Background: Modern telecommunication infrastructure enables bridging of thedigital divide between rural and urban healthcare services, promoting the provisionof suitable medical care and support. Thus far, there has been some positiveimpacts to applying mobile health (m-Health) solutions, but their full potential inrelation to cloud computing has is yet to be realised. It is imperative to develop aninnovative approach for addressing the digital divide in a context of developingcountry.Method: Adopting a design science research approach (DSR), this studydescribes an innovative m-Health solution utilising cloud computing that enableshealthcare professionals and women in rural areas to achieve comprehensivematernal healthcare support. We developed the solution framework throughiterative prototyping with stakeholders’ participation, and evaluated the designusing focus groups.Results: The cloud-based solution was positively evaluated as supportinghealthcare professionals and service providers. It was perceived to help provide avirtual presence for evaluating and diagnosing expectant mothers’ criticalhealthcare data, medical history, and in providing necessary service support in avirtual clinic environment.Conclusions: The new application offers benefits to target stakeholders enablinga new practice-based paradigm applicable in other healthcare management. Wedemonstrated utilities to address target problems as well as the mechanismpropositions for meeting the information exchange demand for better realisation ofpractical needs of the end users.
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