Experts develop new communication app for adult and pediatric ICU patients

The department of Intensive Care of the Radboud university medical center in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, has developed a unique communication app for adult and pediatric ICU patients, who cannot speak due to an intubation, being on a ventilator or breathing through a tracheostoma.

The app, called voICe, was released in a Dutch version in 2013 in the Netherlands and Belgium. Not only the Radboud university medical center but over 200 other hospitals in these countries have been offering this way of communicating with their patients during hospitalisation.

How it works

The app provides 50 pictograms that can speak and show a text on different items at the same time. For kids several picto's have been adapted to fit their age and understanding. Many improvements have been achieved and now a special enlarged keyboard for the write canvas and a translation in the English language are launched. Messages and a video image can be left for the patient by loved ones, a large clock is installed and notes can be stored by six people at the same time.

Beneficial for many patients

VoICe is a very appropriatecommunication tool for patients and their loved ones in the Intensive Care Unit. Furthermore, other patient groups benefit from this communication instrument as well; SAH, SHI, ALS, paralysis, stroke, child paralysis; both patients and their nearest, adults and children, benefit from this tool.