Virtual Tour for Children at Rijnstate

Discover what happens in the hospital beforehand

A hospital stay or operation can be daunting for many children. New rooms, unfamiliar equipment and people in surgical clothing can raise many questions. Rijnstate InZicht allows children and their parents to calmly explore the route at home beforehand.

Rijnstate InZicht opening screen / startscherm voor virtuele voorbereiding — Rijnstate InZicht begint met een rustige introductie voordat het kind zelf een route kiest.Rijnstate InZicht starts with a calm introduction before the child chooses a route.

For Rijnstate in Arnhem, we built an interactive 3D discovery tour through the Children’s Centre and operating theatre complex. It is more than a digital tour: children decide what to view, how quickly to continue and which explanations they want to revisit.

Two routes through the Children’s Centre and operating theatre complex

After the introduction, visitors choose between two routes. The paediatric ENT route shows what the journey of a young patient may look like. The regular operation route passes through other parts of the operating theatre complex, so children only see information relevant to their visit.

Along the way, visitors can explore the children’s ward, patient rooms, corridors, holding area, recovery room and several operating theatres. Seeing how the spaces connect makes it easier to understand the route through the hospital.

Rijnstate holding area / holdingkamer met ziekenhuisbed en zorgmedewerkers — In de holding ziet een kind vooraf het bed, de apparatuur en de medewerkers die daar aanwezig kunnen zijn.In the holding area, children can see the bed, equipment and staff they may encounter.

Healthcare professionals explain what you see

Healthcare professionals appear at recognisable places throughout the hospital. In short videos, they explain their work and what a child can expect there. Filmed from a child’s perspective, these videos put a friendly face to an unfamiliar environment.

The operating theatre is shown in detail as well. Children can look around the operating table, lights, monitors and other equipment. The tour explains what they may see, hear or experience, removing some of the uncertainty before the real visit.

Rijnstate interactive operating theatre / interactieve operatiekamer met informatiepunten — De operatiekamer bevat aanklikbare uitleg, korte video’s en herkenbare loopmarkeringen.The operating theatre includes clickable explanations, short videos and clear route markers.

Staying in control: a child can pause the tour, revisit a room and discuss questions with a parent or healthcare professional. This supports Rijnstate’s aim of giving patients more control over their own preparation.

Interactive explanations and playful elements

The route includes information points, 360° videos, voice-over and small activities. It playfully explains, for example, which belongings can and cannot be brought to hospital. Children discover what equipment and instruments are for instead of simply reading a long explanation.

choose between the paediatric ENT route and the regular operation route;
freely explore wards, corridors and treatment rooms;
meet healthcare professionals in short videos;
hear and view explanations when they become relevant;
collect questions at home with parents before the hospital visit.

Rijnstate recovery room / uitslaapkamer met bedden en bewakingsapparatuur — Ook de uitslaapkamer is opgenomen, zodat kinderen weten waar zij na een operatie wakker kunnen worden.The recovery room is included too, so children know where they may wake up after surgery.

Developed with the Children’s Advisory Council

Rijnstate’s Children’s Advisory Council, made up of children and young people aged 8 to 18, actively contributed to the content. They walked the route from the Children’s Centre to the operating theatre complex and identified the information children need along the way. A council member also recorded the voice-over.

That collaboration matters. Adults experience an operating theatre differently from children. Letting children help determine what is explained makes the tour more relevant to their questions and concerns.

National attention for a different way to prepare

Rijnstate launched Rijnstate InZicht in December 2024. In its annual report on value-based healthcare the hospital described it as a way for patients to explore the hospital from home and decide for themselves what they want to see and know. Rijnstate stated that it was the first hospital to prepare patients for an operation in this way.

Healthcare technology publication ICT&health reported on the virtual journey. Its coverage highlighted how children remain in control, how the information matches their perspective and how preparation can help reduce tension and anxiety.

A tour that starts the conversation at home

The greatest value is not only in viewing the spaces. The tour makes it easier to talk together about an upcoming hospital stay or operation. A child can point out what seems daunting, a parent can repeat an explanation and specific questions can be discussed with Rijnstate.

The tour opens in a regular web browser and requires no separate app or VR headset. It can be viewed at home on a computer, tablet or phone, and visitors can return to a specific room or route later.

Open Rijnstate InZicht and discover how an interactive 3D tour can prepare children step by step for a hospital stay or operation.

Open the virtual tour