$4 Million Commitment Will Help UT Health Sciences Expand Health Hubs to Bring Preventive Care to More Communities Across Tennessee

"Our model is all about building relationships," James Bailey, MD, executive director of the Tennessee Population Health Consortium at UT Health Sciences and leader of the neighborhood health hub model, told supporters Wednesday.

"We need to put prevention first, we need to put abundant life first," James Bailey, MD, executive director of the Tennessee Population Health Consortium at UT Health Sciences, said Wednesday during an event to announce the statewide expansion of a neighborhood health hub model developed at the university to improve health and wellness in medically underserved areas.

More than 100 community and healthcare leaders, friends and partners of the university gathered in the Mooney Library on the Memphis campus to celebrate UnitedHealth Group's announcement of a $4 million commitment, including funding from the United Health Foundation and technical assistance from UnitedHealth Group, to expand the existing network of five neighborhood health hubs to 13 across the state by the end of 2027.

The health hub model was established through the UT Health Sciences College of Medicine under the leadership of Dr. Bailey to focus on preventive care and offer a convenient entry point to primary care when needed in areas of Memphis and Shelby County that are underserved.

Care at the health hubs centers on three connected cardiometabolic conditions - obesity, hypertension and diabetes - all of which are linked to increased mortality. Health coaches, trained at the university, screen for obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes; offer support for healthy behavior change and chronic disease and lifestyle management; and help patients get access and referrals to essential primary and behavioral care when needed. The hubs are open to anyone regardless of insurance status.

Since the first health hub opened in 2021, more than 4,000 clients have been served. The health hub effort has been a partnership with healthcare providers, Shelby County and Tennessee government, community philanthropists, including the Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation, the Assisi Foundation, and developers Henry Turley and Jack Belz, and UnitedHealth.

The five current hubs are: TennesseeCares Health Hub Soulsville; ShelbyCares Health Hub Westwood and ShelbyCares Health Hub Raleigh, operated in partnership with Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and the Shelby County Health Department; and TennesseeCares Health Hubs in Hardin County and Decatur County, funded through the Tennessee Department of Health.

"This is a community project, but someone's got to lead it," Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD, said kicking off the event. "None of this would have happened without the intellectual, scientific, community involvement and effort of Jim Bailey."

"We all know and we all believe that better health starts in trusted places with trusted people who help their neighbors live their healthiest lives," Danielle Gray, executive vice president of UnitedHealth Group and chair of the United Health Foundation, said regarding her organization's ongoing support of the neighborhood health hub model.

The goal of the expansion is to serve about 200,000 residents in the state, said Danielle Gray, executive vice president of UnitedHealth Group and chair of the United Health Foundation. "Every community deserves the opportunity to thrive," she said. "Creating a healthier Tennessee takes sustained collaboration and investment in community-led solutions that improve access to care, address local health challenges and help more people live healthier lives. We're proud to support this work to reach more communities across Tennessee and to further expand these kinds of models in communities across the country."

"We all know and we all believe that better health starts in trusted places with trusted people who help their neighbors live their healthiest lives," Gray said. "That's what this is all about today."

UnitedHealth has worked with UT Health Sciences and Shelby County since 2022 to develop health hubs. Of the 4,000 clients who have visited the hubs, more than half of the participants lowered their blood pressure and there was a 12% average reduction in blood glucose levels. "These are astounding outcomes. That means fewer heart attacks, fewer strokes, fewer ER and hospital visits," Gray said.

"UnitedHealth has not only served as a philanthropic partner to help us develop and improve this model, but they walked with us every step of the way, helping us improve our metrics, helping us chart our path to financial sustainability for this model of care because they recognize that insurance needs to pay for prevention first," Dr. Bailey said.

The new funding and technical assistance from UnitedHealth will focus on strengthening and expanding the Tennessee neighborhood health hub model and expanding the rural community health workforce in collaboration with the Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence at the UT Health Sciences College of Nursing and the UT Health Sciences College of Medicine. The goal is to advance career pathways in rural areas, including physician assistant, rural-focused nurse practitioner/midwife and health coach/doula dual certification.

"This philanthropic investment builds on a strong partnership that is helping us reimagine how care is delivered and accessed across Tennessee," Chancellor Buckley said. "By expanding our health hub network and strengthening pathways into the health professions, we are bringing preventive care, health education and support services closer to where people live. Together, we are creating a model that improves health today while building a stronger, more sustainable healthcare workforce for the future."

One Neighborhood at a Time

The neighborhood health hub model was on display Tuesday morning with the ribbon cutting of the newest health hub in the Raleigh neighborhood of Memphis. The facility, ShelbyCares Health Hub Raleigh at 3620 Austin Peay Highway, Suite 2, is a collaboration between UT Heath Sciences and Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris's office.

It was a joyous celebration Tuesday when the ribbon was cut on the newest health hub in Memphis, ShelbyCares Health Hub Raleigh.

"We must begin by remembering why we're here," Dr. Bailey said at the Raleigh event. "For too long we've seen the consequences of inadequate prevention and primary care in our community. But today we have a dream, a dream of something different: a way of care rooted in our community, led by the community, focused on empowering people to find their own path to health using natural preventive methods, health coaching that builds on individuals' strengths, on the strengths of our community."

"Shelby Cares is about helping people to identify health risks early before they become life-changing health problems," Mayor Harris said. "Every family deserves access to quality preventive care, regardless of their zip code."

"Shelby Cares is about helping people to identify health risks early," said Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, left. Dr. Cornelia Hamilton, right, a participant at the Raliegh location was enthusiastic in her support of the outstanding work being done there.

Cornelia Hamilton, a retired clinical pharmacist and participant at ShelbyCares Health Hub Raleigh, offered a powerful personal story of the impact a health hub can have.

"I was pre-diabetic," she said. "I registered for the program, and as of now, I'm making better food choices, I'm watching my portions, I read more food labels, and I'm proud to say that I have lost 10 pounds. I like to say that was really due to the encouragement and counseling that I received from my health coach. I am exercising more, and I'm working on becoming a healthier person, and I'm enjoying every minute of it."