Using voice technology for self-management of heart failure in Australia’s Hindi speaking communities
Dr Jansons is working with Hindi speaking communities and health professionals to design a personalised self-management program which would be delivered via a Digital Voice Assistant device.

People living with heart failure often have diminished quality of life and face a higher risk of hospital admission and death.
These impacts are exacerbated in people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, who often don’t have the same access to health services and resources as other Australians.
For his Executive Dean Health Research Fellowship, Dr Jansons is working with Hindi speaking communities and health professionals to design a personalised self-management program which would be delivered via a Digital Voice Assistant device, and remotely tailored and monitored by suitable health professionals.
Dr Jansons will trial the 12-week program for its effectiveness and then assess its potential for implementation.
“Hindi speaking communities are one example of a culturally and linguistically diverse community whose access to health services is often limited because of one or more factors including disadvantage, remoteness, or cultural, digital and health literacy,” Dr Jansons said.
“Our aim is to improve patient experience by putting them at the centre of their healthcare and keeping them out of hospital, through a personalised program they can manage themselves at home.”
This aim is consistent with Australia’s Medical Research and Innovation Priorities, including Ageing and Ageing Care, Digital Health Intelligence, Consumer-Driven Research and Clinical Researcher Capacity; as well as the World Health Organization Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2024.
“Digital Voice Assistants show promise for this type of healthcare because they can be adapted for numerous languages and dialects at relatively low cost,” Dr Jansons said.
“If my fellowship work proves successful, this program could easily be scaled up and applied across other underserved communities, helping more people to better manage their conditions,” he said.