Adding to this are the systemic challenges that make access to high-quality healthcare difficult for Tennesseans. The state’s healthcare costs have increased by over 20% in the past decade, far surpassing the rate of inflation. Tennessee has also experienced 16 hospital closures, with 13 of those being rural, since 2010 — the second highest rate in the country.

Accredited, nonprofit Western Governors University’s (WGU) Michael O. Leavitt School of Health (LSH) is joining Synergy 3C and HealthCorum to organize HealthEQ Tennessee — a conference that brings together stakeholders to discuss solutions that elevate the state’s health landscape. The Franklin-based conference, happening April 16, will unite healthcare professionals, policymakers, community leaders and advocates to unearth critical healthcare issues unique to the state, discuss customized strategies and solutions and foster mutually beneficial collaborations that yield feasible action steps to serve the community.

“At LSH, we aim to advance access to high-quality education to address the healthcare challenges that affect our country,” said Anmy Mayfield, LSH vice president and dean for the College of Nursing. “Our experience shows that every community comes with its unique set of challenges, so we’re organizing the HealthEQ Tennessee conference where various stakeholders will collaborate to identify solutions that elevate the quality of healthcare in the state. Along with learning from a diverse pool of stakeholders about solutions that work for the state, we’ll also share our perspective and efforts focused on building a strong pipeline of competent healthcare professionals to serve the community workforce.”

HealthEQ Tennessee aims to elevate quality, address healthcare disparities, and advance access to healthcare and value-based care in the state. The strategic partnerships established from this conference could generate scalable and replicable solutions for the holistic evolution of the country’s healthcare system, especially when it comes to rural healthcare. The collaborative initiative is already underway, and individuals and organizations that strive for similar goals are encouraged to come together and be a part of the transformation journey.

“Tennessee’s healthcare scene is shaped by both challenges and innovations,” said Rebecca Baker, founder and CEO at Synergy 3C - The Clinical Consulting Cooperative. “Access to care is markedly inconsistent across the state, with urban and rural areas facing differing levels of availability, leading to disparities in health outcomes. While efforts to improve access to quality care are underway, supported by innovations like telehealth and value-based care, the state’s inherent economic challenges continue to shape policies and delivery, causing Tennesseans to bear the impact of ongoing fluidity. With this conference, we’re providing a platform to thought leaders to address the state’s most-pressing healthcare issues and propose action-oriented solutions that could uplift Tennessee and then be used as a model for other states across the country.”