THE ROLE OF PROJECT LEADERS' COMPETENCE IN EMR IMPLEMENTATION:

Abstract

The implementation of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) systems is critical for enhancing healthcare delivery, yet resource-constrained settings like Nyandarua County, Kenya, face persistent challenges. This study investigates the impact of project leaders’ competence on the successful implementation of EMR systems within healthcare facilities. Anchored in Change Management and Adaptive Leadership theories, the research employs a cross-sectional design, collecting data from 62 healthcare professionals through structured questionnaires. The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between leadership competence and EMR implementation success (β = .351, p < .05), explaining 7.1% of the variance in effectiveness. However, gaps in soft skills, such as team-building, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving, were identified as critical challenges. The study underscores the need for targeted leadership development programs and enhanced change management strategies aligned with infrastructural improvements. Recommendations include integrating soft skills training into leadership capacity-building initiatives and addressing systemic barriers to foster sustainable EMR adoption. These insights provide valuable contributions to healthcare leadership discourse and inform strategies for strengthening EMR implementation in resource-limited contexts.