The article titled “Electronic Medical Record in Developing Countries: Research Streams, Influential Works, and Future Research Paths” by Utami and Arini (2025) presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of how Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) have been studied in the context of developing countries over the last decade. Using a systematic approach grounded in bibliometric methods, the authors reviewed 137 peer-reviewed articles published between 2014 and 2023 in the Scopus database. Their objective was to map the evolution, key research clusters, and emerging gaps in the EMR literature specific to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
The study begins by situating EMRs within the broader digital transformation of healthcare systems, underscoring their role in enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and coordination in healthcare delivery. While EMRs are widely adopted in developed countries, their implementation in developing contexts remains limited and fragmented. The authors note that despite the growing importance of EMRs, most scholarly contributions on the subject have originated from developed nations, particularly the United States. This paradox reflects the resource disparity and infrastructural limitations that continue to hinder EMR adoption in LMICs.
Through evaluative and relational bibliometric techniques, the article reveals that EMR research in developing countries initially focused on topics such as healthcare planning, health personnel attitudes, and basic medical record management. Over time, the focus shifted toward telemedicine, mobile health (mHealth), medical information systems, and hospital admissions. The authors provide a detailed density and network visualization, illustrating how central themes like “hospitalization,” “patient education,” and “medical information systems” are gaining traction, while areas such as health worker attitudes, digital literacy, and mHealth integration remain underexplored.
Notably, the study identifies the most cited works in the domain, including the contributions of Fritz, Tilahun, and Dugas (2015), who provided critical success criteria for EMR implementation in resource-limited settings. The authors argue that a significant knowledge gap persists in understanding the socio-technical factors influencing EMR adoption in developing regions. For instance, issues such as infrastructure inadequacy, cost, user resistance, and data security are repeatedly cited as barriers to effective implementation.
In their conclusion, Utami and Arini advocate for a more nuanced research agenda that includes exploring the digital readiness of health professionals, enhancing patient education strategies, and developing integrated EMR systems with telemedicine capabilities. They emphasize the need for cross-country comparative studies and multi-database scoping reviews to deepen insights and support policy formulation. The article offers both theoretical and practical implications, making a strong case for investing in EMR systems as a catalyst for equitable and sustainable health system improvements in the developing world.
Reference: Utami, D. W., & Arini, M. (2025). Electronic medical record in developing countries: Research streams, influential works, and future research paths. Journal of Public Health and Development, 23(2), 320–335. https://doi.org/10.55131/jphd/2025/230222
