The growing physician shortage in the United States disproportionately affects rural communities’ access to healthcare, which may contribute to geographic inequities in health outcomes.

In a column for Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), Secretariat Director Stephanie Khoury, Jonathan M. Leganza, and Alex Masucci discuss new evidence that shows the effectiveness of government-designated Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in attracting physicians to areas of need.

They found that HPSAs, alongside other targeted incentives, can successfully increase the number of primary care physicians (PCPs) in underserved areas and influence the distribution of PCPs across the country.