Outpatient Facilities See Continued Expansion As Healthcare Models Evolve

Outpatient facilities are becoming an increasingly important part of healthcare systems’ growth strategies, a trend expected to persist for several years, according to Colliers’ Q2 Healthcare Services Report.

With hospitals concentrating more on complex, high-revenue inpatient services, patients are turning to outpatient settings for more routine care. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this shift, making outpatient care a central component of long-term planning for many healthcare providers.

Driven by an aging population requiring frequent and sophisticated medical attention, the outpatient sector is projected to expand significantly over the next decade. Ambulatory surgical centers, in particular, present strong growth opportunities for both regional and national health systems—often through strategic partnerships and acquisitions.

Healthcare providers are expected to increasingly perform high-margin procedures—such as joint replacements, spinal fusions, and non-complex percutaneous coronary interventions—in outpatient facilities, Colliers notes.

The report also highlights a trend of health systems repurposing vacant retail spaces for outpatient care. These locations offer patient convenience and can be readily adapted for medical use.

Source: Building Design + Construction