Attitude of the medical staff towards medical record departments of general hospitals in Kuwait.

The present study was undertaken with the aim of revealing the attitude of the medical staff towards the medical record departments in the six general hospitals of Kuwait. Results showed that only 39.1% of physicians who completed the study questionnaire had ever visited the MRD. In addition, only 19.4% perceived the MRD as a health information centre, while the greater proportion of physicians regarded the department as a file room. The attitude of the medical staff towards three aspects of the MRD, namely its staff, physical conditions and performance, was elicited by requesting the physicians to indicate whether they agreed or disagreed about positive descriptions of these three aspects. Attitude was most favourable towards the MRD staff. Unavailability of a satisfactory place for visitors appeared to be the main problem related to physical conditions, such a place being regarded as satisfactory by only 15.6% of physicians. Performance of the MRD was perceived as its weakest aspect, five of its six items being accorded negative responses by over 50% of physicians. The least favourable component of performance was availability of records, only 22.2% of physicians agreeing that requested records were always available. Regarding the overall opinion about the MRD, only 10.4% of physicians rated the department as good. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between hospitals regarding the extent of physicians' agreement about positive descriptions of the three aspects of the department studied. It also showed that a direct correlation exists between the attitude towards performance of the department and the overall opinion about the department.