Healthcare Provider Shortage Areas (HPSAs) are geographic regions, populations, or facilities designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as having too few medical professionals to meet the healthcare needs of the community. These designations are based on metrics such as provider-to-population ratios, poverty levels, and travel distance to care. HPSAs are often found in rural areas but can also exist in urban neighborhoods where access to providers is limited due to socioeconomic barriers or uneven distribution of healthcare resources.

For Urgent Care operators, HPSA data is a valuable tool in site selection and market planning. Identifying areas with a shortage of healthcare providers can reveal underserved communities that have unmet demand for accessible, on-demand care. Opening an Urgent Care center in a designated shortage area can improve access for residents while filling a critical service gap. However, balancing demand with payer mix, infrastructure, and proximity to hospitals or competing clinics remains essential to ensure sustainability.

The “percent of need met” metric within HPSA data indicates how much of the area’s healthcare demand is currently being served by available providers. A lower percentage means the community has a greater unmet need, signaling a stronger opportunity for new healthcare services such as urgent care. Conversely, areas with higher percentages may already have sufficient access to care, suggesting less growth potential.

• KFF has amazing online tools to create custom reports.  Here is a link to the raw data used to create the heat map. (I love a map!!)
• Below is a heat map illustrating the percent of need met within HPSA data by state.