A geographic location (i.e., an urban or rural area) which has insufficient health resources (manpower and/or facilities) to meet the medical needs of the resident population. Physician shortage area applies to a medically underserved area which is particularly short of physicians. Such areas are also sometimes defined by measuring the health status of the resident population rather than the supply of resources, an area with an unhealthy population being considered underserved. The term is defined and used several places in the PHS. Act in order to give priority- to such areas for Federal assistance.
A rural or urban area which does not have enough health care resources to meet the needs of its population. The term is defined in the Public Health Service Act and used to determine which areas have priority for assistance. A “physician shortage area,” also a designation of the Public Health Service, is a medically underserved area which is particularly short of physicians.