Challenges Associated With the Use of Electronic Health Record Systems for Health Service Delivery in Ghana

Background: Globally, digital health holds immense potential for transforming health-care delivery and improving patient outcomes, including enhanced care, increased mobility of records, reduced costs, and efficient recordkeeping. In this study, the authors sought to explore the challenges associated with the use of the electronic health record (EHR) Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS) for health service delivery in Ghana. Methods: The authors used a nonprobability purposive sampling technique (expert sampling) to sample 30 unit heads from the study population. Results: The software challenges included inconsistency in report generation and a lack of standardization in system features, functions, and data capturing. The EHR (LHIMS) is also dependent on computer devices, and inadequate or malfunctioning devices pose a challenge to its effectiveness. Power interruptions can disrupt the work process and even affect patient outcomes. Conclusions: The challenges associated with the use of the EHR (LHIMS) in Ghana are issues that could have been resolved at the beginning of the implementation of the EHR if all the players had been involved in the process.