Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals | Bruce Greenstein, Secretary

Health Systems Development

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals' Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health (the Bureau) offers health systems development services to health care facilities, organizations, and other providers across the state. These services are offered to communities within Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) for the purpose of expanding or sustaining access to primary and preventive health care services.  

Components of Health Systems Development Unit:

• Community-Based & Rural Health Program
• Critical Access Hospitals
• Rural Health Clinics
• Implan

The following assistance is now available through the Bureau's Health Systems Development Unit:

• Community development services that include, but are not limited to: small and large group facilitation, data driven and community-based needs assessments, and strategic planning and development;
• Health sector economic impact studies;
• Enhanced demographic scans, mapping services, and health service market analyses;
• Feasibility studies;
• Practice management services; and
• Grant proposal development, consultation, and resource development technical support.

Communities may apply for services or technical assistance by completing a Health Systems Development Request Form.  To be eligible for these services, a request must be health-related; the physical location for the project must be within a HPSA; and the organization must have the ability to describe a primary health care need.  Requests for technical assistance will be accepted throughout the year via email, fax and mail.  Priority will be placed on projects that strive to address the healthcare needs of the uninsured and/or improve effectiveness, or to improve the capacity of the area's safety net.

For more information regarding the Health Systems Development Services Unit, contact Tracie Ingram at

(225) 342-1889.