Te Whare W膩nanga o Waitaha | 成人大片 Accounting and Information Systems Senior Lecturer听听spent time as a data analyst where she saw serious outcomes for patients suffering from hypertensive disorders such as stroke, heart attack, pre-eclampsia, and heart failure. Through this, she gained a deeper understanding of the challenges facing patients and healthcare providers.听
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says CVD, which refers to all diseases of the heart and circulation, is the leading cause of death world-wide, claiming an estimated 17.9 million lives every year 鈥 about a third of all global deaths.听
Dr Chung鈥檚 area of focus is creating technology to support sustainable healthy heart practices, including habit logging, health-centric shopping and health education games. Currently she is developing a cardiovascular symptom assessment system, which patients can access through an app, as part of her broader mission to create effective digital health solutions.听
She says equipping the healthcare system with advanced technology would have profound impacts: 鈥淚mproved patient outcomes, reduced delays in seeking medical help, and a more engaged, informed and empowered community able to face cardiovascular issues head on.鈥
Dr Chung says intervening early is the key to radically improving outcomes for CVD patients. 鈥淥ur goal is to develop a cardiovascular symptom assessment tool that enables patients to evaluate their symptoms early and seek medical assistance in the critical 鈥榞olden hours鈥.鈥
The research team鈥檚 first focus is pre-eclampsia, a serious condition affecting up to 10 percent of pregnancies. Pre-eclampsia increases the patient鈥檚 blood pressure which can damage vital organs, such as the kidney and liver. Left untreated it can lead to serious or even fatal complications for both mother and baby.听
Dr Chung says the focus on pre-eclampsia was driven by its critical need for timely diagnosis and intervention. 鈥淏y understanding the specific needs of this condition our research can then begin addressing other hypertensive disorders.鈥
Her team鈥檚 research, funded by the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation, has identified the technology most useful for early intervention. The results include real-time alerts for clinicians, education for patients, and an integrated patient system so that health files are all in one place, amongst other critical technology needs.
Not only does Dr Chung鈥檚 research aim to address gaps in early symptom assessment and support paramedics in delivering prompt care, but it also creates a valuable opportunity to collect real-time symptom data at their onset鈥攁 critical yet largely missing component in symptom studies. By increasing health literacy and improving patient outcomes, the research ultimately strives to save lives.
