Whole Health, Whole Communities — Dialogues to Reduce Rural Health Disparities

NEJM Catalyst 2026

View at publisher
Authors: Jyoti Savla, Taryn Pelletier, Karen A. Roberto, Alexandra G. DiFeliceantonio, Matthew Fullen, Kathryn Hosig, Aubrey L. Knight, Quinton J. Nottingham, Elif Tural, Catherine Baase, Noelle Bissell, Sophie Wenzel
+5 more Julie Gerdes, Nathaniel D. Porter, Paul Springer, Alex H. Krist, Tracy Gaudet
DOI: 10.1056/cat.26.0094
Cited by: 1
References: 2

Abstract

Rural communities face disproportionate burdens of chronic disease, mental illness, workforce shortages, and fragmented services despite historic national health spending. The Whole Health, Whole Communities: Dialogues to Reduce Rural Health Disparities symposium in Roanoke, Virginia, convened cross-sector leaders to identify reforms necessary to embed person-centered care into rural systems. Participants outlined staged reforms across governance, financing, workforce development, and data infrastructure. Priority actions include trauma-informed care expansion, payment redesign, sustainable community health worker funding, participatory research, and cross-sector coordination - advancing scalable, community-embedded Whole Health models to reduce rural disparities.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Global Health Workforce Issues Community Health and Development Health disparities and outcomes

Publication details

Journal / source
NEJM Catalyst
Publisher
Massachusetts Medical Society
Volume
7
Issue
s2
Pages
CAT260094–CAT260094
Publication date
30 April 2026
Language
EN