5 Healthcare Real Estate Trends Shaping Facility Planning and Development

Updated May 2026

The healthcare industry is rapidly reshaping its physical footprint. From medical office building (MOB) growth to sustainability mandates, the latest healthcare real estate trends and insights reveal how hospitals, developers, administrators and property managers are redefining their portfolios to adapt to a changing market.

The mopst recent significant change was the impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) that explicitly slows government-funded health insurance programs and expenditures.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) made a significant surge in healthcare property spending as they've noticed a trend that's been getting plenty of buzz in the news lately: the aging baby boomer population and their dependence on modern medical care.

Informally known as "the grey tsunami", this is driven by the U.S. Census Bureau prediction that 73 million baby boomers will be over 65 by 2030, with 10,000 boomers reaching this milestone daily. Additionally, longer life spans and historically low birth rates are expected to shift the age balance, with older adults projected to outnumber those under 18 by 2034 for the first time in U.S. history.

Accordingly, REITs have shifted their focus toward segments with strong income growth, particularly in healthcare properties. S&P Global says, “the healthcare segment posted the largest year-over-year gain in same-store NOI, with a median increase of 8.4%. The healthcare segment also led the 2024 chart for same-store NOI, with an annual growth of 7.7%.

Most noteworthy of all, this spending is being driven by five specific trends  that paint the picture of an industry trying to answer this so-called tsunami with modern, sustainable practices.

At a Glance: Key Trends in Commercial Healthcare Real Estate

• OBBB Impacts
• The rise of medical coworking spaces
• Growth of outpatient care with ambulatory surgery centers
• AI disruption
• Increased development of behavioral health clinics

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One Big Beautiful Bill Healthcare Impacts

The hotly-debated One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) that extends the 2017 tax cuts and pulls back government spending may have significant impacts on the healthcare real estate market, particularly as a result of stricter qualifications for government-funded health insurance programs. These potential impacts include:

• Extensive real estate portfolio optimization by hospitals and healthcare systems who previously leveraged government funds for various programs, including consolidation, asset monetization and sale-leasebacks. Having to do more with less, they're attempting to achieve greater cost savings and better space utilization.

• An ongoing pivot to medical outpatient buildings (MOBs) and ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) as inpatient-only restrictions for medical treatment and procedures subside. This is clearly part of a longer-term trend toward finding lower cost healthcare delivery solutions.

The Rise of Medical Coworking Spaces

Medical coworking is emerging as a disruptive trend in healthcare real estate. Borrowing from the coworking model popularized in traditional office spaces, medical coworking offers healthcare professionals a flexible alternative to conventional clinic settings. These spaces are designed to provide on-demand access to office or clinical environments, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and medical equipment.

Medical coworking spaces cater to independent practices, physicians, therapists, entrepreneurs, and researchers. By sharing space without sharing their core business, these professionals can reduce costs and benefit from modern, well-equipped environments. Examples of medical coworking spaces include ShareMD Suites, Clinicube, and MedCoShare, which offer memberships for booking consult rooms and procedure suites.

This trend not only provides flexibility but also fosters a collaborative environment where healthcare professionals can network and share resources. As the demand for adaptable and efficient healthcare facilities grows, medical coworking is poised to become a significant component of the healthcare real estate landscape.

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Growth of Outpatient Care with Ambulatory Surgery Centers

The shift towards outpatient care has led to a surge in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Hospitals and health systems are increasingly investing in these facilities, which are often located away from main hospital campuses. ASCs offer numerous benefits, including shorter wait times, lower costs, and the convenience of same-day surgery.

According to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, more than 80% of surgeries in the U.S. are now performed in outpatient settings. This trend is driving the development of more freestanding surgical centers equipped with state-of-the-art operating rooms, recovery spaces, and rehabilitation facilities. The number of ASCs is projected to increase significantly over the next decade, reflecting the growing demand for outpatient surgical care.

ASCs are also expanding their scope of services to include more complex procedures that were traditionally performed in hospitals. This expansion is driven by advancements in medical technology and a focus on providing efficient, patient-centered care. As the healthcare delivery model continues to evolve, ASCs will play a crucial role in meeting the demand for accessible and cost-effective surgical care.

Continuing AI Disruption

AI can help “real estate companies gain over 10% or more in net operating income through more efficient operating models, stronger customer experience, tenant retention, new revenue streams, and smarter asset selection,” according to a recent McKinsey article.

What makes healthcare real estate decision makers so uniquely well-positioned to leverage the power of AI is data. Specifically, the abundant and personalized data that flows through their facilities. When these leaders are tasked with finding operational efficiencies. to keep their businesses viable, there's no more natural starting point.

 But data privacy and data quality remain chief concerns. Clearly, a need for more trusted data and analytics providers with extensive real estate providers will become increasingly important.

Increased Development of Behavioral Health Clinics

The demand for behavioral health services, including mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disorders, is surging across the U.S. According to CBRE, escalating needs in behavioral health are driving demand for clinic space, and this trend is creating significant opportunities for healthcare real estate as the need for specialized facilities continues to grow.

The COVID-19 pandemic intensified the challenges associated with behavioral health, exacerbating issues such as self-isolation and emotional distress. This has led to a sharp increase in the demand for mental health services, highlighting the importance of accessible and well-equipped behavioral health clinics.

How Healthcare Real Estate Teams Can Prepare for These Trends

The future of healthcare real estate will demand agility, visibility, and data-driven decision-making. Administrators and portfolio managers can stay ahead by:

• Standardizing lease and property data across the organization
• Leveraging analytics to assess space utilization and costs
• Incorporating ESG and sustainability benchmarks into reporting
• Using real-time insights to guide investment and site selection
  

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