Shortage Area Designations

Shortage area designations are evaluated by the Office of Primary Care and Rural Health (OPCRH) to ensure underserved communities may participate in federal and state programs targeting their unique needs. The shortage designations include Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) and Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/P).

Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA)

HPSA designations indicate a deficiency of health professionals serving the community.

There are two types of designations:

1. Geographic HPSAs
   Designation of a geographical service area demonstrating a shortage of providers in comparison to the whole population.
2. Low-Income HPSAs
   Designation of the low-income population with a given service area. This demonstrates a shortage of providers serving Medicaid and Sliding Fee Scale patients in comparison to the low-income population.

There are three specialties that are reviewed for HPSA designations.

1. Primary Care
   Health professionals measured include MDs and DOs practicing family medicine, general medicine, general pediatrics, general internal medicine, and general OB/GYN services.
2. Mental Health
   Health professionals measured include MDs practicing general and child psychiatry only.
3. Dental Health
   Dentists measured include those practicing general and pediatric dentistry only.

Active designations are automatically reviewed on a three-year rotation as determined by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Medically Underserved Area/Population (MUA/P)

MUA/P designations signify a shortage of primary care services as reflected through a shortage of health professionals and certain health status indicators. These designations are not required to be updated at this time but are reviewed in conjunction with HPSA reviews.

Shortage of Obstetrical (OB) Services in Rural Alabama

OB services in Alabama's rural areas have contracted significantly in recent years, as depicted on this map of rural OB service loss from 1980 - 2019. 

Resources

• HPSA 101
• MUA/P 101
• How to Find Your Designation Status
• Medically Underserved Area/Population Map
• Designation Requirements for Selected Federal Programs
• Dental HPSA Map - October 2017
• Mental HPSA Map - August 2018
• Primary Care HPSA Map - January 2019
• The Loss of Rural Obstetrical Service in Alabama, 1980-2019

If you would like additional information, please contact Primary Care Office Program Manager Robert Jordan via email or at (334) 206-5425.