How far will seniors go for a doctor visit? Often much farther than expected

(Press-News.org) Older Americans are willing to travel far for medical care — sometimes much farther than policymakers and experts assume, according to researchers at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Why it matters: As hospitals close in some areas, practices consolidate and telehealth expands, older adults may tolerate long trips for care — but not equally. The study suggests socioeconomic status affects willingness to travel.

What’s new: A study published recently in JAMA Network Open finds that many Americans age 65 and older are willing to travel more than an hour for routine or specialized medical care.

What happened: Researchers at the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR) surveyed a nationally representative group of older adults.

Questions centered on how long respondents currently travel for care and how much farther they would be willing to go before deciding to delay or skip an appointment. Results: On average, respondents would tolerate about an hour or more of travel time, particularly for specialty care.

Growth of telehealth may be impacted by how willing patients are to take long trips for in-person care versus receiving remote clinical care. (Image source: iStock.)

For primary care visits, they would travel 68 minutes. For a diagnostic test, such as an MRI, 113 minutes. For a specialist visit, 128 minutes. What they’re saying: “This shows older adults place a high value on access to care,” said Soeren Mattke, professor (research) of economics, director of the Brain Health Observatory at CESR and study senior author. “They are often willing to travel significant distances before delaying or forgoing care.”

Yes, but: The averages mask important differences.

Older adults in poorer health, those living in large metropolitan areas and those who had previously struggled with transportation were less willing to travel long durations. In contrast, those with higher incomes, more education and reliable access to a car reported greater willingness to spend more time traveling. Study first author Jeremy Burke, senior economist at CESR, said those gaps matter for health equity.

“If someone is already dealing with health challenges or transportation barriers, even modest increases in travel time can become a real obstacle,” Burke said. “Those are the patients most at risk of delaying care.” The big picture: Health systems are consolidating, with some services moving into regional hubs rather than neighborhood clinics. Policymakers often debate how far is “too far” for patients to travel, especially for older adults.

This study suggests that distance alone isn’t the full story. The type of visit, transportation options and personal resources all shape decisions. The findings also have implications for telehealth.

Virtual visits can reduce travel burdens, but they may not fully replace in-person care, especially for diagnostic tests or specialist consultations that require equipment or physical exams. “Telehealth is an important tool, but it’s not a cure-all,” Mattke said. “We still need to think carefully about where services are located and how patients physically get there.” What else? Transportation policy plays a role, too. Programs that offer ride services, improved public transit or partnerships with community organizations could make a meaningful difference for vulnerable seniors.

Between the lines: Older adults living in big cities were less willing to travel long durations.

This might boil down to traffic, parking and other travel complexities, which make even short drives feel burdensome. But rural residents, who often already travel long distances for care, appeared more accepting of extended trips. Bottom line: Many older Americans are willing to travel surprisingly long distances for medical care — but willingness depends on health, resources and access to transportation.

As care delivery models evolve, understanding those differences may help health systems and policymakers design services that better match patients’ needs and circumstances. About the study The findings are based on data from the Understanding America Study, a nationally representative internet panel administered by CESR. For this study, researchers surveyed a representative sample of 2,650 adults age 65 or older between April 23 and June 8, 2025, about their willingness to travel for primary care, specialty care and one-time diagnostic appointments.

In addition to Mattke and Burke, authors on the study include USC Dornsife researchers Tabasa Ozawa, Ying Liu and Wei Ye, all from the USC Brain Health Observatory based at USC Dornsife.

The study was funded by National Institute on Aging grants 1R01AG083189 and 1U01AG077280.

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