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Marlien Varnfield

Research scientist, CSIRO

Marlien Varnfield obtained a BSc Honours degree from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and an MSc (focusing on periodontal diseases) from the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Pretoria, South Africa. Her PhD research at the Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Australia, focused on evaluating the potential for large scale implementation of health-care interventions utilising Information and Communication Technologies.

Marlien is currently a Research Scientist and Mobile Health Systems Team Leader at the Australian e-Health Research Centre, Health & Biosecurity, CSIRO. Her research focuses on the development, delivery and large scale implementation of tele- and mobile health services. Specifically, she has extensive experience in care models designed to deliver support in the self-management of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes to patients, at home. Through involvement and management of numerous research projects, she has studied innovative ways in ambulatory monitoring and management for best health outcomes, creating new business and clinical service models using telehealth for management of chronic diseases, and changing process models to accommodate best practice care for monitoring patients remotely. In addition to numerous national and international conference presentations, Marlien has extensively published in the field of chronic disease management and mobile health.

Marlien is a professional member of the European Society of Cardiology and also member of ACRA (Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association) and HISA (Health Informatics Society of Australia). She was a faculty member at the previous European Congress on eCardiology and eHealth that was held in Berlin in 2016.

Experience

  • 2009–present
    Mrs, CSIRO

Education

  • 2000 
    University of Pretoria, MSc Odontology (Periodontal disease)

Publications

  • 2014
    HEART, Smartphone-based home care model improved use of cardiac rehabilitation in postmyocardial infarction patients: results from a RCT
  • 2014
    Interventional Cardiology, Mobile health applications in cardiac care
  • 2011
    MJA, Uptake of a technology-assisted home-care cardiac rehabilitation program