Cloudbreak Health

Cloudbreak Health, now operating as Equiti, functions as a specialized provider of technology-enabled language interpretation services tailored for the healthcare sector. The firm was established in 2003 by Jamey Edwards and Andy Panos. Edwards, who served as CEO, brought a background in finance and an entrepreneurial drive, having previously transformed a family business and led the acquisition that helped form Cloudbreak. Panos's inspiration for the company came after a family member was injured on vacation, highlighting the challenges patients face with language barriers in healthcare settings.

The company's core business revolves around breaking down communication barriers for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) and those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. It serves a wide range of healthcare facilities, including hospitals, urgent care centers, and clinics. Revenue is generated by providing these clients with access to its interpretation services. The primary product is Martti™ (My Accessible Real-Time Trusted Interpreter), a HIPAA-compliant Video Remote Interpretation (VRI) platform. This system connects healthcare providers with qualified interpreters across more than 250 languages, accessible via tablets and smartphones. Beyond VRI, the company's offerings have expanded to include over-the-phone interpreting (OPI) and other telehealth solutions like telepsychiatry and telestroke services.

Cloudbreak Health's history includes several significant milestones. Originally founded as Language Access Network, a publicly traded company, it was taken private and rebranded as Cloudbreak Health in 2015 to focus more on telehealth. In 2021, the company merged with UpHealth in a SPAC deal, which created a publicly traded global digital health company. However, in a strategic move to simplify its business, UpHealth sold Cloudbreak to the private equity firm GTCR for $180 million in a deal that closed in March 2024. This transaction established Cloudbreak as an independent, standalone entity again. Most recently, in August 2024, Cloudbreak acquired Voyce, another language services provider, and the combined entity was rebranded as Equiti, led by a new senior leadership team that includes co-founder Andy Panos.

Keywords: language access, video remote interpreting, VRI, healthcare interpretation, telehealth services, limited English proficiency, LEP, patient communication, health equity, Martti, medical interpretation, telemedicine platform, hospital communication, language services provider, telestroke, telepsychiatry, over-the-phone interpreting, OPI, digital health, healthcare technology