2026-05-26
Press release
Rijnstate has become the first hospital in the Netherlands to implement the Care to Translate app. This move represents a major milestone in improving communication with non-native patients and boosting overall patient safety. The impact was immediate: within just one month of its rollout, the app was used for nearly 15,000 translations.
The app assists healthcare providers and other staff members in direct patient contact to communicate quickly and clearly with patients who speak a different language. Through the introduction of Care to Translate, Rijnstate aims to contribute to better and safer care for all patients, regardless of language. This helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures that care can be even better tailored to the non-native patient.
Care to Translate has been used worldwide in healthcare since 2018 and supports healthcare providers and organizations in improving communication with non-native patients in more than 130 languages.
More reliable than general translation apps.
Lonneke Geerdink, project leader at Rijnstate, explains:
“The app contains an extensive library of standard phrases and offers the possibility of live translation during conversations with patients. With the ‘reverse translation’ function, you can check the translation yourself. These standard phrases are medically validated and immediately applicable in practice, which reduces the chance of errors in medical communication. Another advantage is that the language better aligns with healthcare situations where precise formulations are of great importance. Because the app was specially developed for healthcare, it is more reliable than general translation apps such as Google Translate.”
Good communication is not an extra step in care, but the very basis of it.
Healthcare providers who are already using the app are enthusiastic. Angela Steenbreker, a specialized lead nurse in the Birth Care department, states: “In our view, good communication is not an extra step in care, but the very basis of it. With Care to Translate, we ensure that we understand our non-native patients faster and they feel better heard. Because not every situation lends itself to the use of a formal interpreter, we are very happy with the arrival of the app.”
Bertram de Kleijn, ENT physician and head and neck surgeon, adds: “The use of Care to Translate ensures smooth and reliable communication without having to wait for an interpreter. In my experience, it's perceived as pleasant by patients who are happy to be able to tell their story in their own language. I use the app regularly in daily practice.”
Care to Translate has been made available hospital-wide to all employees with direct patient contact, from doctors and nurses to medical and outpatient assistants, and from reception staff to security guards and service assistants. This allows for faster and more consistent communication with non-native patients at multiple points in the care chain.
When the situation requires it, Rijnstate will continue to use certified interpreters. In doing so, the hospital follows the guideline ‘Handling language barriers in healthcare and the social domain’ from Pharos. For every situation, a careful assessment is made regarding which form of language support is appropriate, with safe and understandable care as the primary starting point.
Rijnstate is one of the largest healthcare providers in the Netherlands and the leading employer in the region, serving a catchment area of 450,000 residents across the Arnhem, Overbetuwe, and Liemers areas. With over 6,000 employees and three key locations in Arnhem, Zevenaar, and Elst, the hospital provides top clinical care across 28 different medical specialties. Originally founded in 2001 and formerly known as Alysis Zorggroep, Rijnstate has since evolved into a single, unified organization dedicated to delivering excellent medical expertise and high-quality hospital services to its entire community.