The COVID-19 pandemic caused uncertainty, fear, and confusion while also uncovering a need for credible and easy-to-understand medical information for the Spanish-speaking community. Dr. William Felix, an emergency medicine physician at the time, answered that need.

Currently, Dr. Felix is the chief medical director for Palmetto GBA residing in Orlando, Florida. During the pandemic, Dr. Felix was active on social media, providing credible information about COVID-19, especially to the Hispanic/Latino community, which represents 26.8% of Florida's population. After some of Dr. Felix’s content gained viral attention and his reach expanded exponentially, the American Spanish-language terrestrial television network Telemundo asked Dr. Felix to be a part of a new venture called Salud 24/7. This show provides bite-sized medical news to viewers.

With the potential to reach much more of the Hispanic/Latino community, Dr. Felix accepted this volunteer role as host of Salud 24/7 and spent many Saturdays recording episodes. Four months later, Salud 24/7 was airing on Facebook on Wednesday mornings and television on Saturday mornings. According to Dr. Felix, the show has been "extremely rewarding, and the support is off the charts."

Salud 24/7 is a Spanish-language educational and informational program lasting 30 minutes with four-to=five-minute sections where hosts discuss diverse health topics. The show’s success is due to its simplified medical language and open dialogue with viewers through its media outlets. Salud 24/7 focuses on current hot topics and uses a three-point rule: what is the medical topic, what are the symptoms, and how is it treatable. According to Dr. Felix, "Hispanics are becoming an influential community in the United States, and there is a disparity when it comes to taking care of their culture. We need to better understand the cultural background, and we feel that Salud 24/7 is the start of an educational platform that focuses on culture and ethnicities in medicine." The show is also unique because it is self-funded, allowing content that is not limited by sponsorship promotions.

"The Spanish-speaking population has been neglected in United States medicine because many providers don't speak their language or understand the culture," says Dr. Felix. Having focused the show on this population, obtaining diverse hosts, and broadcasting in Spanish, Salud 24/7 and Dr. Felix are accomplishing their mission. "The most rewarding part of the show is the response from everyone who is viewing and listening in. They are grateful that we are speaking their language, and the viewers feel represented and heard."

To learn more about Dr. Felix and Salud 24/7, click here