UnitedHealth Group Partners with UT Health Sciences to Expand Health Hubs to More Communities Across Tennessee

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New support from the United Health Foundation will expand proven models that improve preventive care, chronic condition support and rural health workforce pathways across the state, part of a UnitedHealth Group effort to build healthier communities across the US

UnitedHealth Group today announced new support to expand the University of Tennessee Health Sciences’ health hub model statewide, helping more Tennesseans access preventive care, chronic condition support and local health resources in their communities.

The new support includes a $4 million commitment, with funding from the United Health Foundation and technical assistance from UnitedHealth Group, to expand the network from five health hubs to 13 across the state by the end of 2027. This builds on nearly $2 million in support since 2022, underscoring an ongoing commitment to expanding access to care, improving health outcomes and supporting organizations working to meet the unique needs of communities across the state.

“This philanthropic investment builds on a strong partnership that is helping us reimagine how care is delivered and accessed across Tennessee,” said Dr. Peter Buckley, chancellor of the University of Tennessee Health Sciences. “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.”

The health hub expansion is part of Communities of Health, an initiative launched by UnitedHealth Group to support community-based models in areas such as rural health, maternal and child health and preventive care. Communities of Health began through UnitedHealth Group efforts to expand doula care in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and to develop food-as-medicine initiatives in St. Paul, Minnesota.

“Every community deserves the opportunity to thrive,” said Danielle Gray, executive vice president of UnitedHealth Group and chair of the United Health Foundation. “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.”

Communities of Health is another way UnitedHealth Group is helping make healthcare work better by supporting local solutions that reflect each community’s needs. Through an initial $20 million commitment by the United Health Foundation in 2026, the program will expand across the country.

Scaling success in Tennessee

UnitedHealth Group has worked with the University of Tennessee Health Sciences and Shelby County since 2022 to develop health hubs, which help Tennessee residents prevent and manage chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Health hubs offer screenings, health coaches, safe exercise groups, healthy cooking classes and care in easy-to-access community locations. After successful pilots in Memphis and Shelby County, UT Health Sciences established rural health hubs at UT Extension Centers in Hardin and Decatur counties.

Since 2022, health hubs have served more than 4,000 people through more than 20,000 visits. More than half of participants lowered their blood pressure, helping reduce their risk for serious health complications.

New funding and technical assistance will focus on two goals:

• Strengthening and expanding the Tennessee health hub model: Technical assistance will help health hubs generate sustainable funding, strengthen integration and improve data sharing. New funding will help expand this model into rural counties across West, Middle and East Tennessee, building toward a statewide network of 13 locations by the end of 2027, which will reach 200,000 residents.
• Expanding the rural community health workforce: UnitedHealth Group will work with the UT Health Sciences College of Nursing and the UT Health Sciences College of Medicine to advance career pathways in rural areas, including rural-focused physician assistant, rural-focused nurse practitioner/midwife and health coach/doula dual certification.

By expanding this proven model and strengthening the rural health workforce, UnitedHealth Group is helping ensure that long-term health is attainable for all community members, regardless of geography.

“UnitedHealth Group has helped us strengthen our neighborhood health hub model so that more people can get access to the most essential preventive and primary care services,” said Dr. Jim Bailey, director of the Tennessee Population Health Consortium at UT Health Sciences. “Every person needs a neighborhood health hub close to home if we want to be a healthier city, state and country. Everyone deserves access to the most essential primary and preventive care.”

“The innovation in Tennessee’s health hubs is about human connection — building trust, understanding individual and community needs, and bringing care and compassion that actually improves health,” said Catherine Anderson, senior vice president for health optimization at UnitedHealth Group. “The health hubs reinforce that healthcare works best when people connect directly with one another and trust the care they receive, shifting focus from treating illness to a proactive culture of preventive well-being across a community.”

About The University of Tennessee Health Sciences

The mission of the University of Tennessee Health Sciences is transforming lives through collaborative and inclusive education, research, scholarship, clinical care, and public service. With six colleges – Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy – at its main campus in Memphis, in addition to educational and clinical campuses at major hospitals in Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Nashville, and sites across the state, UT Health Sciences strives to fulfill its vision: Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities. For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu. You can find the University of Tennessee Health Sciences on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a healthcare and well-being company with a mission to help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone through two distinct and complementary businesses. Optum delivers care aided by technology and data, empowering people, partners and providers with the guidance and tools they need to achieve better health. UnitedHealthcare offers a full range of health benefits, enabling affordable coverage, simplifying the healthcare experience and delivering access to high-quality care. Visit UnitedHealth Group at www.unitedhealthgroup.com and follow UnitedHealth Group on LinkedIn.

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Source: UnitedHealth Group