Whole Health Institute is a nonprofit that addresses physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being through research, advocacy, community engagement, and a whole health delivery framework that focuses on prevention and is financially sustainable.

OUR PURPOSE
Whole Health Institute builds, amplifies, and advocates for whole health transformation.

The Background
Founded in 2019 by philanthropist Alice Walton, the nonprofit Institute addresses physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being by working with health systems partners and communities. The concept of Whole Health Institute was driven by research revealing that the United States has the highest level of health care spending worldwide and relatively low rankings in overall health. The pandemic further highlighted inequalities, mental health issues, and the need for a whole-person approach to health care—it also revealed the power of communities to be a force for change.

Sharing a founder and vision with Whole Health Institute, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine was founded in 2021 to offer a four-year medical degree-granting program that builds on foundational sciences and clinical practices with a compassionate, inclusive, and whole-person approach to care.

Pending accreditation, the School will welcome its first class of 48 students in 2025.  Walton’s deep commitment to building a health transformation includes health system partnerships with national and regional health systems with the goal of increasing access and expanding specialty services in the region.

As part of this effort, the Institute will assess, develop, and integrate whole health practices and services across the continuum of care while the School of Medicine will help establish a regional academic health system in Northwest Arkansas.

By redesigning how education is taught and the delivery models, the Institute, School of Medicine, and health system partners can improve overall health and quality of life for the Northwest Arkansas community and be a model for health care transformation.

The Team
Whole Health Institute is passionate about putting people at the center of their own health journey. The team is made of clinicians, strategists, and change-makers who seek to empower and engage partners and individuals to make whole health accessible to all.