Healthc Inform Res.  2011 Sep;17(3):172-177. 10.4258/hir.2011.17.3.172.

The Adoption of Electronic Medical Records and Decision Support Systems in Korea

• Chae YM
• Yoo KB
• Kim ES
• Chae H

• KMID: 1974243
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4258/hir.2011.17.3.172

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To examine the current status of hospital information systems (HIS), analyze the effects of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) have upon hospital performance, and examine how management issues change over time according to various growth stages.
METHODS
Data taken from the 2010 survey on the HIS status and management issues for 44 tertiary hospitals and 2009 survey on hospital performance appraisal were used. A chi-square test was used to analyze the association between the EMR and CDSS characteristics. A t-test was used to analyze the effects of EMR and CDSS on hospital performance.
RESULTS
Hospital size and top management support were significantly associated with the adoption of EMR. Unlike the EMR results, however, only the standardization characteristic was significantly associated with CDSS adoption. Both EMR and CDSS were associated with the improvement of hospital performance. The EMR adoption rates and outsourcing consistently increased as the growth stage increased. The CDSS, Knowledge Management System, standardization, and user training adoption rates for Stage 3 hospitals were higher than those found for Stage 2 hospitals.
CONCLUSIONS
Both EMR and CDSS influenced the improvement of hospital performance. As hospitals advanced to Stage 3, i.e. have more experience with information systems, they adopted EMRs and realized the importance of each management issue.

Keyword

Electronic Medical Record; Clinical Decision Support Systems; Knowledge Management; Information Management

MeSH Terms

Adoption
Decision Support Systems, Clinical
Electronic Health Records
Electronics
Electrons
Health Facility Size
Hospital Information Systems
Information Management
Information Systems
Knowledge Management
Korea
Outsourced Services
Tertiary Care Centers

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