Five Questions With Hari Krishna Nallapaneni, MD, MBA, CPE, FACHE
Highlighting ACU Members Advancing Care in Underserved Communities
As part of ACU’s Five Questions With… spotlight series, we’re highlighting the dedicated ACU Members whose leadership and lived experience help advance compassionate, community-centered care. This series offers a closer look at the people behind the work, what motivates them, what they’ve learned, and why serving communities with the greatest need remains at the heart of their careers.
In this edition, we’re honored to feature Hari Krishna Nallapaneni, Chief Medical Officer at CareSTL Health. A cardiology-trained and board-certified internal medicine physician, Dr. Nallapaneni is a physician executive dedicated to advancing access to quality care for underserved communities. He leads efforts to improve access, quality, and outcomes for vulnerable populations, and his work is deeply inspired by the memory of his late mother, whose compassion and commitment to service continue to guide his mission in healthcare.
Tell Us About Yourself
I am a physician leader with a background in internal medicine, healthcare administration, quality management, and artificial intelligence in healthcare. I have dedicated my career to serving patients and communities with the greatest needs. I currently serve as Chief Medical Officer at CareSTL Health, where I have the privilege of working with a committed team to expand access to care and improve outcomes for underserved populations.
At the heart of who I am, both personally and professionally, is the memory of my late mother. Her loss profoundly shaped my life, but so did the example she set through her compassion, humility, and commitment to serving others. In many ways, my work in healthcare is not just a profession, but a way of honoring her legacy by continuing a life centered on service, dignity, and care for the community.
Why Did You Choose to Focus on Caring for Underserved Communities?
I chose to focus on underserved communities because I believe healthcare has its greatest meaning when it reaches those who need it most. Many of these communities face barriers that extend far beyond medicine, including poverty, limited access to care, transportation challenges, food insecurity, and systemic barriers. To me, serving these populations is both a professional responsibility and a moral calling.
This calling is deeply connected to my mother’s life and memory. She believed in helping others without expecting anything in return, and her example left a lasting impression on me. After losing her, I felt even more strongly that the best way to honor her was through a life of service. Caring for underserved communities allows me to live out the values she embodied every day and carry her legacy forward through meaningful work.
“Serving underserved communities is both a professional responsibility and a moral calling.”
What Motivates You in Your Day-to-Day Work?
What motivates me each day is the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients, families, and communities that too often struggle to access the care they deserve. Whether I am working to improve clinical quality, support care teams, or reduce barriers to care, I am driven by the belief that thoughtful leadership and compassionate systems can truly change lives.
On a deeper level, I am motivated by my mother’s memory. Her loss remains one of the most significant experiences of my life and continues to shape how I approach my work. When challenges arise, I reflect on the kind of person she was and the values she stood for. That reflection gives me strength, clarity, and purpose. I see my daily work as part of living her legacy through service to others.
What Does ACU Mean to You?
To me, ACU represents mission, compassion, and collective purpose. It brings together clinicians and leaders who believe healthcare must extend beyond treating illness to addressing healthcare access, dignity, and justice. ACU reflects a community that recognizes every person’s worth and works intentionally to serve those who are too often overlooked.
That mission resonates with me on a personal level because it reflects the values my mother lived by. She taught me that true service means showing up for others, especially those who are vulnerable or underserved. ACU’s commitment to under-resourced communities aligns with the legacy I strive to continue through my work, which makes being part of this organization especially meaningful.
What Would You Like People to Know About Underserved Communities and Their Health Needs?
I would like people to understand that underserved communities are not defined by deficits, but by resilience, strength, dignity, and perseverance. Poor health outcomes in these communities are often not due to a lack of effort or concern, but rather a lack of access to the resources and opportunities that support health and well-being. Health-related social needs play a critical role, influencing care across the entire continuum, from primary to tertiary services.
Caring for underserved communities requires both compassion and sustained commitment. It means looking beyond the walls of the clinic to address broader social and structural factors such as housing, food access, education, transportation, and trust in the healthcare system. For me, this work is deeply personal. It is a way of honoring my mother’s legacy of service and ensuring that the values she lived by continue to make a difference in the lives of others.
“Underserved communities are not defined by deficits, but by resilience, strength, dignity, and perseverance”
Get Involved with ACU
Dr. Nallapaneni’s leadership and deeply personal commitment to service reflect a belief that meaningful change begins with compassion, purpose, and a dedication to reaching those most in need. Through its trainings, advocacy, and professional community, the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved brings together clinicians and leaders committed to expanding access to practical, compassionate care in communities with the greatest need.
Interested in getting involved with ACU? Learn more about membership, explore benefits, and discover opportunities to connect, lead, and grow within the ACU community.
