Digital health innovations for monitoring people at risk of cardiovascular diseases in the community

General practitioners (GPs) are the cornerstone providers of ongoing care for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) into the community. However, there is evidence that opportunities exist to improve care for the prevention of CVD in the community. Potential barriers to an effective GP-led integrated care for CVD prevention include the complexity of monitoring care and resources required for communicating care needs between patients and GPs/care team. Digital platforms or applications are promising tools for addressing these barriers. However, a concern is that most digital tools have no capacity to share information between patients and providers to facilitate care. Therefore, there is limited evidence on the feasibility and benefits of remote monitoring of patients with chronic diseases by GPs. In collaboration with the Gippsland Primary Health Network, we aim to develop and test a GP digital tool for remote monitoring and support of people at a high risk of CVDs in the community. The project sits within the Big Data, Epidemiology, and Prevention Division within the Stroke and Ageing Research (STAR) group, located at the Victorian Heart Hospital, Monash University Main Campus, and is broadly divided into the following phases: Phase 1: Use a priority setting approach (including systematic review and delphi approach) to co-design an evidence-based digital template for monitoring people at a risk of CVD in the community by GPs. Phase 2: To evaluate the acceptability, feasibility and potential benefits of remote monitoring via this digital tool for improving patient outcomes (e.g., unmet needs, quality of life) over a 3-month period. The student will develop skills and expertise in:  Collaborative design and User-Centred Research Engagement – Working with stakeholders (patients, GPs, medical specialists), to solve real-world health problems.  Digital Health Innovation – Developing technologies to improve the efficieny of GPs to better prevent CVDs.  Health equity: Developing solutions to improve access to GP care, regardless of the remoteness of residential location.  Implementation and Health Systems Research: implementing and applying evidence-based practices to improve the efficiency, quality, and accessibility of healthcare services