Global Health in collaboration with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) has been working towards the development of a new mobile application for women known as “Digital Babies” and are soon to commence a pilot of the new program.
Powered by Global Health’s Lifecard Personal Health digital platform, the project covers streamlining the process and storage of patient consent records and replacing paper records that women carry with them through their pregnancy. These include Patient Information pamphlets published by RANZCOG, medications, allergies, antenatal observations and measurements.
The pilot rollout will be to a limited cohort of RANZCOG member practices in Victoria, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and Queensland.
Global Health’s ReferralNet Secure Messaging platform is embedded within Lifecard. This allows mother and baby records and referrals to be shared between Digital Babies and the clinical systems used by specialists, using the health industry’s Secure Message Delivery standard.
“The plan is for our members to eventually offer the Digital Babies application to their patients,” said Professor Steve Robson, RANZCOG President. “This will create a unique opportunity for a new generation of babies whose health records and referrals are digital from the beginning of their life.”
Professor Robson outlined that RANZCOG’s patient information pamphlets provide up-to-date information that can be accessed through the ’Digital Babies’ App and can be discussed with the patient’s family and healthcare providers to help the patient make informed decisions about their care.
“Patients feeling well-informed and confident about healthcare decisions is an important part of your healthcare and a key element in the overall quality of their experience during pregnancy and the birth of their child,” said Professor Robson.
“Professional information improves the communication between patient and their healthcare providers and allows the patient to understand more about health, any risk factors involved and treatment options available.
“We are excited to see what the initial proof of concept delivers from a clinician and consumer point of view.”
Mathew Cherian, Global Health Ltd CEO said “It’s time that patients stop being the courier of paper records between their health professionals. This pilot has the potential to digitize the patient journey completely – from GP visit to the multiple encounters with obstetricians, diagnostic imaging, pathology, allied health and eventually the maternity ward of hospitals at the time of delivery.”
About RANZCOG
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) is dedicated to the establishment of high standards of practice in obstetrics and gynaecology and women’s health. The College trains and accredits doctors throughout Australia and New Zealand in the specialities of obstetrics and gynaecology so that they are capable of providing the highest standards of healthcare. The College also supports research into women’s health and acts as an advocate for women’s healthcare by forging productive relationships with individuals, the community and professional organisations, both locally and internationally.