University of New Haven Faculty-Led Research Advances a Multi-Level Framework for Advancing Digital Health Equity

A collaborative team of faculty and graduate students from the University of New Haven and New Mexico State University has published a landmark paper titled “A Multi-Level Framework for Advancing Digital Health Equity in Learning Health Systems: Aligning Practice and Theory with the Quintuple Aim.” The study, led by Pavani Rangachari, Ph.D., Professor of Healthcare Administration and Public Health in the School of Health Sciences, in collaboration with Khadija Al Arkoubi, Ph.D. (Pompea College of Business) and Rajaa Shindi, Ph.D. (New Mexico State University), was published in the International Journal for Equity in Health, a leading global journal advancing the science and practice of health equity.

This work marks both a culmination and a new beginning in an evolving interdisciplinary research pipeline focused on advancing systemic health equity. It builds on findings from my two-part systematic review of hospital-led Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) initiatives, which revealed that many health system efforts remain fragmented—focused on short-term, downstream interventions, not integrated with electronic health records (EHRs) often disconnected from community needs, and rarely sustainable at scale.

Drawing from these insights, the newly published multi-level framework integrates perspectives from information systems, organizational learning, implementation science, and systems thinking to offer a roadmap for advancing digital health equity within Learning Health Systems (LHS), health systems that continuously learn from data to improve outcomes.

The paper identifies three interlinked pathways for transformation:

1. Building an equity-driven data foundation through SDOH–EHR integration
2. Designing balanced interventions that pair targeted supports with universal digital strategies
3. Transforming from downstream to upstream action by strengthening enabling services, community partnerships, policy advocacy, and structural investments

Together, these pathways align the pursuit of digital health equity with the Quintuple Aim of healthcare—improving patient experience, population health, provider well-being, and cost reduction, while advancing equity.

The publication represents a model of interdisciplinary collaboration across business, public health, and information systems disciplines. It also showcases the vital role of student engagement in advancing faculty-led research. Graduate students from the School of Health Sciences and the Pompea College of Business contributed to the foundational SDOH and digital health projects acknowledged in the article: Alisha Thapa ’24 MPH, Dawa Lhomu Sherpa ’23 MPH, Keerthi Katukuri ’24 MHA, Kashyap Ramadyani ’24 MHA, Hiba Jaidi ’24 MHA, and Sumaia Akhter ’26 MBA.

I’d also like to note the continuing contributions of Thapa, Naimitha Balireddy ’27 MHA, and Vandana Maurya ’25 MHA on another ongoing project that extends this growing pipeline of scholarship focused on advancing systemic health equity.

This publication is a meaningful milestone for our interdisciplinary partnership. It reflects the collective dedication of faculty and students across programs who share a vision for building equitable, learning-oriented health systems. Seeing this work evolve from classroom discussions to an international journal feels truly rewarding.

The research was first presented at the Academy of Management (AOM) 2025 Annual Meeting in Copenhagen and will be featured again when the team presents Part Two of their SDOH study at the APHA Annual Meeting in November. Its publication in a leading international journal marks a significant milestone in the team’s collaborative research journey and strengthens the University’s profile as a center for applied, equity-focused scholarship.

Though grounded in the U.S. context, the framework offers adaptable strategies for advancing health equity across diverse policy environments—a message that resonates globally as health systems confront widening disparities and shrinking safety nets.

“This study demonstrates how academic research can inform real-world transformation,” added Dr. Al Arkoubi. “By bridging business, policy, and public health, we’re helping shape strategies that can make digital health truly inclusive.”

The team’s next steps focus on applying the framework to explore innovative models for digital inclusion and community-based equity initiatives, building on a strong foundation of interdisciplinary collaboration.