Designing and Developing M-Thyroid Care for Mobile Virtual Consultation

This research paper presents the design and development process of the M-Thyroid Care app, a mobile application prototype aimed at facilitating virtual video call-based consultations for thyroid clinics using design-based research. The app offers a convenient and accessible platform for remote consultations, enabling patients and healthcare providers, especially doctors, to engage through video calls. Additional features like chat functionality and file-sharing capabilities are incorporated to facilitate seamless communication and information exchange between patients and healthcare providers. The motivation behind developing M-Thyroid Care stems from the need to address the challenges associated with unurgent illness physical visits, specifically focusing on follow-up appointments for thyroid disorder patients. It is important to note that the app is not intended to replace physical visits but to assist clinics and healthcare providers in managing their time more effectively, allowing for more in-clinic consultations, particularly for new thyroid disorder patients. By eliminating the need for physical visits, M-Thyroid Care offers several benefits. Patients can save on travel, parking, childcare, and other related expenses, resulting in enhanced convenience and cost-effectiveness. Moreover, reducing physical visits can reduce traffic congestion and emissions, aligning with sustainable environmental practices. In summary, M-Thyroid Care represents a significant step towards leveraging mobile technology to improve thyroid healthcare consultations. The insights gained from the design and development process of M-Thyroid Care contribute to the broader understanding of designing mobile healthcare apps for remote consultations, serving as a valuable resource for future app development in telemedicine and mobile healthcare.