BCHSI in the News

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Symposium Highlight: Whole-Person Health Journey

Symposium Overview:

On September 18, 2025, the Thomas F. Frist Jr. College of Medicine at Belmont University hosted a groundbreaking Symposium that brought together healthcare leaders, innovators, and visionaries. “The Whole-Person Health Journey Symposium” was not just another conference, it was a collaborative launchpad for reimagining healthcare systems that put people first. This one-day event was designed to spark bold ideas, build lasting partnerships, and co-create actionable solutions that advance whole-person care—powered by emerging technologies like AI and grounded in compassion, equity, and human connection.

Symposium Tone & Experience

Not a Showcase - A Shared Space for Transformation. While each organization brings valuable innovations, this is not a product pitch stage. Instead, we explored how these tools could serve as catalysts for systemic change.
Cross-Sector Collaboration - We brought together voices from healthcare, technology, academia, policy, and beyond to break silos and build bridges—because transformation happens at the intersections.
Active Participation, Not Passive Listening. The format was dynamic: inspiring keynotes, interactive workshops, and real-time discussion synthesis. Attendees left not just informed—but activated.
Theme & Metaphor: The Moonshot…and the Journey Healthcare transformation is a journey—and we’re aiming for the moon. We defined a shared “moonshot” vision for whole-person health and explore how AI serves as rocket fuel to accelerate our trajectory. But technology alone isn’t enough. Compassion is our compass. Collaboration is our vehicle.

Case Studies discussed included:

Maternal–Fetal Health & Wellness: From preconception to postpartum, with coaching and AI-enhanced support.
Personalized Wellness Across Life Stages: Adaptive tools for physical, mental, and emotional health.
Mental Health Integration: Embedded across all journeys—because mental wellness is foundational.
Corporate & Workforce Wellness: Addressing prevention, presenteeism, and resilience in the workplace.
Longevity & Aging Well: Translating cutting-edge research into personalized, proactive care.

As we closed the day, we reflected on a core truth: Innovation in healthcare is not a moment—it’s a movement. And movements require momentum. The Belmont Collaborative for Health Systems Innovation can be your partner in this journey.

Download Symposium Slides

A group of eight people, including four individuals in white medical coats and four in business attire, stand together indoors in a bright, modern space with tropical plants in the background.

HCA Healthcare commits $5M to Frist College of Medicine

HCA Healthcare, Inc., one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers, today announced a $5 million gift to the Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine at Belmont University to support the Belmont Collaborative for Health Systems Innovation. Half of the gift will create the HCA Healthcare Health Systems Science Endowed Chair, and the other $2.5 million will be used for programmatic support in the Health Systems Science department.

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Dr. Benjamin Ryan Appointed to National Environmental Health Association Preparedness Committee

The Belmont Collaborative for Health Systems Innovation (BCHSI) is proud to announce Dr. Benjamin Ryan, Professor of Public Health and Global Initiatives, has been appointed to the Preparedness Committee of the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA). This prestigious appointment follows a highly competitive national selection process and reflects Dr. Ryan’s outstanding contributions to environmental public health and emergency preparedness.

The NEHA Preparedness Committee is a national body composed of experts from federal, state, tribal, local, and territorial jurisdictions. Its mission is to support environmental health professionals in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from emergencies and disasters, ultimately helping to build more resilient communities.

Dr. Ryan’s appointment to the NEHA Preparedness Committee underscores a commitment to advancing interdisciplinary collaboration and strengthening the environmental health workforce. His two-year term will begin on October 1, 2025, and run through September 30, 2027. For more information about NEHA and its Preparedness Committee, visit www.neha.org.

Dr. Claudia Guerrazzi Young presenting at conference while standing in front of slide show.

Budgeting for Change: AI Policies Shaping Healthcare’s Future

Dr. Claudia Guerrazzi Young presented her policy-focused paper, “Budgeting for Change: AI Policies Shaping Healthcare’s Future,” at the EURAM 2025 conference in Florence, Italy. The study analyzes how national budgeting decisions and institutional pressures shape healthcare AI policy objectives, offering actionable insights for policymakers and health-system leaders.

Congratulations Dr. Marquinta Harvey

We're thrilled to announce Dr. Harvey has accepted the role of our new Service-Learning Curriculum Director!

Service learning is a vital thread in the FCoM curriculum, providing students with meaningful opportunities to learn from and serve the Nashville Community. This program reflects FCoM's deep commitment to our mission, vision, and especially our shared value to "Lead by Serving".

Thank you, Dr. Harvey, for sharing your expertise and vision in this important role!

A promotional graphic for The Digital Healthcare Experience podcast by Taylor Healthcare. The background is a gradient of blue and purple with subtle circuit-like graphics. The text reads, 'Episode 24: Paving the Future With Health System Sciences.' Two circular headshots feature Chris Civitarese from Taylor Healthcare and Dr. Douglas Slakey from Belmont University. Their names and affiliations are displayed in white text within speech bubble-like shapes. The design has a modern and professional feel, with clean typography and a tech-inspired aesthetic.

Paving the Future with Health Systems Science

The future of healthcare is being shaped at the intersection of innovation and education, according to Dr. Douglas Slakey- surgeon, author and Chair of Health Systems Science at Belmont University.

Tune in to learn how Belmont’s Frist College of Medicine is preparing future healthcare leaders while ensuring new technologies deliver on their promise.>

We explore:

The first-of-its-kind institute for Health System Science.
Simulation programs that are revolutionizing healthcare performance.
Strategies for testing new technology before it reaches the market.
Improving healthcare in a sustainable, systemic and scalable way.

Listen to Episode

Simplifying Complex Healthcare Challenges With Dr. Douglas Slakey

In this episode of the Physician Growth Accelerator podcast, Zed sits down with Dr. Douglas Slakey, a surgeon, healthcare innovator, and bestselling author of The Process Manifesto: Improving Healthcare in a Complex World. Together, they explore how systems thinking can transform private medical practices and the broader healthcare landscape.

Whether you’re a private practice owner or part of a larger healthcare organization, this conversation offers invaluable lessons on simplifying the complexity of modern healthcare while driving meaningful, sustainable growth.