The Australian health management app Ovum has entered its pilot phase as it looks to “reshape” women’s health by closing the gender health gap.
Ovum seeks to develop Australia’s first-ever longitudinal AI women’s data set with the aim to address the gender health gap and transform how women experience healthcare.
The app, which promises to help users manage and improve their health and better understand their bodies, is set to become Australia’s first holistic AI health assistant for women.
More than three million Australian women use apps for reproductive health and fertility. However, Ovum claims to be the only one looking at women’s health holistically.
“Existing AI can perpetuate bias in healthcare outcomes for women,” said Dr Ariella Heffernan-Marks, founder and CEO of Ovum.
“Ensuring that our AI is women-centric and draws from a diverse dataset is essential to its effectiveness and the impact it will have on our users.”
The app, developed over four years, integrates and stores a wide range of medical records, including blood tests, imaging reports, and referrals.
It features functions that allow users to ask questions and track health issues, which are particularly useful for women with complex or chronic conditions, where diagnosis can take years.
“One in two women navigate a chronic health issue in Australia and by leveraging the power of AI, our bespoke personal health assistant works to understand and empower women with resources and confidence to manage their health over their lifetime,” Dr Heffernan-Marks explained.
“Women’s health has systemically been underfunded and under-represented, and with women being under or misdiagnosed, my vision is to create an accessible resource that is designed with women, for women.”
She said: “I have witnessed firsthand the discrimination and overlooking the healthcare system does when it comes to women’s gender, age, sexuality, disability, migration status and especially income as we face a cost of living crisis. This was a driving force behind the development of Ovum, to create a more even playing field.
“I am so delighted to reach this milestone in our journey at Ovum, and for women’s health in Australia.”
Associate professor Susan Evans, gynaecologist and co-founder of the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia, added: “Women with pelvic pain have a wide range of symptoms that vary over time and can be particularly confusing for those affected.
“Pelvic pain is an area that has been under-researched, under-managed and under-resourced. Women recognise this and a high proportion have a strong altruistic wish to improve care and contribute to improved knowledge in this area.
“For these reasons, the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia welcomes the innovation proposed by Dr Ariella Heffernan-Marks. Her proposed app combines benefits to the user with their desire to have their data used for the benefit of scientific knowledge and others affected by pain. This app represents something truly new in the app space.”
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