Location, location, location—proximity triumphs when making healthcare decisions

CHICAGO, Dec. 14, 2020 – Choosing the right healthcare facility location has concerned healthcare occupiers for decades, and a new survey shows it could hold significantly more weight than other determining factors for patients choosing providers. A patient survey by JLL reveals that consumers want their healthcare facility located within their demographic center. 

Eighty-three percent of patients surveyed would prefer to be near their care, rather than driving further to a new or renovated facility. Seventy-one percent of patients exhibited this attitude by driving less than 20 minutes to their medical service. Meanwhile, only 36 percent of surveyed patients reported checking reviews prior to their appointment. 

“In dense, urban areas, healthcare competition is fierce, making it easier for consumers to find accessible care with public transportation and parking options,” said Jay Johnson, National Director, JLL Healthcare Markets. “For rurally located patients, they’re likely more interested in cutting their drive time down than seeking a new facility so its unsurprising that they’re even less likely to check reviews than their urban counterparts.”

Consumer-friendly, patient-centric models of healthcare delivery have increasingly been embraced in recent years, as the retailization of healthcare has fostered greater accessibility.  According to JLL’s 2020 Healthcare Real Estate Outlook, ideal locations for both retail and healthcare share many common demand drivers, including high traffic and visibility, neighborhood proximity and parking access.

“Providers understand that the two major groups driving care demand—millennial heads of households and the growing 65+ demographic—value preventive care that offers the ever-increasing possibility of a long, healthy lifetime,” said Richard Taylor, Divisional President, JLL Healthcare Solutions. “There is an increasing demand for physical and virtual convenience.”

Patients under 45 are far more likely to have a virtual component of their visit, according to the survey, as well as patients in higher income groups. While the acceleration of telehealth adoption may have been a forced necessity during the pandemic, implementation will likely continue to grow in the post-pandemic era as its ease and efficiency supports the patient call for healthcare convenience.

What patients notice most

• Cleanliness and safety:
  • For patients that were happy with the quality of their last experience, 76 percent rated the facility as clean and 68 percent indicated it was safe.
  • These were clearly the top two items of importance to patients – with the facility being well-staffed (58%) and ease of finding parking (55%) checking in at number 3 and 4 respectively.
• Ease of access:
  • Patients that indicated being unhappy with their last experience biggest gripe was with a lengthy wait time (34%) and not being adequately staffed (28%).
  • Unsafe (12%) and dirty/unsanitary (9%) were very low on patients’ issues with a poor experience.

“Interestingly, while patients that were happy with their visit mentioned the cleanliness and safety of a facility as a top reason for feeling positive about the experience, those that were unhappy had issues with staffing levels and wait times. Its clear that facilities need to focus on cleanliness and safety while also enhancing the patient experience through proper staffing to improve efficiency. If a patient is frustrated with the process of gaining access to care, they are unlikely to even notice the other qualities of the facility,” Taylor concluded.  

JLL Healthcare enhances the patient experience, improves clinical outcomes, and drives financial performance through real estate and facilities solutions. The group provides dedicated support to manage real estate needs, facilities, guidance on portfolio optimization and location strategy, financing support for purchase or development, and assists systems and investors throughout the healthcare spectrum. For more news, videos, and research resources on JLL Healthcare, please visit the firm’s healthcare web page.