Proceedings of the March 1987 Workshop on Health Manpower Shortage Area (HMSA) Designation are presented. The workshop was designed to facilitate cooperative efforts among the different federal and state health agencies that are involved in the planning and delivery of health care services. Contents include: a review of the mission and organization of the Health Resources and Services Administration, background information on health manpower shortage area designation, the current criteria for designating shortage areas, and the role of state agencies. Additional contents cover: trends in the geographic distribution and diffusion of physicians; current criteria and guidelines for designating HMSAs; methods employed by state agencies in geographic HMSA designation; federal programs related to HMSA designation; the National Health Service Corps; the involvement of professional associations in the HMSA process/data; methods employed by state agencies in population group HMSA designation; state programs involved in HMSA designation; and current developments in HMSA designations. Appended are a workshop agenda and a list of participants. (SW)