Research and Development on better self-management options and empowering the management of the patients for their own chronic disease condition, using mobile health (mHealth) technologies.
​
Summary:

• We will develop and evaluate the usability and effectiveness of smart phones in the self-management of chronic disease conditions. In short, this will include app development: i) Stakeholders identification, ii) Focus group discussions, iii) Research team working to collate and formalize app content and design, iv) App shared with the stakeholders for their review and feedback, v) Several rounds of modification, vi) Final development.

Methods:

• Variables: Demographic and patient biodata, past medical history, sign and symptoms, important comorbidities, blood parameters, diet and treatment.
• App Development: This will include stakeholders identification which include patients, technical staff/laboratory staff, nurses and doctors and specialists depending on the chronic disease of interest. Patients visiting the specific center will be invited to participate in the focus group interview. Patients feedback will provide an account on the issues and solutions they face during the home-based treatment options. Similar focus group exercises will be conducted with other stakeholders, acquiring feedback on the possible issues and solutions during their face to face discussion with patients. Clinicians will be enquired about the main variables that will be needed for treatment and management modification, validating compliance of treatment and any alert or emergency symptoms or blood parameters that warrant an immediate visit to them. Based on the stakeholders feedback the research team will work to collate and formalize app content and design. After the initial development of the app it will be shared with the stakeholders for their review and feedback and evaluating its feasibility and usability. After several rounds of modification, a final app will be developed that will be used for evaluation of effectiveness. A research study will be conducted to evaluate its usability and effectiveness in a clinical setting.