Medical misinformation is everywhere, and the consequences are real: poor decisions, unnecessary panic, delayed care. Thuisarts offers the antidote: reliable information about illness, health and healthcare, created with doctors, accessible to everyone. As NHG's digital partner, we have been building this scalable Drupal health information platform for 12 years. The impact: 6.6 million pageviews per month, 77% brand awareness and a measurable reduction in unnecessary consultations. This is how Thuisarts helps keep healthcare accessible.
12+ years of strategic partnership with team-as-a-service model
From Drupal website to healthcare ecosystem with API platform
Evidence-based content on 670+ health topics
6.6 million monthly pageviews, 77% brand awareness
Measurable reduction in unnecessary GP visits
The challenge
How do you provide millions of people with reliable, evidence-based health information while reducing pressure on healthcare, with a platform that keeps pace with evolving digital expectations?
The solution
A scalable Drupal health information platform that grew into the Netherlands' most visited platform for illness and healthcare, supported by a 12-year strategic partnership in which we jointly build the future of digital self-care.
NHG x iO: 12 years of building the future of digital self-care
NHG (Dutch College of General Practitioners) is the scientific association representing the majority of Dutch GPs. Through research and clinical guidelines, NHG helps shape primary care in the Netherlands. Thuisarts is an essential part of that mission: the platform where 18 million people can access reliable health information.
Our collaboration began over 12 years ago as a website project. Today, it is a strategic partnership where the boundaries between teams have blurred. Developers, UX designers, digital strategists and SEO specialists work daily alongside the Thuisarts team. This intensive collaboration is built on trust and complementarity: experts from different disciplines work not alongside, but with each other. Only this way can a platform with sensitive, critical content grow organically and make real impact.
Why a single reliable source for health information is crucial
When we experience medical symptoms, we search online for answers, often before we even consider calling a healthcare professional. But finding reliable information is difficult. Searching for symptoms on Google often leads to unfounded claims. On TikTok and Instagram, information circulates that is inaccurate or irrelevant to your situation: health claims from influencers, checklists about conditions with no medical basis. This is not just frustrating, it can be harmful.
NHG recognised early on the need for one central, reliable source. A platform that is independent, evidence-based, written by doctors and accessible to everyone in the Netherlands. Covering GP care, hospital care and self-care.
Building a website is one thing. Ensuring millions of people actually find and use it is something else entirely. And keeping the platform aligned with changing user expectations and new technologies: that requires a long-term partnership.
Phase 1: a Drupal foundation built for growth
We built Thuisarts on Drupal, a CMS we have worked with for over 15 years. Drupal is ideal for large content platforms with sensitive information: it offers flexibility, structure and robust privacy and security. Thanks to a user-friendly setup, the Thuisarts team can independently develop, edit and publish content.
Thuisarts grew into the central distribution point for all healthcare information aimed at the Dutch public. Waiting room screens, mobile apps and health websites such as Apotheek.nl are all connected to this single platform. This technical foundation made it possible to scale content safely and make Thuisarts accessible to millions of users.
Phase 2: from maintenance to strategic collaboration
After launch, Thuisarts entered a maintenance phase. In recent years, that collaboration has intensified into a full team-as-a-service model. Week after week, a dedicated team of developers works alongside Thuisarts on optimisations and new functionalities.
We shifted from reactive maintenance to proactive strategic thinking. Together, we now shape the direction of digital healthcare in the Netherlands. The result: faster iterations, better user experiences and a platform that evolves with changing healthcare needs.
Phase 3: how to evolve a Drupal content platform into a healthcare ecosystem
Today, our teams function as one integrated product team. The boundary between organisations has deliberately blurred, and that is exactly the point. It enables rapid movement from strategic planning to tactical execution.
Two concrete examples illustrate this development:
New visual identity: not a client-supplier project, but true co-creation. Conceptualising together, designing together, launching together.API platform: technical integrations developed within 18 months into a self-service b2b portal, enabling other healthcare partners to integrate with the Thuisarts ecosystem.
Thanks to this integrated approach, Thuisarts can innovate faster and onboard new healthcare partners without compromising reliability or quality.
All information on Thuisarts is written in plain language, ensuring the platform remains accessible and understandable for everyone, regardless of education level or background. The content is evidence-based and continuously updated by doctors and healthcare professionals. This makes Thuisarts the authority on health information in the Netherlands.
We are no longer just executing what is asked, but acting as a strategic partner who actively contributes ideas on how to strengthen the Thuisarts mission.
The numbers
1
monthly pageviews
1%
brand awareness
1%
active usage
+1
health topics covered
+1
years of partnership
Fewer unnecessary healthcare contacts, better-informed patients
Thuisarts grew into the most visited health website in the Netherlands and was named the country's most popular health website in 2018. With 77% brand awareness and 60% active usage, Thuisarts has become an essential part of how millions of Dutch people seek information about their health.
Research from Leiden University Medical Centre demonstrated that Thuisarts leads to fewer contact moments with healthcare providers. In times of rising healthcare costs and increasing pressure on primary care, this is a significant contribution. We reduce pressure on the healthcare system, and patients enter the consultation room better prepared.
The collaboration does not stop here. Together, we are building a future-proof platform that can support continued growth. AI integration, personalisation, apps and accessibility: themes we develop together with seamless integration into the existing ecosystem. The goal remains clear: Thuisarts as the first place people check for information about illness and healthcare.
