Abstract:
EVE is a secure smartphone application designed for new and expectant mothers and their partners, which covers the first 2000 days of life. Individual organisations can modify content and enable or disable app features as needed. EVE is an Australian commercial product that is available only through health services. Women can download EVE to their smartphones via a text link from the health service and access it at any time thereafter. EVE is directly linked to the electronic medical record and can serve as a handheld version of it. EVE has one-way and two-way functions, links to external resources and chat forums. EVE is on the borderline between a therapeutic and a non-therapeutic device due to its capabilities. It has built-in self-assessment tools, such as the Edinburgh Depression Scale, a fetal movement counter, and a contraction timer. However, if a concerning result is obtained, it is up to the woman to contact the health service for ongoing care. The abnormal scores can alert a dashboard at the health service, but they do require staff to monitor it. Moreover, there is a chat forum for consumers to chat with each other, which may or may not be moderated by trained health professionals and may lead to inaccurate advice, and a separate chat-to-a-midwife function that operates asynchronously, which again may delay care. If a serious event occurs due to the absence of or delayed healthcare, it raises the question: who is responsible, given that the health service has provided the client with the device?
To learn more https://www.medicity.com.au/eve
About the Speaker:
Professor Linda Sweet is a midwife with broad experience in clinical environments, education, management, and research. She is the inaugural Chair in Midwifery with Deakin University and the Western Health Partnership. Linda is passionate about the midwifery profession and improving maternity care.
Eventbrite link: Ethical Issues with the Maternity App Eve Tickets, Thursday 23 July • 12:30 PM – 1:15 PM AEST | Eventbrite