about 68% (22.5 million) of the approximately 33 million people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) reside in sub-Saharan Africa where as HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death(UNAIDS & WHO,2007). In Kenya the number living with HIV/AIDS as per the NASCOP National HIV indicators report 2011 there were 1.6million, only reported that same year was 124,000 new infections and the annual Mortality due to HIV in 2010 was 65,000 people hence this calls for a proper system for monitoring the quality HIVcare to avert the situation (NASCOP HIV Indicators for Kenya 2010)

The need for computer-based health information systems in health care has been proven to be fundamental tool to improving quality of care and reducing medical