Northwest Arkansas Health Summit Returns to Fayetteville May 21
| FAYETTEVILLE — The 2025 Northwest Arkansas Health Summit, hosted by the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation with support from Heartland Whole Health Institute, the NWA Council and other community partners, will bring health and community leaders together on Wednesday, May 21, to discuss barriers to meeting underserved communities in Arkansas.
The theme of this year’s summit is “Meeting People Where They Are” and will feature panels on public policy, community health workers and value-based care. The summit will kick off with a session by keynote speaker Kenya Eddings, executive director of the Arkansas Minority Health Commission, and will continue with informative sessions, engaging workshops and networking opportunities.
“In a rural state like Arkansas, we know that barriers to care are real. Distance, transportation and access all play a role,” said Krista Langston, executive director of community programs at the institute. “But what we’ve learned is that when you’re truly committed, it’s not hard to reach people where they are. We’re excited to learn from industry leaders who have successfully brought care to where people actually are — at home, work and in everyday spaces.”
This year’s summit will be held from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, at the Fayetteville Town Center. Registration for the summit is available at nwahealthsummit.com. The event is free to attend, but space is limited. Attendees are encouraged to register early.
“Whether you’re on the front lines, working in administration, shaping policy or just passionate about your community, the Northwest Arkansas Health Summit is a great chance to connect and learn,” said Pearl McElfish, Ph.D., director of the institute. “You’ll hear from some incredible speakers and walk away with real insight on how we can better meet people where they are.”
For more information about the summit, visit nwahealthsummit.com.
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,485 students, 915 medical residents and fellows, and seven dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 11,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.###