BUILDING WOMEN’S HEALTH TECHNOLOGY APPS TO CATER FOR EXPLODING DEMAND
With
Alecia Taryn, CEO and Founder
SistaShop
PEOPLE IN HEALTH CARE SEGMENT
Filmed in Sydney | September 2026
After more than a decade developing women’s health technology, SistaShop CEO and Founder Alecia Taryn is focused on addressing a growing challenge in reproductive health: creating trusted digital infrastructure that connects consumers, healthcare professionals and commercial providers.
Taryn began developing pregnancy and post-pregnancy fitness apps before moving into technology supporting women undergoing IVF. Her experience has led her to combine her interests in women’s health and technology through SistaShop, a platform designed to help women’s health startups and established businesses reach their audiences without the significant marketing costs often associated with launching new products.
Speaking in an interview with Australian Health Journal, Taryn said one of the platform’s key challenges is bringing its different stakeholders together while preparing for its planned launch.
“It’s a really big problem. So what I’m building now with SistaShop is the capability to reach your audience in women’s health,” she said.
Taryn also highlighted trust and verification as increasingly important issues as women seek health information and products online. She said misinformation shared through social media platforms can create significant risks, reinforcing the need for qualified professionals and credible products to be clearly identified.
“I focused on verification in women’s health specifically because I want to reduce risk to women online,” Taryn said.
SistaShop is preparing to launch across Australia and the US, initially onboarding healthcare professionals, service providers and product suppliers. Taryn said the platform will need to continually adapt as technology, regulations and jurisdictional requirements evolve.
Source: Adapted from transcript
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Unleashing the potential of Paramedic skills and knowledge
According to a prominent paramedicine academic and researcher, paramedics have the potential to provide much-needed care in the community, changing the traditional healthcare model. Research points to paramedics having a wider healthcare workforce impact based on their ability to identify and fix problems 24/7.
Dr. Brendan Shannon is Head of Postgraduate Programs in the Department of Paramedicine at Monash University and a member of The Australasian College of Paramedicine. His interests including refining healthcare models, to ensure underserved communities receive requisite care. These alternative care pathways, like outreach programs, can work out of hospitals to provide care in underserved communities with social and complex chronic conditions.
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Paramedics seek team-based primary health care pilots
The Chief Executive Officer of The Australasian College of Paramedicine, John Bruning spoke with Australian Health Journal about the following:
New models of care proposed for paramedics
Paramedicine pilot program in the pre-budget submission
Scope of how paramedics can support General Practice, and guidelines on safety and quality
Current limitations experienced by paramedics needing to be addressed by Government
Other health priorities hopefully addressed in Federal Budget.In the lead up to the Australian Federal Budget in May 2023, Australian Health Journal reached out to peak health industry bodies to hear about their priorities, either noted in pre-budget submissions lodged with Federal Government in January 2023 or in recent forums such as the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce.
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Evolution in consumer diagnostics with saliva based pathology
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer diagnostics have rapidly advanced, with more people becoming aware of and comfortable using at-home testing. These tests provide greater convenience, control, and empowerment, allowing individuals to monitor their health without immediately consulting a healthcare professional. Recently, this shift has been particularly impactful in areas such as pregnancy testing, where saliva-based diagnostics now enable earlier and more accessible detection.
