We’re building the language layer for healthcare.

I grew up in Taiwan. I barely spoke English when I came to the United States.

My first class here was U.S. history, and the only words I understood were “hello” and “thank you.” I was young, and eventually I learned. My parents never did. Like many immigrant families, we built our life around the places where they could be understood.

One day, my mom had a medical emergency. We rushed to the hospital, trusting that once we walked through those doors, she would be okay.

Instead, we waited 15 minutes for a phone interpreter, and when it finally connected, parts of what she said never made it across. She was misdiagnosed and sent home on the wrong medication.

Two days later, we rushed her back with severe complications. The doctors told us how close we had come to losing her.

Language should never decide whether a patient is heard, correctly diagnosed, or safely treated. That is why we built Opalite.

Cathleen Kuo, MD · Co-founder & CEO