Perspective of Employees' Compliance with Electronic Medical Records Privacy Policy in Ashanti Region.

Abstract

Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are increasingly utilized in Ghana to improve healthcare delivery. However, compliance with privacy policies remains a critical concern, particularly in resource-constrained settings such as the Ashanti Region. Understanding perspective of employees' compliance with electronic medical records privacy policy is essential for strengthening patient data protection. To assess healthcare employees’ perspective of employees' compliance with electronic medical records privacy policy in selected public hospitals in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 269 healthcare professionals, proportionally sampled from Mampong, Agona, and Ejura Government Hospitals. Participants included medical officers, nurses, records officers, IT staff, and administrators. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed with descriptive statistics, Fisher’s t-test for awareness, and weighted average index models for compliance and influencing factors. Mean awareness scores differed significantly between clinical and non-clinical staff (t = 3.41, p = 0.001). The Weighted Average Index indicated moderate overall compliance (0.56), with higher scores among staff who had received prior training (WAI = 0.63 vs. 0.48, p < 0.05). Logistic regression identified training exposure (AOR = 2.84, 95% CI: 1.62–4.96), leadership support (AOR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.15–3.18), and system usability (AOR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.22–3.51) as significant predictors of compliance. Challenges of EMR privacy policy included inadequate training (47.3%), limited resources (42.6%), outdated EMR systems (38.5%), and high workload (35.1%). Improving EMR privacy compliance in Ghana depends on focused staff training, clear and simple policies, adequate resources, and upgraded technology to protect patient data and strengthen institutional trust.