OUR STORY

OUR STORY – It All Started with One Patient

MedLuna is a Latina-owned business, known for its Spanish medical badges, but our mission goes beyond that. MedLuna was created to address the language barrier between healthcare providers and patients, which contributes to significant health disparities, especially for minorities, with Latinos being the most affected group in the U.S. healthcare system.

My journey began as a volunteer interpreter at a clinic, where I constantly worried about who would assist Spanish-speaking patients when I wasn’t there. I realized there had to be a way to offer a temporary solution until a medical interpreter arrived, and that’s when the idea for Spanish Medical Badges was born.

As a first-generation Latina, I remember translating and interpreting for my mother while growing up. I didn’t want other children to experience the same pressure. With these badges, healthcare providers now have a tool to bridge the gap for some of the more complex medical terms.

Breaking the language barrier, even slightly, can provide patients with a sense of comfort and foster trust between them and their healthcare provider, which ultimately leads to better patient outcomes. But it’s not just about language. Cultural awareness plays a crucial role in making patients feel understood and respected. There are many studies that demonstrate the severe impact of the language barrier in healthcare, yet it remains an issue that is often overlooked.

As a pre-med student, I am committed to doing my part to help address this gap in healthcare. Even though I grew up in Southern California, where Spanish is widely spoken, there is still a shortage of healthcare workers fluent in medical Spanish. It’s time to change that!