Americans living in less densely populated regions, who comprise 15% of the U.S. population, face extreme disparities in access to healthcare services compared to their urban and suburban counterparts. The Health Resources and Services Administration reports that in 2023, 65% of non-urban areas had a shortage of primary care physicians. In many cases, residents in underdeveloped areas are traveling anywhere from 10 to 50+ miles to the nearest hospital. The discrepancy in access to care for these residents has major repercussions to overall quality of life, often leading to poor health outcomes, diminished economic opportunities, and increased social disparities. The need for convenient and accessible treatment services has led to the rise in urgent care clinics, stand-alone emergency departments, and now micro-hospitals.
Micro-hospitals are small-scale inpatient facilities that typically contain anywhere from eight to twelve beds and offer diagnostic, imaging, and pharmacy services. Micro-hospitals give patients the option of receiving higher tier medical care closer to home and can be lifesaving. Patients are treated and either sent home, admitted for further treatment or, if the condition warrants extended care, transferred to a larger acute care hospital. Because of their modest cost compared to a full-service hospital, micro-hospitals bridge the gap on care delivery and quality of healthcare in non-urban areas.
In this panel, we’ll hear from medical real estate investor Rethink Healthcare Real Estate and operator Emerus on how they’re partnering to deliver these micro-hospitals in underdeveloped communities and the role they can play in transforming the healthcare landscape.
