The Full Form of HPSA is Health Professional Shortage Area.

Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) are designations that indicate health care provider shortages in primary care, dental health; or mental health.

These shortages may be geographic-, population-, or facility-based:

• Geographic Area
  • A shortage of providers for the entire population within a defined geographic area.
• Population Groups
  • A shortage of providers for a specific population group(s) within a defined geographic area (e.g., low income, migrant farmworkers, and other groups)
• Facilities
  • Other Facility (OFAC)
    Public or non-profit private medical facilities serving a population or geographic area designated as a HPSA with a shortage of health providers
  • Correctional Facility
    Medium to maximum security federal and state correctional institutions and youth detention facilities with a shortage of health providers
  • State/County Mental Hospitals
    State or county hospitals with a shortage of psychiatric professionals (mental health designations only)
  • Automatic Facility HPSAs (Auto HPSAs)
    Automatically designated as a HPSA by statute or through regulation without having to apply for a designation:
    • Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
      Health centers that provide primary care to an underserved area or population, offer a sliding fee scale, provide comprehensive services, have an ongoing quality assurance program, and have a governing board of directors. All organizations receiving grants under Health Center Program Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act are FQHCs. Find additional information and requirements (PDF – 259 KB) from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
    • FQHC Look-A-Likes (LALs)
      Community-based health care providers that meet the requirements of the HRSA Health Center Program, but do not receive Health Center Program funding. 
    • Indian Health Facilities
      Federal Indian Health Service (IHS), Tribally-run, and Urban Indian health clinics that provide medical services to members of federally recognized tribes and Alaska Natives. 
    • IHS and Tribal Hospitals
      Federal Indian Health Service (IHS), Tribally-run hospitals that provide inpatient and outpatient medical services to members of federally recognized tribes and Alaska Natives.
    • Dual-funded Community Health Centers/Tribal Clinics
      Health centers that receive funding from tribal entities and HRSA to provide medical services to members of federally recognized tribes and Alaska Natives. 
    • CMS-Certified Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) that meet National Health Service Corps (NHSC) site requirements
      Outpatient clinics located in non-urbanized areas that are certified as RHCs by CMS and meet NHSC Site requirements including accepting Medicaid, CHIP, and providing services on a sliding fee scale.