User: Hi, we want to build an appointment management system for our hospital.

Assistant: Sure! Is this for a single hospital or multiple branches?

User: Just one hospital for now, but we might expand later.

Assistant: Understood. How many doctors and departments do you have?

User: Around 40 doctors across 8 departments like cardiology, orthopedics, pediatrics, and general medicine.

Assistant: Should patients be able to book appointments online?

User: Yes, through a web portal. We also want an option for front-desk staff to book appointments manually.

Assistant: Got it. Do you need different appointment durations for different doctors?

User: Yes. Some doctors need 15-minute slots, others 30 minutes.

Assistant: Should the system prevent double booking automatically?

User: Definitely. No overlapping appointments allowed.

Assistant: Understood. Do you want automated SMS or email reminders for patients before their appointment?

User: Yes, email reminders are enough for now. SMS can be added later.

Assistant: Okay. Should doctors be able to view their daily schedule and patient history?

User: Yes, doctors should see upcoming appointments and basic patient records.

Assistant: Do you need to store medical records in this phase?

User: Only basic consultation notes and prescriptions. Full EHR integration can come later.

Assistant: Noted. What tech stack are you planning to use?

User: Backend in Node.js, frontend in React, and database in MySQL.

Assistant: Sounds good. Should administrators have access to reports like total appointments per department and doctor utilization?

User: Yes, admin should be able to export reports in Excel format.

Assistant: Understood. I’ll design modules for Doctors, Patients, Appointments, Prescriptions, and Reports. Should I start with the database schema or API design?

User: Start with the database schema.