Class A MOBs are rapidly gaining popularity among physicians and other healthcare providers. In particular, occupying a shared facility enables doctors to lower overhead costs and devote more funds toward improving other aspects of their practice. Shared facilities also allow physicians to have all of the services a patient may need in one location, including a pharmacy, lab work and radiology. This setup makes appointments more convenient for the patient and doctor.
In addition to lower overhead costs and greater convenience, Class A MOBs generally offer access to more amenities than stand-alone medical office spaces. For instance, a physician may be drawn to a hospital-affiliated Class A MOB for the sake of the technological advances in record-keeping and medicine, along with other resources it offers that make running a practice an easier and smoother process.
These are a few of the most sought-after perks a Class A MOB might provide:
- Electronic record storage: Going paperless is remarkably beneficial for medical offices because file and record storage takes up expensive leased space. Storing records electronically also allows them to be sent to other specialists more easily.
- Digital imaging: Digital imaging via satellite is quickly becoming a valuable technology in the medical world. Class A MOBs use this technology to enable a practitioner to send a digitized result to a specialist for their opinion, saving the time and expense it would take for the patient to travel to the specialist’s office.
- Satellite offices: Many physicians try to rotate offices throughout the week to make themselves more accessible to a broader audience of patients. Class A MOBs are especially appealing as rotation locations because they can be found in downtown districts, suburbs and other convenient hubs.
Healthcare property investors need to be aware of these benefits and recognize the rising interest in Class A MOBs. These factors also indicate a potential increase in downtown and neighborhood medical offices, with new construction most likely to occur in city or suburban neighborhoods.