App helping expectant mums
Toowoomba-based team celebrates award win
THE Toowoomba-based team behind an app to help expectant mothers find the right facility and care provider for their pregnancy has won a Queensland Government award.
The Maternity Consumer Network, an Australia-wide organisation which started in Toowoomba two years ago, won the Healthy Queensland prize at the Advance Queensland GovHack Queensland State Awards earlier this month for its design.
Network spokeswoman Alecia Staines said the app, called BirthAdvisor, was devised to try and counter a lack in statistical data and information about options for birthing services in Queensland and the quality of care providers.
“We’re trying to capture data on women’s satisfaction around birth – we wanted to get it all in one space, because it’s never been collected before (in Queensland),” Ms Staines said.
“You enter your postcode (in the app) and it will come up with facilities, and what they offer in terms of birthing options.
“It can compare the results to the state’s averages.
“What’s increasing is trauma in women giving birth, and we’re not getting a good representation of what causes that.”
Much like Tripadvisor, the app will allow women to rate their experiences with a provider, and give facilities an opportunity to promote their services.
It is still in the design stage, as the concept relies on the releasing of previously confidential state data.
Ms Staines said Queensland was behind New South Wales in releasing information on women’s experiences during childbirth with a hospital, doctor, midwife or other provider.
“The first part is we need to get data released and we’re going to look at grants to work with various people to achieve that,” Ms Staines said.
“I think it’s got national capability and, potentially, we could win a national award.
“We know anecdotally what’s happening with our birthing situations through our network, but this is an opportunity to capture data on this, so women can prepare for their birth.”
Head to the MCN Facebook page or send an email to support@maternityconsumernetwork.org.au.