Understanding Medical Office Property Types and Their Site Selection Strategies

The healthcare real estate market continues to diversify with various types of medical office properties (MOPs) playing increasingly specialized roles in outpatient care, diagnostics, and procedural delivery. For health systems and service providers, selecting the right location for these properties has become more complex—and more data-driven—than ever before.

Site Selection Group works closely with medical users across the U.S. to optimize location strategies for hospitals, clinics, ambulatory care centers, and other medical facilities. By combining traditional real estate criteria with healthcare-specific data analytics, Site Selection Group supports clients in making high-impact, evidence-based decisions.

Key Categories of Medical Office Properties

Below are the primary types of medical office properties, excluding internal classifications like Class A, B, or C, which speak more to building quality than function.

1. Hospitals (General Acute Care Hospitals)

• Acronym: ACH, GACH
• Definition: Full-service facilities offering 24/7 inpatient care, emergency services, surgeries, diagnostics, and more.
• Typical Size: 100,000+ SF
• Users: Health systems, private hospital operators
• Licensing: Heavily regulated at both state and federal levels
• Example Services: Emergency care, intensive care, obstetrics, general surgery

2. Medical Office Buildings (MOBs)

• Acronym: MOB
• Definition: Properties designed for outpatient services, housing multiple specialties or practices in a single building.
• Typical Size: 10,000–100,000 SF
• Users: Physicians, specialists, imaging centers, behavioral health providers
• Features: Configurable suites, ADA compliance, enhanced mechanical systems for clinical use

3. Clinics and Urgent Care Centers

• Acronyms: UCC, RCC (Retail Care Clinics)
• Definition: Facilities offering walk-in, low-acuity care—often located in retail corridors for convenience and visibility.
• Typical Size: 2,500–10,000 SF
• Users: Health systems, private equity-backed operators, retail pharmacy brands
• Example Brands: CVS MinuteClinic, MedExpress, CareNow

4. Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs)

• Acronym: ASC
• Definition: Outpatient surgical centers designed for same-day procedures in orthopedics, ophthalmology, ENT, and more.
• Typical Size: 5,000–20,000 SF
• Users: Physician groups, hospitals, joint ventures with PE-backing
• Considerations: Regulatory compliance, advanced HVAC, backup power, pre/post-op areas

5. Imaging and Diagnostic Centers

• Definition: Specialized facilities offering imaging services, including MRI, CT, PET, and X-rays.
• Typical Size: 3,000–12,000 SF
• Users: Hospitals, teleradiology groups, outpatient diagnostic operators
• Infrastructure Needs: Lead shielding, RF shielding, heavy power loads

6. Specialty Outpatient Centers

• Definition: Clinics for high-acuity or chronic care patients, including dialysis centers, infusion therapy, behavioral health, and oncology.
• Typical Size: 5,000–30,000 SF
• Users: National dialysis providers, cancer networks, mental health clinics
• Key Features: Specialized plumbing, enhanced infection control, patient transport logistics

Data-Driven Drivers of Medical Real Estate Site Selection

In today’s healthcare environment, data is as critical as dirt. Site selection decisions are increasingly powered by advanced analytics and healthcare-specific datasets that go beyond demographics and traffic counts. Here’s how data is shaping the future of medical site strategy:

1. Patient Segmentation and Demographic Analytics

• Patient segmentation analytics identify the psychographic profiles of patients and target areas where they live.
• Key metrics include population density, aging population concentrations, insurance coverage mix, and chronic disease prevalence.
• Geospatial models identify ideal locations based on drive-time analysis, mobility data, and underserved patient zones.

2. Discharge Data and Hospital Referral Patterns

• Discharge data (e.g., Medicare Part A & B) shows where patients live versus where they receive care.
• Helps identify “leakage” areas where patients are leaving their ZIP codes to seek care elsewhere—a strong indicator of unmet local demand.
• This data also helps target locations for ASCs, specialty centers, or urgent care hubs.

3. Claims Data and Utilization Patterns

• Outpatient claims data can reveal high-usage specialties and procedures in a market.
• Claims-based analytics help determine the viability of a new clinic or ASC by estimating patient volumes and reimbursement rates.
• Providers can prioritize areas where payer mix is weighted toward commercial insurance.

4. Competitive Mapping and Provider Saturation Models

• Tools like SK&A, Definitive Healthcare, and custom-built databases allow for mapping of existing providers by specialty.
• Helps avoid oversaturated zones or identify ideal co-tenancy opportunities.

5. Certificate of Need (CON) and Regulatory Overlay

• Geographic modeling includes mapping of CON regions, licensing timelines, and service area definitions to plan around regulatory constraints.

6. Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Metrics

• Includes income levels, education attainment, housing stability, and transportation access—factors that impact healthcare utilization.
• SDOH-driven site modeling helps health systems and public health agencies locate facilities in areas of greatest need.

7. Predictive Modeling for Future Demand

• Some health systems and private equity-backed operators use machine learning models to predict future demand based on population growth, aging trends, and disease forecasts.

Bringing It All Together: Strategic Execution

As the complexity of healthcare delivery grows, so does the need for a multidisciplinary approach to location strategy. Real estate teams that incorporate medical-specific data—such as claims analytics, discharge data, provider density, and regulatory overlays—are better equipped to drive successful outcomes.

Site Selection Group specializes in combining real estate expertise with healthcare analytics to help medical users—whether hospital systems, physician groups, or private equity platforms—make intelligent, evidence-based location decisions.

Whether you’re seeking to expand outpatient networks, relocate a surgical center, or deploy a new retail clinic strategy, our team can help translate healthcare data into actionable real estate decisions.