Members of the Office of Research and Innovation hosted a virtual meeting with Tracy Gaudet, executive director of the Whole Health Institute, on Friday, May 8. The purpose of the meeting was to initiate a conversation between the university and the Whole Health Institute regarding future collaborations.

Daniel Sui, vice chancellor for research and innovation, believes the multidisciplinary talents and expertise at the university will prove beneficial to the core mission of the Institute and that partnership opportunities between the Institute and the university are unlimited.

"We are really fortunate to have Dr. Tracy Gaudet join us in Northwest Arkansas to lead the Whole Health Institute," Sui said. "Her vision for WHI will transform the current reactive disease care system to a proactive health care system, in which self-care, professional care and community care are all seamlessly integrated. As a comprehensive R1 research university, the U of A has a lot to offer and contribute to the whole health movement, ranging from medical humanities, neural and psychological sciences, exercise sciences, food and nutrition sciences, and biomedical engineering. The entire campus is indeed very excited about the prospects of partnering with WHI in areas of mutual interests in the years to come." 

Alice Walton introduced the Whole Health Institute project at the Northwest Arkansas Council's winter meeting in January 2020. She also announced the Institute's executive director — Dr. Tracy Gaudet. Formerly the executive director of the Veteran's Health Administration's National Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation, Gaudet also served as the executive director of Integrative Medicine programs at both Duke University and the University of Arizona. Additionally, Gaudet is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology. She has written two books on the topic of women's health — Consciously Female and Body, Soul, and Baby.

During the Zoom meeting, Gaudet shared the overarching goal of the whole health approach. The goal of whole health, Gaudet explained, is to both empower and equip people to take charge of their physical, mental and spiritual well-being in order to live their life to the fullest. She defined this initiative as a "paradigm shift" from the conventional "find-it-fix-it" approach to healthcare.  

"The mission of the institute is to make whole health available to all people and all communities," Gaudet said. "It's a massive vision. The reason I think this is achievable is through strategic partnerships."

Gaudet is currently building her team to bring this initiative into a reality for the Northwest Arkansas community.

"Everybody recognized prior to this epidemic [coronavirus] that healthcare needed transformation and a lot of efforts were underway trying to drive that transformation," Gaudet said. "Now, I think it's interesting that part of what we're learning through COVID is truly the cost — not just financial, but the cost of life and well-being — of starting in an unhealthy place. ... The limitations of a reactive disease care system is what we're seeing right now in terms of the unhealthy population that we have and the cost of that."

Gaudet advocates for a radical transformation of the healthcare system. With the recent breakdown from the global pandemic, she foresees a breakthrough on the horizon for a more proactive healthcare system.

The whole health model comprises four domains — the individual, self-care, professional care and the community.

"In the current medical paradigm, the chief complaint, the problem is at the center and the problem is what you're trying to solve. This [approach] flips it entirely and starts with the person and an exploration of who they are as a person and what they really want their health and life for. ... The self-care piece of this approach is the dominant piece, supported by professional care, and all of it is in the context of community," Gaudet said.

Once the university resumes normal operations, VCRI is planning to host another meeting with Gaudet in-person and on campus. Details will be announced as soon as possible. To follow along with research updates, follow VCRI on Twitter and Instagram. The VCRI website also provides extensive information about research activities at the U of A.