Healthcare professionals' perceptions of electronic medical record privacy and its impact on work quality in Riyadh hospitals.

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate healthcare professionals' perceptions of electronic medical records (EMRs) privacy and its impact on work quality in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, hospitals.

Methods: A total of 381 healthcare professionals were surveyed using a self-administered online questionnaire, which collected data on their familiarity with EMRs, perceptions of data protection, and experiences with privacy breaches.

Results: The findings revealed that 79.3% of the respondents were familiar with EMRs. However, only 69.6% expressed confidence in safeguarding patient data from unauthorized access. Alarmingly, 25.5% admitted to accessing colleagues' EMRs without permission, raising significant privacy concerns. Despite the presence of organizational privacy policies, 24.6% of the respondents were unaware or unsure of these policies. The study also highlighted the impact of privacy issues on healthcare staff, with 63.5% expressing concerns regarding the effects of EMR privacy on confidentiality and 39.4% reporting increased stress levels. Statistical analyses revealed significant associations between privacy concerns and stress (p=0.010) but no associations with avoiding medical care or behavior changes.

Conclusion: This study underscores the urgent need for healthcare institutions to address privacy-related issues in EMRs and enhance data security measures and staff training to safeguard patient confidentiality and improve overall work quality.