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.　©　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer　Nature　Singapore　Pte　Ltd　2024.