As of March 21, 2025, MGH鈥檚 main entrance on Coxwell Avenue is closed as the next phase of our redevelopment project begins. Patients and visitors can use the new temporary main entrance on Sammon Avenue between Coxwell Avenue and Knight Street. View our campus map.
Metilda Raju, Clerk in Michael 九游体育鈥檚 (MGH) General Medicine Clinic, has seen firsthand the power of language at the point of care.
鈥淚t makes such a difference when you鈥檙e able to speak to your doctor, nurse or other healthcare provider in the language that you are most comfortable with,鈥� she says.
鈥淵ou can express your symptoms, concerns and questions in a confident way.鈥�
It鈥檚 why she鈥檚 so excited about the launch of Voyce, an app that provides 24/7 and on-demand medical interpretation in more than 240 languages, at MGH.
The technology is now available in all patient care areas at the hospital, including the Stavro Emergency Department, Diagnostic Imaging and Patient Registration.
MGH is among the first hospitals in Ontario to roll out Voyce across its entire campus. Since the implementation of Voyce, usage of medical interpretation services at MGH has increased to almost 300 calls per month from 70 calls per month.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great to have this technology so readily available,鈥� Metilda adds.
Voyce offers an additional, more streamlined interpretation option for patients and providers at MGH, alongside the existing telephone interpretation and in-person sign language interpreter services.
The technology makes it easier 鈥� and quicker 鈥� for healthcare providers to virtually connect with a trained medical interpreter who speaks a patient鈥檚 preferred language or dialect.
Available languages for interpretation through Voyce include American Sign Language (ASL) and Indigenous languages such as Cree and Ojibway.
Providers access Voyce through tablets attached to wheeled stands and are able to connect with an interpreter in 30 seconds or less. The technology abides by Canadian privacy laws.
In addition, patients and providers have the option of seeing the interpreter in real-time through Voyce. Caregivers, family members and other care partners may also be conferenced in.
鈥淏eing able to see the interpreter and their facial expressions may seem like a small thing, but it makes the whole interpretation process feel more personable,鈥� Metilda says.
MGH serves one of Canada鈥檚 most diverse communities. Here, more than 50 languages are spoken, including Bengali, Greek and Tagalog, making a service like Voyce even more important in healthcare settings.
鈥淲hen it comes to medical information, it鈥檚 really important for there to be clear communication between a patient and provider,鈥� says Angela Kennedy, Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Educator at MGH.
鈥淗aving quick, easy access to a trained medical interpreter helps ensure there are no misunderstandings and no information falls through the cracks. This ultimately helps improve patient experiences and health outcomes.鈥�
As part of her role at MGH, Angela provides virtual diabetes education classes to patients from diverse communities.
She says Voyce has made a difference in this delivery of virtual care. Over the past few months, she has used the app to access interpretation services in languages such as Arabic, Farsi, Mandarin and Urdu.
In addition to helping improve patient and provider experiences, the technology helps MGH advance health equity.
This allows the hospital to better provide high-quality, safe and equitable care, and improve the health of everyone in East Toronto 鈥� two priorities outlined in MGH鈥檚 Strategic Plan 2023-2025: Great care inspired by community.
鈥淢any of the patients we serve at MGH are newcomers that speak multiple languages,鈥� says Denny Petkovski, Director of Corporate Projects and Volunteer Services at MGH.
鈥淓nsuring our healthcare teams have efficient access to medical interpreters helps us improve the experiences for these individuals.鈥�
鈥淰oyce is committed to providing technology-driven interpretation services that break down language barriers in healthcare,鈥� adds Andrew Royce, CEO at Voyce.
鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to partner with MGH so, together, we can work toward achieving health equity and improving patient outcomes.鈥�
Patients and care partners at MGH who would like to use Voyce or another interpretation service should inform their healthcare provider at the point of care. For more information, visit our Interpretation Services page.