Bridging the language gap in 29 diverse hospital departments

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Recently, Oslo University Hosptial published an article about how Care to Translate had been implemented at the hospital. It describes how Care to Translate contributes to increased patient satisfaction, more efficient use of resources for the staff and more efficient use of interpreters:

The emergency department started out testing Care to Translate in October last year. Today, the app is being used in 29 units and sections at the hospital, for example:  Emergency Clinic, Medical Clinic, Cancer Clinic, Heart, Lung and Vascular Clinic, Neuroclinic, Technology and Innovation Clinic, Clinic for Head, Neck and Reconstructive Surgery, Clinic for Surgery, Inflammatory Medicine and Transplantation and Clinic for Mental Health and Addiction.

According to the article, the feedback from employees has so far been exclusively positive:
 - The app is very useful, and we get good feedback….Although different places in the hospital have different needs, we can use it all over,  says nurse at the emergency department at Ullevål, Mirka Reinholdt.

Here are some of the results they have seen so far:

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​Peace and security for the patient

 - With the help of the app, we can say a lot before the interpreter arrives. For example, that the interpreter is coming, that we will take blood tests and what will happen next. Communicating this is very important, because it creates peace and security for the patient, says Reinholdt.

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Feeling safer in first meeting

She emphasizes that the app is only a supplement.

- This does not replace the interpreter, but it helps patients feel safer in their first meeting with reception.
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Helps in daily care

A pilot research study on heart surgery patients through their course of treatment in hospital around the clock is being carried out at the thoracic surgery department, OUS, Ullevål. In many situations, for example in the evening and at night, the app helps in dialogue between patients and, for example, nurses.

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Reassures surgery patients

- The study tests the effect of the digital tool on patients and healthcare personnel with daily observations, interviews and questionnaires. Preliminary results from patients and healthcare professionals show that the app is easy to use and useful for mapping symptoms, informing about treatment measures and reassuring patients about pain and medication, among other things.

The operating room and anesthesia nurses can now carry out safe surgery questions in the patient's own language in the operating theatre, says Irene Lie, who is senior researcher and professor and leader of the study together with Sandra Røkeness, research nurse at Ullevål's thoracic surgery department.

Read more in the article on the OUS website