App for new mums on the agenda

MIDWIFE at Bendigo Heath, Andrea Patterson, is developing a smartphone app for new and expecting mothers in partnership with the University of Melbourne.

Ms Patterson hopes to design an app that would replace the large amounts of information given to new and expecting mothers via books and pamphlets.

“Instead of your paper-based booklet with post-natal info via 70 pages worth of text, it will be displayed and available through an app,” she said.

“You can log in, search for what you are looking for, click on a link and it will show the most up-to-date resources and evidence-based research they have out there at the time.

“This will link to videos and clips that will help those who may be a little bit time-poor but want to learn the information.

“Nearly everyone owns a smartphone and always has it within arm’s reach. So, I thought why not make something that will be available to new mothers right at the tip of their fingertips?”

Ms Patterson is part of a Melbourne University innovation acceleration program aiming to promote collaboration between healthcare professionals and research teams.

She said the app has made it through to the first stages of the program and was hoping to land the funding to continue development.

“The initial stage is done across a three-month period where we do five workshops and at the end of the fifth workshop, we get to pitch our idea for some seed funding.

“Funding is between 10 and 100 thousand dollars, which would be awesome.”

Ms Patterson said the money would lead to the release and maintenance of the app.

“Seed funding would go towards sustainability and roll out throughout the state and then make sure we have the right resources and support in place ongoing,” she said.

“This has been five years in the making in my mind, so I am committed now. I will get it developed.”