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Dr. Healthcare: A Web-based Application for Patient Consultation Services

Research · March 2016

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.18329.52321

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Lady Janis Kate Gammad Acuña

Polytechnic University of the Philippines
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 Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background

CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

A major driver of inequity is the high cost of accessing and using health
care. It transpires round the globe. In accordance to the Philippines’ Department of
Health (DOH), Cuba’s health system has a good ratio between doctors and
patients, which is one doctor for every 1075. On the other hand, Ubial has a ratio
of 1:33,000.

Healthcare in the Philippines is variable, ranging in quality from excellent to

dire. Hospitals in the major cities are generally of a high standard, while many in
rural areas lack infrastructure and investment. This causes majority of the
population not to be able to take care of their health.

Hospital or medical facilities in the country are mostly situated in Region III
and National Capital Region (NCR). As per the World Health Organization (WHO),
the ideal number of hospital beds is 20 per 10,000 populations. However, there’s a
significant number of hospital beds still needed in most of the regions not including
National Capital Region (NCR), Northern and Southern Mindanao as well as
Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR).i

Due to lack of medical facilities in government hospitals, many would like to

be confined in a private hospital. But, there were cases that some private hospitals

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 Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background
didn’t give medical attention before they can’t provide a deposit that’s required
prior to giving medical help.ii

Healthcare secretary Enrique Ona said “Every Filipino, regardless of status

in life, should have equal access to health care… the law states that all cases
should be treated and admitted, if necessary, by a hospital.”iii

1.2 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Log-In Module

User inserts
username and User’s account
User Account password to access system
the system

Sign-Up Module

User inserts first

User Sign-up name, last name, User’s account
information email address and system
password register in
the system

Able to add
account

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 Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background
Message module

Add new chat thread

List of old and new
Chat information in the system
chat threads

Create and Open

Chat thread

Notification Module

Notification Respond to
View notification
Information notification
information
information

Profile Module

User inputs User accounts

User information
information to the system
system

Able to add, edit,

and delete user
information

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 Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background

Report Module

Report Information View report

System Information
information

Forum Module (Patient Interface)

User inserts problem,

Unverified patients
Post Problem tags, and category to
post in forum post by the admin

Able to edit, delete,

send posts to
admin for
verification

Forum Module (Admin Interface)

Unverified patients User view problem, Verified post by the

tags, and category to
post admin
post in forum

Able to edit and

decline posts

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 Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background

Category Module

Categories in the Admin views List of categories

system Category

Able to add, edit

and delete
category

Friend Module

Users Name or User views user Friend request

Email information notification

Able to add, accept

and decline user

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 Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background
1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The Health Consultation System was developed in order to solve the

problem of small-scale access to quality health care of population’s majority. More
specifically, it sought to answer following problems:

1. Unattended patients caused by the uneven ratio of doctors in clinic and

the patients.
According to Health Secretary Ubial, at present, the ratio of doctors to
patient population in the country is 1:33,000. We are only producing an
average of 2,600 doctors a year because of the difficulty to go into medicine. In
the Philippines, it takes over eight years for a medical student to finish and the
amount that you need to spend can be very costly.
2. Remote areas receive less attention in attaining proper maintenance of
health.
The biggest challenge in Philippine health care is fragmentation and
disparity in the quality of health care services. This is because the sectors
divided by the class standards in the community. Also, there's a lack of
volunteers willing to go to rural areas due to the high cost of education which
prompts medical school graduates and new doctors to join private hospitals
which offer higher pay to be able to recoup their investment.
3. The low affordability rate of quality health care in clinics and hospitals.
Based on a survey by the Social Weather Station in 2006, majority of
Filipinos specifically the low income households prefer to seek treatment in a
government hospital if a family member needs confinement. Affordability is the
main reason for going to a government medical facility, while excellent service

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 Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background
is the main reason for going to a private medical facility (Department of Health,
2010).

1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

Nowadays people are seeking for a convenient way of being

accommodated with their health problem (for people). So does in accommodating
many people in a clinic (for doctors). In this situation therefore, with the help of the
modern technology, Dr. Healthcare will be able to help and fasten the transactions
of different doctors and their clients. This study aims to provide a real-time online
chat that can put the user in direct contact with a doctor. Specifically, this study
aims to accomplish the following objectives:

1.) To provide an online chat that will help people talk to doctors without
going to their clinic.
2.) To create an online consultation system that can help patients find
solutions in their health problems in a convenient way which is proper
and more accurate transactions between doctors and patients.
3.) To develop an online consultation system with low to no charge.

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 Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
A system that provides an easy, accurate, and secured way in talking to
their health expertise while saving a lot time and effort at the same time would be
considered as a great leap to them. The results of the study will provide some
insights and information on each people not just to those who have their problems
in regards with their health but also to those who wants to know and prevent
health issues by viewing or posting in the system.

To Health Professionals. This study may lessen the amount of patients going to
their clinics for it will help doctors to communicate and solve problems of patient
through this online Dr, Healthcare

To Patients. The system will provide a communication space/chat box so patients

can ask problem and solutions pertaining to their health through chatting directly to
their doctors. A list of available doctors can also be seen in the system.

To Society. The system will lessen the queue of people trying to get an
appointment from the Doctor. It will also decrease the people’s risk in monitoring
their health status.

To Hospitals and Clinic Owners. The System will give an accessible

communication medium that may lighten up your works in terms of having plenty
of patients in your facilities.

To Health Conscious. The will support your desires to know more about health
by asking some valid questions and viewing solve problems in the systems forum.

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 Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background
To Future Researcher. The system may lead the future researchers to get an
idea on how to build a system that will establish a communication process not only
in this field but other areas as well.

1.6 SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

This system, Dr. Healthcare works as patient-doctor interaction through internet

based. Healthcare offers messaging, forum, friend request and reviews with
different constraints depending to the users. Messaging is only possible for doctor
to patient or patient to doctor, given that both users are friends. A patient can only
post a question and comment in the forum if they are logged-in. Interaction
between a patient to another patient or doctor to another doctor is only possible in
the forum. This system also serves as medical record tracker for both users. The
system has four interfaces. First, the guest interface for users who are not yet
registered. Second, the admin interface where administrator can only access it.
Third, patient interface which users can access who have already an existing
account and lastly the doctor interface, where registered doctors by admin can
access. There are five main modules and two sub-modules. Each module within
the system has its own important purpose.
The first main module is the Login module. The users who have already
created an account in the system are the only people allowed to access it. This
secures the system and makes sure that all the information recorded is only
accessible to Dr. Healthcare users only. This means that new user for this system
has to register first.
The second main module is the Forum module. In this module, patient can
view and comment on approved posts and make a new post. On the other hand,
doctors can only view approved posts and make comment.

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 Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background
The third main module is the Friend module. In this module, users can view
their friend list, add a patient and accept friend request
Message Module enables doctor and patient to open and create new chat
threads sent by each party.

Report Module is for admin use for summarizing the tags, category, posts,
and registration on the system.
The sub-module Profile Module enables patient to edit their personal and
medical information while doctors can edit their professional information. Category
sub-module displays all types of health categories that are added by the admin.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

 Chat thread - A running commentary of text messages pertaining to one
topic or question that is displayed in order by date of posting.
 Database - a systematized collection of data that can be accessed
immediately and manipulated by a data-processing system for a specific
purpose.
 Module - one of a set of parts that can be connected or combined to build
or complete something.
 Internet based - used to describe activities that are done using the internet.
 Real-time - the actual time during which something takes place.
 Sub module - A module that is a smaller part of a large module.
 System - A group of interdependent items that interact regularly to perform
a task.
 Dr. Healthcare - the name of the system designed for the doctors and
patients.
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 Health professionals - Individual accredited by a professional body upon
completing a course of study, and usually licensed by a government agency,
to practice a health related profession like medicine and nursing.
 Healthcare - the maintenance and improvement of physical and mental
health, especially through the provision of medical services.
 (WHO) World Health Organization - is a specialized agency of the United
Nations that is concerned with international public health. The WHO is a
member of the United Nations Development Group.
 (DOH) Department of Health - is the executive department of the
Philippine government responsible for ensuring access to basic public
health services by all Filipinos through the provision of quality health care
and the regulation of all health services and products.

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i
http://www.doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/basic-page/chapter-one.pdf

ii
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/629385/doh-hospitals-must-admit-all-emergency-patients

iii
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/629385/doh-hospitals-must-admit-all-emergency-patients
 Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background

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