Digital Health
Experts and IT Development
Senior Team
Resources
Apps and Consumer tools and resources
Ask PCOS
askpcos.org
Ask EarlyMenopause
askearlymenopause.org
Ask Fertility
askfertility.org
Lifestyle interventions
OptimalMe
optimalme.org
Risk prediction tools
PeRSonal GDM
personalgdm.com
Evidence & Translation
Creating a sophisticated innovative, impactful and scalable digital health ecosystem that improves health outcomes for our community and provides accurate and efficient translation and decision support for our community and health professionals, which enhances health equity and access to evidence-based information and engagement.
This group develops engaging, sophisticated and innovative digital solutions to support patients and health professionals by translating the research knowledge created by MCHRI with worldwide experts to deliver evidence-based and cost-effective interventions to drive improved health outcomes at scale. We aim to combine accessibility, functionality and efficacy in our digital programs.
We deploy our domain knowledge and digital capabilities to use data and technology to help provide easier access to evidence-based information to improve health outcomes and health equity for consumers. We provide community and health professionals with digital tools to support informed treatment decisions and for the better coordination of care.
About the Digital Health Ecosystem
Our digital health ecosystem is co-designed and use state of the art IT platforms and technology. We operate consumer facing digital health technologies that host evidence-based information in the health research areas which the MCHRI team covers.
We identify needs and priorities ‘with women for women’ and work in multidisciplinary teams to benefit from cutting-edge knowledge and combine our competencies in technology, human-centred design and medical research to create engaging and effective digital solutions. We collaborate closely with statisticians for data-driven knowledge creation and implementations.
Implementation & Impact
Our work focuses on improving health outcomes and health equity for women during their reproductive life.
We currently provide applications to deliver healthy lifestyle interventions during pre-conception, pregnancy and post-birth and manage health conditions such as PCOS, Early Menopause and Infertility and a risk calculator platform including gestational diabetes.
Main Research Streams
We are creating innovative and scalable digital health solutions as part of our ecosystem to provide accessible and engaging solutions for women and health professionals. These are platforms that are being iteratively evaluated, extended and improved.
‘Ask’ women’s health apps: The sophisticated co-designed Ask applications provide personal and relevant information to women for specific conditions. Ask Apps are currently available for PCOS and Early Menopause. The Ask Apps provide a personalised space to find evidence-based information about the condition, track and manage the symptoms, find positive and personal solutions on how to manage the condition, prepare consultations with health professionals and support women to live the healthiest possible lifestyle for them. The apps also provide forums to connect and discuss with other women.
OptimalMe is an application to deliver healthy lifestyle interventions during preconception, pregnancy and post-birth. We received funding to develop the next version of the application to deliver co-designed, scalable and cost-effective healthy lifestyle interventions focussing on underserved women. We also integrate lifestyle into our other IT platforms.
PerSONal GDM: PerSONal GDM is a risk calculator platform that includes models to evaluate the risk of developing GDM or evaluating the risk of adverse outcomes due to GDM. This platform provides efficient decision support tools for health professionals to decide on and discuss the potential risk of GDM with patients. Other calculators are under development
Additional Research Streams
We have a body of work optimising the use of codesigned strategies for innovative effective digital strategies in communication of complex concepts and risks.
We are mentoring cross sector student driven teams to create prototypes for Apps in cooperation with Monash University or via integration into core units across a range of disciplines.
We are investigating the use of AI and machine learning frameworks to create dynamic learning models. We are also evaluating the use of AI to personalise our platform and provide curated and relevant evidence-based information.
To deliver health impact, we leverage and integrate with the following MCHRI platforms
Group Members
| Prof Helena Teede | Director MCHRI |
| A/Prof Amanda Vincent | Lead, Early Menopause |
| A/Prof Lisa Moran | Lead, High-Risk Women’s Health |
| A/Prof Cheryce Harrison | Lead, Healthy Lifestyle Program |
| Susanne Baker | Lead, Digital Health and App Platform Development |
| Vanlalsiama | Software Developer |
| Ravindu Landekumbura | Software Developer |
| Mohini Patil | Software Developer |
| Dr Ingo Mueller | Business and UX Analyst |
Student Research Projects
You are encouraged to get in touch regarding potential projects that align with the research areas.
We gratefully acknowledge the funding given to our group by the following groups:
- Heart Foundation
- Medical Research Future Fund grant support
- National Health and Medical Research Council Centre for Research Excellence including through the CRE in Women’s Health in Reproductive Life and the CRE Healthy Lifestyle in Preconception and Pregnancy