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Identifying the Software Quality Attributes that Affect Patient Portal Adoption in Trinidad and Tobago

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Abstract

Trinidad and Tobago’s public health sector currently uses paper records, posing challenges for both patients and healthcare providers. Transitioning to an electronic health record system with a patient portal is vital. Identifying and highlighting user requirements is crucial for this improvement, promising better healthcare services and data accessibility. With that being said, this study aims to identify key functional user requirements for a patient portal in Trinidad and Tobago, assess potential adoption barriers, and define credibility attributes for the credibility evaluation framework. The research question is focused on understanding user expectations and factors that may hinder adoption. The research methodology consisted of three main steps. First, a comprehensive review of existing standards, guidelines, and journals on patient portals was conducted to gather insights into best practices and key software credibility attributes. Second, an online survey was designed to collect data from 390 citizens of Trinidad and Tobago aged 18 years and over. The survey focused on gathering user preferences, expectations, and concerns regarding the implementation of patient portal adoption. Lastly, the survey responses were analyzed to identify key functional user requirements for the system. The results of the study revealed 16 key functional user requirements for the electronic health records system, providing insights into the features and functionalities expected by users. Among the identified adoption barriers, resistance to change and inadequate cybersecurity laws were found to be significant factors that may hinder the successful implementation of the system. Additionally, 15 credibility attributes were selected based on the use’r requirements to establish the system’s reliability and trustworthiness. Understanding user requirements and addressing adoption barriers are crucial for developing an effective patient portal system in Trinidad and Tobago’s public health sector. The identified credibility attributes will guide the evaluation framework, enhancing the system’s adoption and contributing to improved patient and provider care.

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Data availability

All relevant data supporting the findings of this study are available upon request. Please see the following link for access to the data https://doi.org/10.1007/s42979-023-02589-0.

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Acknowledgements

A special acknowledgement to Associate Professor Yu for her guidance and support on this paper. A special thank you to my family for their continued support.

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  1. School of Software, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China

    Marcus Rawlins & Xuejun Yu

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  1. Marcus Rawlins
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Correspondence to Marcus Rawlins.

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The procedure of the Beijing University of Technology concerning collecting information was followed. Survey templates were reviewed by the supervising body, and participants’ oral permission was obtained for the survey.

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Rawlins, M., Yu, X. Identifying the Software Quality Attributes that Affect Patient Portal Adoption in Trinidad and Tobago. SN COMPUT. SCI. 5, 257 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42979-023-02589-0

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