Acronym	Full Name	Description
ASAPS	Application Submission And Processing System	Automated system the state and Federal Governments used in the past to process HPSAs.
CCD	Census Civil Division	A subdivision of a county.
CT	Census Tract	Automated subdivision of a county.
CMS	Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services	Process all Medicare and Medicaid claims.
CNP	Certified Nurse Practitioner	Registered nurses that have completed advanced training.
CNM	Certified Nurse-Midwife	An advanced nurse whose specialties are midwifery and nursing.
CHC	Community Health Center	Accepts all patients; Federally and state supported, often called an FQHC.
DHHS	Department of Health and Human Services	The main Federal agency involved in U.S. healthcare.
Dr.	Doctor
DO	Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine	A professional medical degree that is similar to MD.
FP	Family Practice
FTE	Full Time Equivalent	40 PC hours = 1FTE.
GP	General Practice
GEO	Geographic HPSA	A designation recognizing a shortage of primary care services to the general population within an isolated geographical area.
HPSA	Health Professional Shortage Area	An area that is considered underserved in medical services by the Federal Government.  The three cohorts are Primary Care, Dental and Mental Health.
HRSA	Health Resources and Services Administration	An agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to which HPSA applications are submitted.
IM	Internal Medicine
IMR	Infant Mortality Rate	Deaths under 1 year of age per 1,000 live births.
LBW	Low Birth Weight	<2,500 gram newborn.
LOW INC	Low Income HPSA or Population Designation	HPSA based on poverty or a shortage of clinical services to a specific population group.
MUA	Medically Underserved Area
MUP	Medically Underserved Population
MHPSA	Mental Health Professional Shortage Area	HPSA designation based on a shortage of psychiatrists or 'core mental health workers'.
MCD	Minor Civil Division	Subdivision of a county such as a village or township.
NHSC	National Health Service Corps	Provides scholarships for medical students, as well as loan forgiveness for medical doctors and Advanced Practitioners; in return, grads must work in HPSAs.
NSC	Nearest Source of Care	Nearest source of non-designated care outside of the Rational Service Area (RSA)
NSGH	Nursing Home
OB/GYN	Obstetrics and Gynecology
PED	Pediatrician
PA	Physician Assistant
POP CTR	Population Center	Largest population MCD, CT, or CCD within the RSA.
PC	Primary Care	FP, GP, IM, OB/Gyn, PED, Geriatrics
PCO	Primary Care Officer	Approves HPSAs at the state level; every state has one.
PCP	Primary Care Physician	FP, GP, IM, OB/GYN, PED, Geriatrics
RSA	Rational Service Area	A geographic area encompassing the medical service area, with consideration for socioeconomic barriers.
RN	Registered Nurse
RNP	Registered Nurse Practitioner
RHC	Rural Health Clinic	A Federally certified clinic that allows for heightened Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.  It must be rural, have an Advanced Practitioner on site during RHC hours, and the clinic must initially be located in a HPSA or MUA.
SA	Service Area	A geographic area encompassing the medical service area, with consideration for socioeconomic barriers.
VA	Veterans Affairs	Hospital or clinic that serves only U.S. military veterans and their families.