Hospitals are investing more in outpatient facilities — from full-scale service centers to urgent care centers to standalone emergency departments, according to an article on the Healthcare Finance News website.

The movement is driven by many factors, the article said. More consumers are looking for the lowest price point possible, and payers are also trying to control costs. At the same time, healthcare technologies are advancing.

But these outpatient services have increased competition from retail-based walk-in medical clinics. Growing outpatient services with a lack of strong ties to physicians is another challenge. 

For hospitals considering investing in outpatient services, Steve Kennedy, managing director at Lancaster Pollard, suggested that they carefully explore financing options. “Does it make sense for them to be the real estate owner, or to lease that space?” he asked in the article. 

Read the article.