Challenges of Health Information Exchange in Maternal Healthcare in Kenya

Abstract

In Kenya, Medical facilities have made efforts to adopt Electronic Health Records systems at various levels and for different use cases. However, there lacks a robust and secure system for sharing sensitive and confidential health records. This curtails the potential benefits that can be gained by shared electronic health records especially the antenatal care process. Besides, there lacks a portable mechanism of sharing patient medical history especially when the patient seeks care from one provider to another. This situation is even dire and most detrimental to the most vulnerable of citizens, in expectant mothers, children and marginalized groups. This study seeks to determine the challenges of Health Information Exchange in Maternal healthcare, Antenatal Care Process. The findings were drawn from a qualitative research study conducted at the Nakuru County Level Five Hospital utilizing a case study methodological approach