AHECs, or Area Health Education Centers, were established in 1972 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in response to the shortage of primary care physicians and inadequate distribution of health professionals in the country.
The purpose of the AHEC program is to enhance access to quality health care, particularly primary and preventive care, by improving the supply and distribution of healthcare professionals via strategic partnerships with academic programs, communities, and professional organizations.
Utah AHEC facilitates education for current and future health professionals to prepare them for practice in medically underserved rural and urban areas in a health system transformed to lower costs, enhance quality, improve satisfaction of healthcare professionals, and improve population health outcomes.
