In this article, the founder of Leona Health, Arela Solis (a former executive at Uber and Rappi) describes her journey from disrupting transportation and food delivery to tackling the inefficiencies of the global healthcare system.

The core premise is that while most industries have been optimized by technology, healthcare remains “frozen in time,” relying on outdated physical waiting rooms and disorganized digital communication.

The Problem: The “WhatsApp” Infrastructure

Arela highlights a unique reality in Latin America: WhatsApp is the unofficial operating system for healthcare.

• For Patients: Accessing care is a logistical nightmare of traffic, waiting rooms, and slow responses.
• For Doctors: Most are independent operators who are “breaking” under the pressure of managing hundreds of patient messages on their personal phones.
• The Risk: Critical medical data (like a child’s weight or medication history) is often buried in endless chat threads rather than a secure medical record.

The Solution: Leona Health

Leona Health is introduced as an AI co-pilot designed to turn WhatsApp into a professional healthcare operating system.

• Seamless Integration: It meets doctors where they already are (WhatsApp) rather than forcing them to adopt a complex new software.
• AI Efficiency: The tool uses AI to separate personal from professional messages, triage patient needs, suggest responses, and automate administrative tasks like scheduling.
• Impact: The platform claims to save doctors up to three hours a day, allowing them to focus on clinical care rather than paperwork.

The Vision: “The Lioness” Approach

Inspired by her own experience as a mother, Arela named the company Leona (Spanish for lioness) to mirror the nurturing yet fierce nature of caregivers. Backed by major Silicon Valley investors (like a16z and Accel), the company aims to prove that you can build a high-growth, disruptive tech company that still leads with kindness and integrity.

Ultimately, she envisions a future where healthcare is as seamless and “obvious” as calling a ride-share, starting in Latin America and eventually expanding globally.