iyarn partners with DHCRC to co-design a culturally informed digital onboarding process
We’re proud to share that iyarn has joined forces with the Digital Health CRC (DHCRC), the Heart Research Institute – Djurali Centre, the University of Technology Sydney, and Indigenous-owned digital agency NGNY on a major new project: Co-designing a culturally informed digital onboarding process for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with chronic conditions.
Why this project matters
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experience some of the highest rates of chronic illness in Australia, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and kidney disease. While digital health holds great promise, many existing tools fail to engage Indigenous patients because they are not designed with cultural safety, trust, or usability in mind.
This project tackles that challenge head-on by redesigning iyarn’s onboarding experience to:
- Embed cultural governance and Indigenous leadership at every stage.
- Ensure plain-language consent and role-based data access aligned with Indigenous Data Sovereignty.
- Integrate patient-reported outcomes and experiences (PROMs and PREMs) from the very first interaction.
- Pilot the model in Aboriginal Medical Services (AMSs) and the Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD) to measure real-world impact.
What success will look like
By creating a culturally safe, trusted entry point into digital health, we aim to:
- Improve participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in digital health tools.
- Strengthen feedback loops between patients and clinicians through PROMs and PREMs.
- Provide clinicians with richer insights to deliver more personalised care.
- Build a scalable model that can inform digital health inclusion across Australia.
Our role at iyarn
iyarn will lead platform development and coordination, working closely with Djurali and NGNY to ensure cultural integrity and technical excellence. Together, we will design, test, and evaluate a model that not only strengthens health outcomes but also builds long-term trust in digital health.
We’re excited to contribute our platform and experience to this important work, and we look forward to sharing updates as the project progresses. For more information about the project, visit the Digital Health CRC project page.
