HPSA designations are used to identify areas and population groups within the country that are experiencing a shortage of primary medical, dental and mental health professionals. HPSAs are designated for primary medical care by computing the population to provider ratio which must be at least 3,500 to 1 (or 3,000 to 1 if there are unusually high needs in the community).
The following 15 states need the most health practitioners in order to achieve a population-to-primary care physician ratio that would no longer qualify for HPSA designation.
1. Florida — 916 practitioners needed to remove HPSA designation
2. California — 652
3. New York — 612
4. Texas — 514
5. Illinois — 442
6. Arizona — 415
7. Missouri — 363
8. Georgia — 277
9. Mississippi — 230
10. Washington — 228
11. Michigan — 205
12. North Carolina — 189
13. New Mexico — 163
14. Maryland — 160
15. Alabama — 158
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