Adoption and Feedback Analysis of Electronic Medical Records Systems in South African Hospitals of Eastern Cape Province

Electronic Medical Records (EMR) systems have become integral to healthcare delivery in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province, aiming to improve patient care and operational efficiency. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including a survey among healthcare professionals (n = 150) and observational analysis of EMR system usage in five randomly selected hospitals. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential tests to assess adoption rates and user satisfaction. The preliminary findings suggest an overall 72% adoption rate for EMR systems across the sampled hospitals, with a significant improvement in patient chart accuracy noted among users who have adopted these systems (p < 0.05). User feedback highlighted improvements in documentation efficiency but also identified challenges related to system complexity and training needs. The study provides insights into the current state of EMR adoption within the Eastern Cape Province healthcare sector, identifying both successes and areas for improvement. Further implementation strategies should focus on enhancing user training programmes and simplifying interface design to maximise system benefits and reduce barriers to adoption.