SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MiSalud confronts health inequities within the Hispanic community via the launch of their Spanish-language digital health platform, now available in the Google Play Store. Nearly 40% of California is Hispanic, and the pandemic put a spotlight on health disparities facing this group; Hispanics have been three times more likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19, and more than twice as likely to die from the virus compared to other Americans. The MiSalud mobile app is designed to directly address these disparities by offering improved access - not just to medical care, but to culturally appropriate care in the patient’s native language. MiSalud wants to improve health outcomes in this community by giving Latinos on-demand access to Spanish-speaking doctors and health coaches for free through the end of the year, from the convenience of their mobile device.
With 13% of the US population speaking Spanish at home, but less than 6% of physicians speaking Spanish, the Hispanic community continues to face significant obstacles in healthcare, with major barriers in the forms of language, culture, and access. COVID-19 may have highlighted these disparities, but the problems are far from new.
“Easy access to a digital health platform in Spanish is a game changer for the Hispanic community. My parents were migrant farm workers when I was growing up. We would only see the doctor once a year when we were back in Mexico,” says Bismarck Lepe, co-founder and Chairman of MiSalud. “Hispanics are already more predisposed to many health conditions such as cancer and heart disease, and with COVID-19 Hispanics saw a drop in life expectancy of three years, the largest of any US ethnic group. MiSalud can flip the script by putting preventative care within reach, changing Hispanic lives for the better.”
MiSalud’s digital health solution puts Spanish-speaking healthcare in the hands of the growing Hispanic community in California, who typically only visit a doctor for urgent or emergency health needs. With a culturally authentic approach to health and wellness, MiSalud is equipped to address both preventative health and immediate health concerns. MiSalud can help patients prevent and manage conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol, which are among the leading causes of death for the Hispanic community. Patients can start a consultation in the MiSalud mobile app and immediately be connected to a Spanish-speaking doctor or health coach over chat, audio, or video call, from the safety, privacy and comfort of their mobile device. By creating ongoing trusted relationships, MiSalud helps Hispanics become more engaged in their health, which is the first step in eliminating health disparities in the US.
“I have confidence in telehealth solutions bringing healthcare equity for the US Hispanic community, with MiSalud leading the way for la comunidad. The MiSalud team has been very inclusive of both Spanish-speaking patients and doctors in the platform, involving us every step of the way to ensure a culturally authentic experience para nosotros, por nosotros [for us, by us],” says Kimberly Fernández, MD, who is a MiSalud physician.
The MiSalud app is available now in the Google Play Store, with Spanish-speaking doctors and health coaches available in California, Monday through Friday from 5-8pm Pacific Time, with expanded hours of service rolling out in the following months.
Download the app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.ionic.misalud
