Management Of Medical Records In Selected Public And Private Health Institutions In Owerri, Nigeria:-Nnadozie Chizoba D.

ABSTRACT

The need for an empirical investigation of the relationship between medical records administration and librarianship, ascertain the methods of managing these documents and highlight the attendant challenges in Nigerian hospitals provided the major thrusts of this study. The health facilities which served as the subjects of this research were drawn from an equal number ofpublic and private hospitals located in Owerri, Southeastern Nigeria. A fourteen-item questionnaire was used to obtain information which were analyzed and presented in frequency tables. Findings showed a nexus between librarianship and medical record practice though none of the hospitals surveyed employed librarians or other bibliographical experts in their medical records sections. Further findings revealed general inadequacies in accommodation, working facilities and staffing though the pubic-owned hospitals fared better than those established by private individuals. Recommendations were made to remedy specific lapses and by so doing, improve the current trends in the management of medical records in Nigerian health institutions.