Healthcare organizations are facing an unprecedented convergence of challenges and disruption, as sweeping policy changes threaten to create a perfect storm of financial pressures while fundamentally reshaping how patients choose and access care. JLL’s 2025 Patient Consumer Survey reveals that while insurance coverage continues to dominate healthcare decision-making, mounting coverage anxieties and convenience demands are forcing health systems to transform their facilities from cost centers into competitive advantages.
Geographic healthcare divide
The survey found access to care varies dramatically by geography, with rural patients facing the greatest barriers to healthcare services. At least one-third of rural patients must travel more than 30 minutes for critical services, including inpatient care, outpatient surgery and specialist care. In contrast, 89% of suburban patients traveled less than 30 minutes to access the care they need.
Suburban communities enjoy the most convenient healthcare access, with 28% of patients able to reach care within 10 minutes – significantly higher than the 23% reported in both urban and rural areas. Despite urban areas’ higher provider density, urban patients were notably less likely than their suburban counterparts to rate care locations as “convenient,” highlighting the complexities faced by urban providers and their patients contending with traffic, parking and navigation and its relationship to patient experience.
Location strategy drives market share
Among those with insurance coverage, location/proximity was a decisive factor, ranking second across all care types and creating new imperatives for healthcare real estate strategy as organizations fight for market share in an increasingly competitive landscape. Convenience and easy access to the facility also correlate with a more positive patient care experience.
Hospital footprints are expanding, with square footage completed in the last 12 months surging 34% from first quarter 2023 to second quarter 2025. This reflects the growing importance of proximity and convenience in healthcare delivery, especially as patients increasingly prioritize location when selecting providers.
Digital health delivers, but wayfinding tech lags
Technology continues to play a vital supporting role in healthcare delivery, with telehealth maintaining steady usage and high patient satisfaction rates. Sixty-seven percent of telehealth visits successfully resolved patient concerns without requiring in-person follow-up, while 73% of patients who used telehealth services expressed satisfaction with this care delivery method. The survey also reveals that, with 67% experiencing some form of check-in technology during their appointments, many health systems are missing opportunities to leverage technology for improved navigation and wayfinding to improve patient experience.
Hospitality mindset required
Facility quality emerged as a critical decision factor, particularly for acute care settings where patients most need confidence in their care environment. More than half of patients considering inpatient care ranked facility quality among their top five selection criteria, the highest percentage across all care types.
First impressions create lasting impact on patient satisfaction, with service quality, wait times and waiting area comfort showing the largest satisfaction gaps between promoters and detractors. While patients spend relatively little time in waiting areas for surgical care, the quality of the space disproportionately influences their overall experience and likelihood to recommend the provider.
The survey was conducted from June 18-26, among 4,061 U.S. residents across urban (31%), suburban (48%) and rural (22%) communities, providing comprehensive insights into patient preferences and healthcare utilization patterns.
