Digital health

As active partners in the University’s Health Precinct, we conduct research in Digital Health with a focus on Health Information Systems and Health Informatics. With our research we aim to support the design and development of healthcare systems which meet the increasing demand to provide service and innovation in the health sector. Changing relationships between patients and the health system encourage us to explore how health data management practices can facilitate systems for patient-centred care and remote care, while respecting the security and privacy of patient data. In addition, we explore how health informatics can inform decision-making by healthcare stakeholders, and thus deliver a better health outcome. We are interested in how digital technologies can align with both health system strategies and constraints, and support high quality patient care.

Many of our projects in this research theme are conducted in collaboration with colleagues from the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne.

Within this theme, our research focuses on the following research pillars:

Adoption and appropriation of technologies

Looking at ways in which innovative new technologies can support a range of health concerns such as mental health, sexual health, aged care, the management of chronic illness, as part of wider support systems.

Sample projects

Online Systems for Mental Health (Reeva Lederman, Greg Wadley, Simon D’Alfonso, Antonette Mendoza)
Methods for Supporting Older Users in Communicating Their Emotions (Antonette Mendoza, Tim Miller, Leon Sterling, Alex Lopez-Lorca)
Privacy in Aged Care Monitoring Devices (Jenny Waycott, George Buchanan)
Building an Online Infertility Prediction Tool for Young Women with Breast Cancer (Shanton Chang)

Participatory health and consumer health informatics

Empowering consumers and patients to use the right information to make timely health decisions, and thus encourage them to actively manage their own personal health. This research will contribute to a better understanding of consumer health needs, enhance user experience of personal health management and reduce workload in the healthcare system.

Sample projects

Health Information Seeking Behaviours Across Cultures: International Students and Migrants (Shanton Chang)
ICT Support for the Care and Management of Elderly Adults with Mental Illness in Residential Aged-Care Facilities (Reeva Lederman, Rachelle Bosua, Huda Alshehri)

Health information systems processes and management

Examining how information is analysed, managed and organised in the information-intensive and information-reliant healthcare system. We look at how information systems can best serve patient care in the light of, amongst other factors, the widespread computerization of patient records, major public-sector investment in health information management systems, implementation of personally-controlled and electronic health records and patient-generated data.

Sample projects

Patient-Generated Health Data – How are developments in mobile technologies and biosensing changing health data management practices (Kathleen Gray)
Information Support for Discharge Planning (Reeva Lederman, Rachelle Bosua, Nyree Taylor)
Digital Transformation of Health Service Ecosystems in Emerging Nations (Christoph Bredbach, Sherah Kurnia)

Health sector change arising from new technologies

Examines how the health sector engages with new systems and technologies and their influence on health practice.

Sample projects

Health informatics workforce learning and development (Kathleen Gray, Karin Verspoor)
General Practitioners Participation in a Virtual Community of Practice (Abdulaziz Murad, Shanton Chang, Reeva Lederman, Rachelle Bosua)
Health Practitioner Engagement with Hospital System Implementations (Suelette Dreyfus, Sherah Kurnia, Reeva Lederman)
The Use of Mobile Technologies to Evaluate Health Interventions in Developing Countries (Timoci O’Connor, Shanton Chang)
Communities of Practice in the Mobile Environment and Health Professional’s PD (Shanton Chang)