Claude J. Pirtle, MD, MBA, MSACI, FACP, FAMIA is a physician executive focused on shaping the future of health care through whole-health principles, value-based accountability, and technology-enabled delivery – translating innovation into practical, scalable models, particularly in rural communities where distance, workforce constraints, and access gaps materially affect outcomes. As President of Heartland Whole Health Institute, Claude leads strategic initiatives to redesign care around improved outcomes, patient-centered experience, lower total costs of care, and broader access to care. Working with partner organizations, the Institute integrates health innovation, data analytics, value-based care models, and a whole-health framework informed by clinical practice and health policy, with an emphasis on durable, measurable improvement across settings and populations.  Previously, Claude served as Chief Medical Informatics Officer (CMIO) at Walmart, Inc., providing physician leadership to optimize technology that advances the clinical enterprise and supports Walmart Health’s mission of accessible, convenient, and affordable care. Earlier roles include VP and CMIO for West Tennessee Healthcare and Assistant Chief Medical Officer of Jackson Madison County General Hospital, where Claude helped lead enterprise transformation efforts including an ambulatory Epic conversion, systemwide telehealth and remote monitoring, and proactive whole-person care redesign. Claude also served as Medical Director for the Connected Care of West Tennessee ACO.  Claude holds an MD and Internal Medicine residency training from LSUHSC New Orleans, an MSACI and clinical fellowship training from Vanderbilt University, and an MBA in Healthcare Administration from UMass Amherst. Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Clinical Informatics, Claude serves on the boards of QSource and the Essential Hospitals Institute and is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American Medical Informatics Association.