Improving Access to Endometriosis Surgery Support in Rural and Remote Australia
Why this conversation matters
Access to quality healthcare shouldn’t be determined by your postcode, but for many women living in rural and remote parts of Western Australia (and around Australia/the world), that’s still the reality.
We recently sat down with Councillor Ellen Smith, board member of the Triple R Network (Rural, Regional, and Remote Women's Network of WA), to talk about what needs to change and how platforms like Matilda can help.
“The metrics and numbers around what regional people face — across the board in terms of education, finance, and health outcomes — there’s a big disparity between what people in metro areas get and what regional people see in terms of outcomes.”
- Ellen Smith
The Triple R Network plays a vital role in increasing connectivity, opportunity, and access for women outside the metro bubble. Their advocacy spans health, education, economic participation, and community leadership, and of course that includes supporting women’s health and digital access to care.
Endometriosis in the regions: a double disadvantage
Many people with endometriosis already face long delays to diagnosis and limited access to multidisciplinary care. In regional areas, those challenges are magnified. Surgery may involve travel, time off work, and a lack of continuity in post-operative support.
That’s where Matilda comes in.
“Matilda is a platform that helps people with prehab and rehab for endometriosis surgery…”
Dr Kevin Wernli, PhD (chronic pain)
How we can reach more regional women
Together with networks like Triple R, we’re exploring ways to embed trauma-aware, evidence-based support into the daily lives of regional women. Not just through FIFO clinicians or one-off interventions, but through consistent, trustworthy, accessible digital tools.
“there's a lot of, I I say FIFO people that come in and like to save the day and having an embedded system that enables people to develop trust and have that connection is really important.”
Ellen Smith
Watch the full conversation
We filmed this conversation on the white sand and turquoise waters of Cable Beach, Broome, a place symbolic of the strength, beauty, and complexity of remote communities.
🎥 Watch the full video below to hear more from Ellen about why regional voices matter, what the data tells us, and how we can keep improving access to healthcare for all.