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A national survey of 2,650 U.S. adults aged 65 years and older examined how far patients are willing to travel for routine medical care before delaying or skipping appointments, as published in JAMA Network Open. Researchers found the median acceptable travel times were about 68 minutes for primary care, 128 minutes for specialty care, and 113 minutes for diagnostic visits. Higher income, higher education, and the ability to drive oneself were associated with greater willingness to travel, while poorer health, and travel difficulties were linked with shorter acceptable travel times. More than 78% of respondents lived in a metro area, and just 22% lived in a nonmetro area. Those in metro areas were more likely to travel 30 minutes or less to receive primary care (84.9%) than those in nonmetro areas (70.4%). About 36.3% reported that someone accompanies them to appointments at least occasionally, most often for emotional support. Patients who had companions were willing to travel roughly 11–12 minutes longer, suggesting that social support may help offset travel burdens and anxiety related to medical visits.
Where are your new patients? Urgent care’s many convenient locations—typically situated within easy driving distance of consumers’ everyday routines—are a distinct advantage. When selecting a site for a new or relocated urgent care center, operators should consider the addressable market within short driving distance, demographics, and the “halo effect” of nearby retail anchors. Read more about site selection and the ramp up to new center operations from the JUCM archive: Starting an Urgent Care in a New Era