Electronic Health Records Enhance Emergency Care at Dakar Public Hospital: A Protocol

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have been increasingly adopted in healthcare settings to improve patient care and outcomes. In Dakar, a large public hospital is exploring how EHRs can enhance emergency room care. A mixed-methods approach will be employed, including a pre-post design to evaluate changes in patient flow and an observational study to assess staff perceptions and workflow efficiency. Initial findings suggest a reduction of 15% in average patient wait times post-EHR implementation, with positive feedback from staff indicating improved coordination and decision-making during emergencies. The protocol demonstrates the feasibility of integrating EHRs into emergency care operations at Dakar Public Hospital. Further research is recommended to explore long-term effects on patient outcomes. Implementing a robust data management system alongside EHRs, ensuring staff training for optimal use, and conducting regular evaluations are key recommendations. Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p_i)=\beta_0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.