Wisconsin Primary Care Programs: Maps and Data
Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) identify communities experiencing a shortage of health care services. These communities may have a shortage of primary care, dental, and/or mental health care providers. Recently, Maternal Care Target Areas (MCTAs) have been added as a sub-category of primary care HPSAs, where maternal care availability is substandard. Higher HPSA scores generally reflect higher levels of community need. HPSA scores often determine federal benefit eligibility for health care facilities, including availability of National Health Service Corps (NHSC) sites, increased reimbursement rates, etc.
For additional details on HPSA designation and scoring, please review the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Shortage Designation HPSA criteria.
Explore the interactive map below to understand current health care shortages in Wisconsin, and associated circumstances affecting the health of our communities.
Filter data by HPSA Discipline: Use the “Select HPSA Discipline” dropdown menu located in the upper left corner. Once filter is set to the HPSA Discipline of choice, hovering over the county of interest will display additional HPSA information.
Highlighting HPSA Type: Users can highlight a specific HPSA Type on the map by clicking on the HPSA Type of interest. The map can be reset to its original state by clicking the HPSA Type a second time.
Map zoom features: Some HPSAs are mapped to the census tract. Users can zoom in and out of the map by using the scroll wheel on their mouse, or by using the “+/-” options that appear in the top left corner of the map. Users can reset the map to its original state by clicking the home icon.
Since on-the-ground conditions are constantly changing, HRSA will administer a national HPSA update every two years. This procedure may cause HPSA scores to fluctuate or to be placed in a “proposed for withdrawal status”. The purpose of these updates is to demonstrate the highest amount of health care need across the nation. Those areas with the highest amount of need will receive the most federal benefits. Wisconsin’s Primary Care Office verifies data on an ongoing basis to ensure HRSA has the most up-to-date information for these updates. If you have questions, please contact the Primary Care Program Coordinator.
Maps and data tables on provider shortages
- Number of Primary Care Physicians needed to Remove Shortages, P-00460, September 2019 (PDF)
- Number of Psychiatrists Needed to Reduce Significant Shortages, P-00376, September 2019 (PDF)
- Number of Dentists Needed to Reduce Significant Shortages for Medicaid populations, P-00368, September 2019 (PDF)
Maps from HRSA Data Warehouse
- HPSA maps - Select type of HPSA (primary care, dental or mental health), then select state map and select Wisconsin, then hit "show map." These maps are linked to federal HPSA database and actively updated.
- Medically Underserved Area/Populations (MUA/MUP) maps – Select MUA/MUP, then select state map and Wisconsin, then hit "show map." This map is linked to federal MUA/MUP database and actively updated.