Shortage Designation Program in California

Health Professional Shortage AreaMedically Underserved Population

Medically Underserved Area

Brenda PérezUP 206AWinter 2011

Shortage Designation Program

Federal program under the Health Resources and Services Administration

Develop shortage designation criteria to determine:› Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA)› Medically Underserved Area (MUA)› Medically Underserved Population (MUP)

Approximately one third of Californians live in a designated HPSA, MUP or MUA.¹

¹ CA Office of Statewide Planning and Development (OSHPD)

Population Centers in MSSA

• Medical Service Study Area (MSSA):

• Calculated from the most populous census tract within the MSSA.

What is a MUP/MUA?¹ Based on the Index of Medical

Underservice Medically Underserved Areas (MUA):

› Areas in which residents have a shortage of personal health services.

Medically Underserved Populations (MUP):› Populations who face barriers to health

care.¹US Department of Health and Human Services

MUPs and MPAs

MUAs in Los Angeles

• Concentrations of MUAs:

• East LA• Downtown LA• Long Beach

What is a HSPA?

Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs)› HPSAs may be designated as having a shortage of

primary medical care, dental or mental health providers. They may be urban or rural areas, population groups or medical or other public facilities.

Scoring based on:› Population-to-Primary Care Physician Ratio› Percent of the Population with Incomes below 100% of

the Poverty level› Infant Mortality Rate or Low Birth Weight Rate› Travel Time or Distance to nearest available source of

care ¹¹US Department of Health and Human Services

HPSAs: Primary Care, Dental, Mental Health

Hospitals and Population Centers in M

SSAs

Findings and Further Questions

Large regional disparities Health professionals have a large presence

in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas

Incentives for health professionals to relocate do not seem to be working

Possible infrastructure challenges:› Lack of hospitals in rural areas› Lack of access to specialized care

Skills Utilized Inset Map Point Graduated Symbols Graph Buffering Geoprocessing (Clipping) Aggregating Attribute Fields