The Texas Primary Care Office (TPCO) has been tasked with updating Texas primary care provider data (Primary Care, Mental and Dental ) by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW) Division of Policy and Shortage. 

The federal Shortage Designation Branch requires specific data to be submitted in applications requesting designation of an area or population group as a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) or Medically Underserved Area/ Population (MUA/ P). The required information consists largely of primary care providers names, specialties, office locations, hours per week in direct patient care activities, information on the provider’s patient population, and information on other activities the provider might be engaged in outside of patient care.

HPSA designation is among the criteria tools that many programs use to increase the supply, capacity, and distribution of health professionals in areas that have a verifiable shortage of providers.

In reviewing the designation status of areas within Texas, the Texas Department of State Health Services collects data primarily through surveys of provider offices and a combination of supplemental data sources such as online resources and available data sets. The document linked below is the current version of the survey/assessment used to collect shortage designation data. Reviewing this survey should assist in familiarizing you with the information required for evaluating shortage designations. Interested providers and offices may also feel free to proactively complete surveys/ assessments and return them to the Texas Primary Care Office.

• For dental health: Include Dentists and considers the number of Dental Auxiliaries. Dental auxiliaries are defined as any non-dentist staff employed by the dentist to assist in the operation of the practice.

Please note that providers solely engaged in administration, faculty, research, training, and inpatient care should be identified as they are excluded from the population -to provider ratios.

If an organization has more than 10 providers, TPCO may assist by providing an Excel spreadsheet which would allow the provider list/data to be compiled in one document and quickly uploaded.

The form to submit:

• To submit online: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/texas-primary-care-office-tpco/health-professional-shortage-area-designations/healthcare-provider-assessment-texas
• Fillable PDF Form: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/texas-primary-care-office-tpco/health-professional-shortage-area-designations/healthcare-provider-assessment-texas

Please note: The information given will not be circulated and will only be used to evaluate and/or apply for the HPSA designation.

Rhonnda Jones
Designation Specialist
Texas Department of State Health Services
Texas Primary Care Office
TexasPCO@dshs.texas.gov