Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health workforce shortage designations
Mapping Healthcare Deserts: Over 80% of the Country Still Lacks Adequate Access to Healthcare
Provides information on healthcare and pharmacy deserts in the United States. Includes an interactive county-level U.S. map that shows healthcare deserts in the following categories: pharmacy, primary care, hospital, hospital beds, trauma center, and health center.
Author(s): Amanda Nguyen
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: GoodRx
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Provides information on healthcare and pharmacy deserts in the United States. Includes an interactive county-level U.S. map that shows healthcare deserts in the following categories: pharmacy, primary care, hospital, hospital beds, trauma center, and health center.
Author(s): Amanda Nguyen
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: GoodRx
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Oral Health Screening Survey of Third Grade Schoolchildren in Ohio, 2023-2024
Provides information on the dental health of third-grade children in Ohio. Includes data on oral health conditions, access to dental care, and county-level information on prevalence of untreated tooth decay and locations of Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and safety net clinics.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Ohio Department of Health
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Provides information on the dental health of third-grade children in Ohio. Includes data on oral health conditions, access to dental care, and county-level information on prevalence of untreated tooth decay and locations of Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and safety net clinics.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Ohio Department of Health
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Health Workforce in Nevada - 2025
Reports on the supply and geographic distribution of physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers providing direct patient care services, and administrative and non-clinical healthcare workers in Nevada. Utilizes federal and state demographic, licensure, and health shortage data.
Author(s): John Packham, Angel Barboza, Simran Kaur, et al.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Office of Statewide Initiatives
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Reports on the supply and geographic distribution of physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers providing direct patient care services, and administrative and non-clinical healthcare workers in Nevada. Utilizes federal and state demographic, licensure, and health shortage data.
Author(s): John Packham, Angel Barboza, Simran Kaur, et al.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Office of Statewide Initiatives
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Interstate Occupational Licensure Arrangements to Expand Access to Behavioral Health Services
Policy brief describing state-based provisions to expand behavioral health services through interstate licensure arrangements for providers. Discusses potential impact on provision of behavioral health services, including telehealth, with a focus on how expanded services might enhance access for rural residents. Features state-level maps showing where legislation has been enacted or introduced, as of November 2024.
Author(s): Natalia V. Oster, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Davis G. Patterson, Lisa A. Garberson, Janessa M. Graves
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Policy brief describing state-based provisions to expand behavioral health services through interstate licensure arrangements for providers. Discusses potential impact on provision of behavioral health services, including telehealth, with a focus on how expanded services might enhance access for rural residents. Features state-level maps showing where legislation has been enacted or introduced, as of November 2024.
Author(s): Natalia V. Oster, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Davis G. Patterson, Lisa A. Garberson, Janessa M. Graves
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Evaluating Teaching Health Center Planning and Development: Unlocking and Sustaining the Full Potential of the Teaching Health Center Program
Describes Teaching Health Center Planning and Development (THCPD) program outcomes and training sites and compares characteristics of teaching health center (THC) counties to other eligible counties. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban or rural location and counties designated as part or whole Health Professional Shortage Areas for primary care, mental health, and dental health.
Author(s): Emily M. Hawes, Mukesh Adhikari, Jacob Rains, et al.
Citation: Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 17(3), 296-303
Date: 06/2025
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Describes Teaching Health Center Planning and Development (THCPD) program outcomes and training sites and compares characteristics of teaching health center (THC) counties to other eligible counties. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban or rural location and counties designated as part or whole Health Professional Shortage Areas for primary care, mental health, and dental health.
Author(s): Emily M. Hawes, Mukesh Adhikari, Jacob Rains, et al.
Citation: Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 17(3), 296-303
Date: 06/2025
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North Carolina Primary Care - Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA)
County-level map of Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in North Carolina, with shadings showing ranges of HPSA scores.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Office of Rural Health
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County-level map of Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in North Carolina, with shadings showing ranges of HPSA scores.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Office of Rural Health
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North Carolina Health Professional Shortage Area: 2024 Profile
Fact sheet on Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in North Carolina, covering primary, mental health, and dental HPSAs. Includes county-level maps showing population and geographic HPSA score ranges, and indicates counties that contain at least one HPSA facility.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Office of Rural Health
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Fact sheet on Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in North Carolina, covering primary, mental health, and dental HPSAs. Includes county-level maps showing population and geographic HPSA score ranges, and indicates counties that contain at least one HPSA facility.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Office of Rural Health
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2025 National Shortage Designation Update Informational Session (NSDU): Introducing New Data to Existing HPSAs
Webinar highlighting updates to the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSAs) and Maternity Care Target Area (MCTAs) source data, eligibility criteria, and other aspects of the the shortage designation process. Includes discussion of Rural Health Clinics, tribally-run clinics, and other aspects of rural healthcare. See video description for transcript.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Matt Patterson
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Webinar highlighting updates to the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSAs) and Maternity Care Target Area (MCTAs) source data, eligibility criteria, and other aspects of the the shortage designation process. Includes discussion of Rural Health Clinics, tribally-run clinics, and other aspects of rural healthcare. See video description for transcript.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Matt Patterson
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Moving the Needle: Challenges in Meeting Nevada's Health Workforce Needs
Describes the state of Nevada's health workforce, including its distribution, factors influencing supply and demand, shortage area designations, and policy approaches to addressing shortages. Includes data and discussion of rural areas.
Author(s): Pierron Tackes, John Packham
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities
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Describes the state of Nevada's health workforce, including its distribution, factors influencing supply and demand, shortage area designations, and policy approaches to addressing shortages. Includes data and discussion of rural areas.
Author(s): Pierron Tackes, John Packham
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities
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Job Assessments and the Anticipated Retention of Behavioral Health Clinicians Working in U.S. Health Professional Shortage Areas
Examines perspectives of behavioral health clinicians working in Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (mHPSAs) related to their anticipated retention in an mHPSA. Examines 2016-2023 survey feedback from 2,587 respondents regarding their anticipated retention, with data breakdowns according to demographics, professional characteristics, education debt, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Donald E. Pathman, Lisa de Saxe Zerden, Thomas R. Konrad, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 592
Date: 04/2025
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Examines perspectives of behavioral health clinicians working in Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (mHPSAs) related to their anticipated retention in an mHPSA. Examines 2016-2023 survey feedback from 2,587 respondents regarding their anticipated retention, with data breakdowns according to demographics, professional characteristics, education debt, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Donald E. Pathman, Lisa de Saxe Zerden, Thomas R. Konrad, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 592
Date: 04/2025
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