Hispanic physicians represent only 6.4% of the total U.S. population, which is much lower than the 18% Hispanic share of the total population. Although the number of Hispanic physicians has grown in the past decade (from 43 thousand in 2005 to 64 thousand in 2015), the population is still underserved with just 11 Hispanic physicians for every 10,000 Hispanics. At a time where Hispanic patients and their families are faced with a shortage of providers and increasing health care costs, the result is a growing demand for telehealth solutions like the recently unveiled UniConsulta.
This past April, as part of our commitment to inform and empower Hispanics and their families, we launched the first telehealth and wellness program specifically created to meet the needs of the U.S. Hispanic healthcare consumer.
UniConsulta connects Spanish-speaking board-certified doctors with Hispanic consumers by phone, online video chats or via email. It’s a convenient and affordable way for Hispanics to access doctor consultations and receive access to health and wellness tools and information in-language.
Here’s more on the program:
24/7 Access—UniConsulta consists of a network of licensed Spanish-language doctors, including dentists, pharmacists, dietitians, psychologists, and more, who are available around the clock to deliver in-language care. Through the program, physicians are able to diagnose common conditions like a cold or an infection while also building a positive and trusting relationship with Hispanic patients.
Online Wellness Center—The program also provides consumers with tools through an online Wellness Center where patients can manage their health through individual fitness programs, self-help and wellness calculators, as well as providing guidance on nutrition, weight loss and exercise.
Through its Enterprise Development division, Univision has developed products and services to further financially empower Hispanic America with products that aid with managing finances; purchases that enable credit building; and services that provide financial savings in the health and mobile space tailored to their needs and lifestyle. UniConsulta is part of these offerings from Univision Enterprises working hand-in-hand with best-in-class partners.
Watch the video above for more on how Univision’s first telehealth program for Hispanics works.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey 2005 and 2015; US Census Population Estimates 2005 and 2015
