Heartland Whole Health Institute

What Heartland Whole Health Institute does

Heartland Whole Health Institute (HWHI) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2019 by philanthropist Alice Walton, headquartered at 850 Museum Way on the Crystal Bridges Campus in Bentonville, Arkansas. The Institute operates as a convening body, catalyst, and applied-research platform for healthcare transformation in the Heartland region; it does not provide direct patient care. Its charter addresses three structural problems: high U.S. healthcare spending combined with poor outcomes, acute physician shortages in rural areas, and a fee-for-service reimbursement system that fails to reward prevention. HWHI serves health systems, academic medical centers, policymakers, employers, and rural/underserved communities by co-developing, testing, and disseminating whole-person care models, value-based payment designs, and workforce pipeline solutions.

Core programmatic offerings include Heartland Whole Health Connect (a statewide primary care transformation initiative, formerly the Arkansas Health Care Transformation Demonstration Project), the GME Technical Assistance Center (launched June 2026 to support hospitals and academic partners in building residency capacity), the Vision 2030 strategic roadmap (co-developed with the Northwest Arkansas Council and Tripp Umbach), the Bridge Award recognition program, the Morehead-Cain Civic Collaboration Program, and visitor amenities such as the Heartland Café and The Art of Whole Health gallery in the new Marlon Blackwell-designed building. Underlying technology assets include virtual specialty visits connecting rural clinics to cardiologists and other specialists, remote patient monitoring for chronic conditions, and predictive analytics infrastructure supporting payment model design and population health management. Adjacent services span research dissemination, workforce development curricula, policy advisory work, and event venue rentals coordinated through Crystal Bridges.

The Institute's revenue mechanics are foundation- and grant-based. Its principal financial anchor is a 30-year, $700 million affiliation agreement announced in 2024 between the Alice L. Walton Foundation, Mercy, and HWHI, supplemented by sponsored research, GME technical assistance services, and educational programming delivered to health systems, academic institutions, and government agencies. Customer and partner relationships — Mercy, Cleveland Clinic, Community Clinic Northwest Arkansas, Boston Mountain Rural Health Center, Northwest Arkansas Council, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, UAMS, and ShepsGME at UNC Chapel Hill — function as both distribution channels for the Institute's research and convening outputs and as co-development partners for pilots such as the rural cardiology virtual-visit initiative between Mercy and Boston Mountain Rural Health Center.

Name

Heartland Whole Health Institute

Legal name

Heartland Whole Health Institute

Website

https://heartlandwholehealth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Nonprofit founded in 2019 by Alice Walton that convenes health systems, academic partners, and policymakers to design and scale whole-person, value-based care models across Arkansas and the Heartland, funded by a 30-year, $700 million affiliation with Mercy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Transformation Services

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Health & Health Equity Organizations (BPAGACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC), Health Systems Strengthening & Primary Care Development (HLAJAKAJ), Community Health & Health Equity/Social Determinants Units (HLAJAAAO)

Keywords

• Whole health research
• Value-based care
• Graduate medical education
• Health workforce development
• Rural health access

Headquarters

HQ city

Bentonville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Philanthropy and Foundation Funding: Funded by the Alice L. Walton Foundation, the Institute operates as a nonprofit. A 30-year, $700 million affiliation agreement between the Alice L. Walton Foundation, Mercy, and Heartland Whole Health Institute was announced in 2024 to expand access to health care, reduce costs, and improve outcomes in the Heartland.
2. Research, Advocacy, and Education Services: The Institute generates revenue through sponsored research, workforce development programs, GME technical assistance services, and educational programming delivered to health systems, academic institutions, and government agencies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Heartland Whole Health Institute is a nonprofit healthcare transformation organization that develops, tests, and disseminates whole-person and value-based care models for Arkansas and the broader Heartland. Its core offerings include a statewide primary care transformation initiative (Heartland Whole Health Connect), a GME Technical Assistance Center supporting residency program development, applied research and policy reports (Vision 2030, Growing the Physician Workforce in Arkansas), workforce development programs, and the Bridge Award recognition program for frontline healthcare workers.

Product overview

Heartland Whole Health Institute is a nonprofit organization founded in 2019 by philanthropist Alice Walton, focused on transforming health care through a whole-person, value-based approach. The organization operates as a platform combining multiple interconnected offerings: Heartland Whole Health Connect (a statewide primary care transformation initiative), the GME Technical Assistance Center (physician workforce development), Vision 2030 (strategic roadmap report), the Bridge Award (recognition program), and the Morehead-Cain Civic Collaboration Program (applied research). Additional offerings include visitor amenities at their Crystal Bridges Campus location (art gallery, café, architecture tours, and event venue rentals). The Institute serves as a convenor and catalyst for health care transformation, bringing together health systems, academic partners, policymakers, employers, and communities to test, evaluate, and scale whole-person approaches.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Heartland Whole Health Connect: A statewide effort focused on strengthening primary care and expanding access to care for communities across Arkansas, formerly referred to as the Arkansas Health Care Transformation Demonstration Project.
• GME Technical Assistance Center
• Bridge Award

Products and services

• Heartland Whole Health Connect A statewide effort focused on strengthening primary care and expanding access to care for communities across Arkansas, bringing together primary care providers to explore more accessible, coordinated, and whole-person approaches to care delivery.
• GME Technical Assistance Center A statewide resource launched to support hospitals, health systems, academic partners, and communities in developing or expanding residency training programs in Arkansas. Provides expert guidance, education, and connections to expand training opportunities, grow the physician workforce, and improve healthcare access statewide, including program design, accreditation pathways, operational planning, and long-term sustainability guidance.
• Vision 2030 A comprehensive roadmap report released with Northwest Arkansas Council and conducted by Tripp Umbach, outlining progress and future goals to transform health care in Northwest Arkansas so the region meets the needs of a rapidly growing population.
• Morehead-Cain Civic Collaboration Program An eight-week immersive civic collaboration program hosting Morehead-Cain Scholars from UNC Chapel Hill, focusing on applied learning and research that strengthens whole-person health in real-world community settings in Northwest Arkansas.
• Bridge Award Program A recognition program established to honor outstanding contributions of frontline health care workers and health care advocates in Arkansas who strengthen their communities by bridging gaps in care. Recipients receive $1,000 and an invitation to an annual event with founder Alice Walton.
• Whole-Person Care Models and Research The Institute partners with academic and clinical collaborators to assess health care innovations, generate evidence on findings, cost, and feasibility that inform care delivery, payment models, and policy discussions. Supports learning, transparency, and replication of effective approaches.
• Workforce Development and Education Initiatives strengthening 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.
• Visitor Amenities (Heartland Café, Art Gallery, Architecture Tours) Building amenities including Heartland Café offering drinks, pastries, and grab-and-go meals; an art gallery featuring 'The Art of Whole Health' exhibition; and weekly architecture tours facilitated by Crystal Bridges guides. The building opened May 1, 2025, designed by Marlon Blackwell Architects.
• Event Venue Rentals Ballrooms A-C, Seminar Rooms A-C, and Green Rooms on the first floor available to rent for events. Rental venue packages include food and drink, materials and tech, and staffing. Inquiries are directed to Crystal Bridges event rentals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Patient outmigration reduced from ~$1 billion (2018) to $695 million (2023) in Northwest Arkansas
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ShepsGME (Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, UNC Chapel Hill)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026ShepsGME is the GME technical assistance and capacity-building arm of the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at UNC Chapel Hill. It partnered with HWHI to develop the comprehensive GME research report 'Growing the Physician Workforce in Arkansas,' providing national expertise and data analysis for Arkansas' physician training landscape.
• Boston Mountain Rural Health CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2026Boston Mountain Rural Health Center partnered with Mercy and HWHI on a rural cardiology pilot program that connects its clinic visitors to Mercy specialists via virtual visits, reducing travel barriers for rural Arkansans needing specialty heart care.
• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025UAMS serves as a key clinical and academic partner referenced through the Institute's workforce development initiatives, GME efforts, and Bridge Award program. UAMS' Mobile Health Unit for prenatal care in East Arkansas was highlighted through the Bridge Award recognition of Crystal Marcussen.
• Tripp UmbachminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Tripp Umbach, a research firm, was engaged by the Northwest Arkansas Council and HWHI to conduct the 'Northwest Arkansas Health Care Vision 2030' study, providing data analysis and projections on health care transformation, economic impact, and workforce needs.
• Morehead-Cain FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023HWHI has served as a host organization for the Morehead-Cain Foundation Civic Collaboration program since 2023, supporting Morehead-Cain Scholars in conducting applied research on whole-person health in real-world community settings in Northwest Arkansas.
• Northwest Arkansas CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Sam Walton, Don Tyson, J.B. Hunt, and other business leaders, the Northwest Arkansas Council is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing economic opportunity, workforce development, and health care in the region. The Council co-released the Vision 2030 report with HWHI and serves as a key convener for regional health care transformation initiatives.
• Community Clinic Northwest ArkansascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Clinic has delivered high-quality, accessible healthcare services to Washington and Benton counties for over 25 years, offering multilingual services in English, Spanish, and Marshallese. It is a key partner in the regional health care delivery ecosystem alongside HWHI.
• MercycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMercy, one of the 15 largest U.S. health systems, is a key partner in whole-person care model development and value-based care initiatives. Mercy and HWHI co-designed a rural cardiology pilot connecting Boston Mountain Rural Health Center with Mercy specialists via virtual visits. Mercy's CEO Steve Mackin serves on HWHI's Board of Directors.
• Cleveland CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCleveland Clinic, ranked among the top hospitals in the U.S., is a national partner providing thought leadership and best practice sharing to HWHI's health care transformation efforts. Cleveland Clinic's former CEO Toby Cosgrove, MD, serves on HWHI's Board of Directors.
• Alice L. Walton School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) is a four-year MD-degree-granting institution on the Crystal Bridges Campus that partners closely with HWHI through teaching collaborations, curriculum consultation, faculty research support, and shared ecosystem development. AWSOM will begin graduating 48 physicians annually from 2029, intensifying the need for expanded GME positions.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI): A nonprofit that improves health and health care worldwide through quality improvement, innovation, and convening. Directly comparable to HWHI's approach of developing and disseminating care models, with similar emphasis on practice transformation and learning networks.
• Milbank Memorial Fund: A nonprofit foundation focused on health policy research and population health improvement. Closely comparable to HWHI in that it operates as a nonpartisan, non-direct-care philanthropic organization producing research, convening stakeholders, and influencing health system transformation — analogous convening-and-evidence model applied to different geographies.
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: The largest U.S. philanthropy focused on health, funding research, policy, and field-building to advance a Culture of Health. Highly comparable to HWHI in operating model — grantmaking, research dissemination, and convening — with a comparable focus on health system transformation and equity.
• West Health: A family of nonprofit, nonpartisan organizations dedicated to lowering health care costs and improving access for seniors. Comparable to HWHI in mission focus (value-based care, cost reduction, access) and nonprofit convening/policy model.
• Peterson Center on Healthcare: A nonprofit foundation focused on improving the quality and lowering the cost of U.S. health care through research, partnerships, and policy advocacy. Comparable to HWHI's value-based care, cost-reduction, and care-model innovation work.
• Aspen Institute Health Strategy Group: A cross-sector leadership group focused on pragmatic health care reform. Highly comparable convening function to HWHI, bringing together senior leaders across sectors to advance policy and care delivery reform.
• Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF): A nonprofit health policy research, polling, and news organization focused on national health issues. Comparable to HWHI in producing research to inform policy, though KFF operates nationally and at greater scale.
• Commonwealth Fund: A private foundation that conducts independent research on health care issues and publishes evidence to inform policy and practice. Directly comparable to HWHI's mission of producing research and convening stakeholders to advance value-based, accessible care, but operating at a national level rather than regional.
• National Academy of Medicine: An independent nonprofit that provides authoritative analysis and advice on health and medicine. Comparable to HWHI's research-and-advocacy function and its role as a trusted, evidence-based convener on health system reform.

Emerging players

• Manatt Health: A professional services practice combining consulting, policy analysis, and strategic advisory for health care organizations. Comparable to HWHI's value-based care and workforce technical assistance offerings, but operates on a for-profit, fee-for-service basis rather than as a nonprofit convener.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whole-health-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Heartland Whole Health Institute