From Fragmentation to Connection: Digital Health Solutions for Equitable Perinatal Support

Описание: In collaboration with Health Everywhere & W21C, the Department of Community Health Sciences and the O’Brien Institute for Public Health present:

From Fragmentation to Connection: Digital Health Solutions for Equitable Perinatal Support.

Despite advances in healthcare, many perinatal systems remain fragmented and difficult to navigate, especially for marginalized communities. This discussion explores how patient-centred digital health platforms can improve communication, continuity, and cultural responsiveness. Panellists will highlight emerging innovations and the importance of engaging parents as partners in care design.

Panellists

Laura Sandström is a Finnish midwife and post-doctoral researcher dedicated to advancing maternal health. She has developed an evidence-based intervention for fear of childbirth and promotes seamless integration between primary care, midwifery, and specialized services. Her work focuses on research-driven maternity care and promoting equity and quality through close collaboration with families, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and fellow researchers.

Dr. Jenny Auxier heads the Parent Health Engagement Lab at the School of Nursing in UBC. Her research program aims to integrate elements of parent engagement into the development, design, and quality assurance of perinatal digital health services. Families experiencing the perinatal journey require self-assurance, health, and wellness coaching within a supportive and dependable perinatal service. The core aspect of her research program is to meet new and expectant families ‘where they are at’ in exploring together the interplay between the burgeoning digitalization of health services and the important position of families in their adaptation, use and expectations of digital health services. Dr. Auxier lived and worked in The Netherlands and Finland between 2018 and 2024 and brings research experience from diverse cultural and healthcare service contexts, namely related to health professional-to-client coaching, and the digitalization of health care services, including the impacts and implications of the widespread integration of generative AI in health services. Dr. Auxier is partnering with communities whose current priorities are improvement for supporting culturally secure access and navigation experiences of racialized groups in Canada.

Dr. Tito Daodu is a Pediatric Surgeon at Alberta Children’s Hospital and an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Surgery and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. In 2020, she became the first Black female pediatric surgeon in Canada.

Born in Nigeria and raised in Winnipeg, Dr. Daodu earned her medical degree from the University of Manitoba, completed her surgical training in Calgary, and holds a Master of Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She also completed a Graduate Certificate in Global Surgical Care from the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Daodu is an award-winning researcher and educator whose work focuses on health equity, anti-racism, and improving access to surgical care for underserved populations. She has secured over $1 million in research funding and published extensively on how race, geography, and systemic barriers affect surgical outcomes, particularly for Indigenous, rural, and racialized patients.

In addition to her clinical and academic roles, she serves on several national committees and is a recognized voice on racism in medicine, inclusive leadership, and equity-driven health policy.

Moderator: Dr. Mary Brindle is a distinguished pediatric surgeon and serves as the Director of The EQuIS (Efficiency Quality Innovation and Safety) Research platform at Alberta Children’s Hospital. In this role, she leads a chair-supported program dedicated to addressing health system issues related to pediatric surgery, fostering innovation, and ensuring safety through international and national collaboration. Dr. Brindle is at the forefront of advancing medical practices, particularly as the leader of the international ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) neonatal abdominal surgery team and as the Secretary of the International ERAS Society. Additionally, she holds key roles as the Director of Safe Surgery and Safe Systems at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Scientific. Her extensive research, which has received funding from sources including CIHR, and NIH/AHRQ is presented globally, reflecting her commitment to advancing surgical care. Dr. Brindle’s influence extends to her role as the Chair of the Canadian Association of Chairs of Surgical Research and the co-chair of the Inclusion Diversity Equity and Access Committee for the Canadian Association for Pediatric Surgery, emphasizing her dedication to shaping the future of surgery through a combination of implementation science and rigorous quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.