It takes a village: Evolving from learning health system to learning community for health equity

Improving health equity requires engagement with partners outside of the clinical health system to address the socio-political-economic and structural drivers that shape health equity. Health systems need to focus on learning with communities to impact these conditions. The learning health system will need to evolve to a learning community to advance health equity.

We describe the experience of researchers, educators, clinicians, and community members ("four pillars") working together to develop the Dartmouth Health Center for Advancing Rural Health Equity.

Structures and processes were co-designed to create an infrastructure that supports partnerships dedicated to improving rural health equity through community-based projects, education and training, and advocacy efforts.

Co-designing an infrastructure to support enduring partnerships between research, education, clinical service, and community can support learning and improvement activities focused on improving health equity.