ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD AND PATIENT SATISFACTION IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS: MODERATING ROLE OF OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

Patient satisfaction is considered is the degree to which patients are satisfied with the quality of healthcare provided by their provider. Unfortunately, most hospitals in Nigeria are lagging in embracing contemporary healthcare technology. Most hospitals around the world are re-strategizing to deliver quality healthcare and remain competitive through the usage of electronic health records systems (EHR). This study examined the relationship between EHR and patient satisfaction under the moderating influence of operational efficiency. Data was collected from the patients of public hospitals in north-central states of Nigeria using questionnaire. Two public hospitals were chosen to represent each state with the use of a convenience sampling technique. 440 samples were drawn via Taro Yamani formula. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) using smart-PLS version 4.0 as an inferential statistical toolf or data analysis was employed. The study found strong positive and statistically significant relationship exists between direct function and operational efficiency. The study also found that information infrastructure and operational efficiency have a negative significant relationship, while supportive function and operational efficiency have positive insignificant relationship. Operational efficiency has strong, positive, and significant moderating effect on the relationship between EHR systems and patient satisfaction. Based on the findings, the study recommends that governments at all levels should endeavor to install sustainable and improved EHR systems in public hospitals in north central Nigeria. Such is expected to provide improved efficient operation that enhance patients' satisfaction in public hospitals.