ORCHA recently participated in Digital Health Society’s Online Workshop ‘Connecting the dots in Maternity and Baby Care’. This workshop explored the interoperability aspects of maternity and baby care, including how different organisations are using information standards to improve maternity and baby care treatment.

ORCHA’s presentation outlined the rising popularity of women’s health and pregnancy apps, the increasing number of pregnancy apps, and thus the opportunity for increasing digital health adoption in maternity. There are currently 4,650 women’s health apps, with 3,280 of these pertaining to pregnancy.

In order to overcome some of the barriers to health apps being used in maternity, such awareness, accessibility, trust and governance, ORCHA has become a member of a partnership of 27 NHS organisations across Cheshire and Merseyside. The partnership, called Improving Me, aims to improve the experiences of women and children by supporting the local development of maternity, gynaecology, paediatrics and neonatal services.

Improving Me now has their own ORCHA microsite, allowing women in Cheshire and Merseyside to use ORCHA’s app finder to discover the safest, most effective and trustworthy health apps. The site also showcases the top-rated pregnancy, breastfeeding and sleep apps, amongst many more. As such, ORCHA is working towards interoperability by integrating mHealth into women’s healthcare.

Click here to watch the full Digital Health Society workshop, and take a look at ORCHA’s presentation here.