Research and Advocacy
What We Do
Heartland Whole Health Institute serves as a convener and catalyst for health care transformation. We bring together health systems, academic partners, policymakers, employers, and communities to test, evaluate, and scale whole‑person approaches that improve outcomes, reduce costs, and expand access to care.
Our work centers on four interconnected areas: Workforce Development, Value‑Based Initiatives, Policy, and Research. Together, these efforts translate evidence into action and create models that can be replicated across Arkansas and beyond.
Workforce Development and Education
A health care system grounded in whole health needs more than new models and better data: it needs skilled people. The Institute helps strengthen training pathways and learning opportunities by supporting physician education, expanding experiential learning through partnerships, and creating opportunities for providers and communities to learn from one another. These efforts are designed to build capacity where it is most needed and support long‑term system change.
Explore our partnership with Ignite
Nominate a health care professional for a Bridge Award
Value‑Based Initiatives
The Institute brings together the right people to solve shared health challenges, including doctors, health systems, employers, researchers, community leaders, technology leaders, and patients.
We help partners work together to improve access to care in rural and underserved communities, including using tools like virtual visits when distance or workforce shortages make care hard to reach. Our focus is on helping partners strengthen approaches that prevent and better manage chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. We also help study what works in real life so successful ideas can be sustained and expanded to reach more people.
Learn how we helped launch a new rural cardiology pilot
Policy
Heartland Whole Health Institute advances health care transformation across a wide range of issues, including value‑based care and modernizing health care. We make research, data, and applied insights openly available and bring together real‑world perspectives to support sustainable improvements in access, quality, and outcomes.
Read Vision 2030: Roadmap for Health Care Transformation
Research
The Institute partners with academic and clinical collaborators to assess health care innovations. We generate evidence on findings, cost, and feasibility that informs care delivery, payment models, and policy discussions. Our research supports learning, transparency, and the responsible replication of effective approaches across the Heartland and beyond.
Read a 2025 recap from our Scholars