It is the defined Geographical Area, where the National Health Policy will be operative. It provides the basis of estimating reliable population density in multiple zones and regions, for planning the Healthcare Services.

In case of the Healthcare Facility, specifically a Hospital, it is the defined Geographical Area, from where the said Facility draws its patients who use some or all of its services and which should be within easy reach of the Medical Charge of that Healthcare Facility.

Catchment Area for a Healthcare Facility is generally defined by the travel distance of the facility user from the facility. It may also be defined as the administrative area allocation (a pin code area or an administrative block).

Analysis of the Catchment Area Populations, zone wise or region wise, provides comprehensive understanding of the Health Status of the population in these zones or regions and provides for better understanding of health needs of a specific population. It determines overlapping utilisation of Healthcare Services Provided, and  enables provision of appropriate services, infrastructure, targeted interventions, staffing and resource redistribution to provide equitable access to Healthcare and meet the needs of the specified population; and later to measure the outcome of this effort. It also optimizes Healthcare Resource Utilisation.

It assesses any barriers, like inadequate transportation, in accessing Healthcare and their rectification. This also determines the Route of Evacuation of Patients from the zone to zone to an alternate Healthcare Facility in Times of Disaster.

As part of National Health Policy, it provides for the development of new Healthcare Facilities or relocation of existing Healthcare Facilities. It monitors incidence rates zone wise and identifies disease clusters which need specific public health interventions. This trend analysis during outbreaks of Infectious Disease helps to predict potential workloads for all levels of Custodian Care and to move adequate Healthcare resources from other safe zones.