Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

The rapid evolution of Edge Computing has transformed the way organizations design, deploy, and manage electronic health records. As institutions seek to modernize legacy processes, Edge Computing offers new opportunities to improve service delivery, reduce manual overhead, and respond more effectively to user needs.

In practice, however, adoption of edge computing within electronic health records has been uneven, and its actual impact on real-time monitoring capability is not yet well understood in a rigorous, evaluable way — a gap this study is positioned to address.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Current electronic health records in many organizations struggle with inadequate real-time monitoring capability, often relying on manual processes or outdated architectures that were not designed for today's operating environment. Without a structured approach to integrating edge computing, these limitations are likely to persist, exposing organizations to inefficiency, risk, and a poor user experience. This study is motivated by the need to design and evaluate a edge computing-based approach to addressing this problem.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To design and implement a edge computing-based approach to improving real-time monitoring capability in electronic health records.
2. To evaluate the effectiveness of Edge Computing in enhancing real-time monitoring capability within electronic health records.
3. To identify the key requirements and constraints relevant to deploying edge computing in this context.
4. To assess user and stakeholder perception of the resulting system.

1.4 Research Questions

1. How can edge computing be applied to improve real-time monitoring capability in electronic health records?
2. How effective is Edge Computing at enhancing real-time monitoring capability within electronic health records?
3. What requirements and constraints are relevant to deploying edge computing in this context?
4. How do users and stakeholders perceive the resulting system?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Beyond its immediate technical contribution, this study offers value to organizations evaluating whether to invest in edge computing for their own electronic health records, and contributes to the broader literature on applied software technology / IT by documenting a concrete implementation and evaluation case.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to the design, implementation, and evaluation of a edge computing-based approach to improving real-time monitoring capability within electronic health records. Reflecting its clearly defined scope, it does not extend to a full commercial rollout or long-term post-implementation review beyond the study period.