WeChat-based mobile health management for short-stature children with long-term growth hormone therapy: A nonexperimental study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of a WeChat-based mobile platform in growth hormone therapy. METHOD: Growth hormone therapy and health education information for height growth were embedded in a WeChat-based mobile platform, and the platform was evaluated through medical staff assessments, patient volunteer assessments and quantitative scoring criteria. RESULTS: In the medical staff evaluation, both clinicians and nurses had a positive attitude towards the mobile platform, believing that the design of the mobile platform was clearly visualized and easy to operate. In family volunteers’ evaluations, the summary of β-testing results showed that 90–100% of parents had a positive attitude towards the WeChat-based mobile platform. Parents of the patients and doctors and nurses assessed the mobile platform by reviewing quantitative scoring standards developed by professional researchers. All scores were >16 (the average score was 18–19.3). Children treated with growth hormone therapy were included for compliance tracking for one year, and patient adherence was described in this study. CONCLUSION: The interaction based on the WeChat platform and the health education of the public have greatly increased the interaction between doctors and patients, and improved patient satisfaction and compliance.