When making healthcare decisions, patients consider costs, of course. But when choosing hospitals, medical centers and doctor’s offices for care and treatment? Patients might focus just as much on location and convenience, according to JLL‘s latest Healthcare Patient Consumer Survey.
The survey found that patients consider location and convenience as significant factors that affect their care experience, alongside service quality and facility comfort. These factors contribute to positive experiences, ultimately leading patients to return to specific healthcare providers.
The survey, which evaluated primary care, preventative care and specialist care, discovered that over 80% of respondents considered whether a provider or hospital accepts their insurance as one of the top-five factors influencing their decision to seek care. Location and proximity ranked as the second most crucial factor for all types of care, except outpatient behavioral health, where it ranked third.
Jay Johnson, U.S. Practice Leader of Healthcare Markets at JLL, said that these results shouldn’t be considered surprising.
“It’s not surprising that cost is the number one factor for patients, but convenience is also key when making healthcare-related decisions,” Johnson said, in a written statement. “Patients want to get care quickly and get on with their day. By providing a broad coverage network and optimizing site selection, providers can deliver convenient care, which enhances the patient’s overall experience and increases the likelihood of them returning to the same provider.”
When urgent care is required, decision factors become more streamlined, with location and proximity taking precedence over other considerations. For urgent and emergency care, insurance, location and proximity, wait time and past experience were deemed the most important factors. Reputation, physical accessibility and hospital network were less critical for these types of care.
This shift in care sites has led to an increase in patient volumes for outpatient services and a decrease for in-patient care, with convenience being prioritized.
Alison Flynn Gaffney, president of the healthcare division at JLL, emphasized the implications for healthcare providers and health systems, saying, “A strong location strategy can improve both reach and positive outcomes. Striking the right balance between convenience and cost is critical. Health systems need to weigh the benefits of proximity to target populations against the costs associated with establishing new facilities or travel time from local clinics to hospitals.”
Enhancing convenience by locating healthcare facilities close to other errands, in retail settings, or small neighborhood offices can significantly improve the patient experience. More than 58% of those surveyed reported visiting an additional location as part of their healthcare trip, benefiting retail stores and aligning with broader strategies for retail centers in selecting tenants.
The survey findings also shed light on generational attitudes toward healthcare. Younger individuals were found to be less likely to use primary care, adopting a “wait-until-it-breaks model” and seeking care reactively rather than proactively. In contrast, nearly 80% of adults aged 65 and older had two or more chronic conditions, underscoring their need for continuous care. Baby Boomers were more likely to receive primary and preventative care within the past year compared to Gen Z, with millennials and Gen Z also reporting higher usage of urgent care, emergency care, and outpatient behavioral health services.
Establishing a consistent relationship with a primary care provider has been proven to enhance health outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and decrease emergency room visits. However, limited provider supply relative to population growth has led to reduced access to primary care, particularly for urgent appointments.
Kari Beets, Senior Manager, Research at JLL, said, “Younger populations tend to seek medical care on a more reactive basis, waiting for an urgent or emergency need instead of regularly scheduled primary care services. Older generations are more likely to have established relationships with providers due to more frequent care needs. Smaller retail locations with primary care providers can provide convenient access to primary care.”
