A groundbreaking study emerging from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences unveils a remarkable insight into healthcare behavior among older Americans: many are willing to endure long travel times for medical care, surpassing conventional expectations held by policymakers and health experts. This revelation challenges long-standing assumptions about accessibility and patient tolerance, particularly amid a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape marked by hospital closures, practice consolidations, and the growing prominence of telehealth services.
Understanding how geographical and socioeconomic factors influence healthcare utilization is pivotal in ensuring equitable access. As the healthcare system consolidates and concentrates services into regional hubs, critiques often focus on the notion of “how far is too far” for vulnerable populations, especially senior citizens. Contrary to popular belief, the study indicates that physical distance alone is not the predominant barrier; rather, willingness to travel for care is nuanced, influenced by the type of medical appointment, transportation accessibility, individual health status, and socioeconomic standing.
The research, recently published in the prestigious journal JAMA Network Open, surveyed a nationally representative cohort of adults aged 65 and older, leveraging data collected through the Understanding America Study, an internet-based panel administered by the USC Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR). This methodological approach allowed investigators to quantify not only current travel behaviors but also the threshold at which patients might choose to delay or forego medical appointments due to travel burdens.
Findings from this comprehensive survey unveiled that older adults, on average, are willing to spend an hour or more traveling to receive healthcare services that align with varying degrees of complexity and urgency. For routine primary care visits, respondents indicated a tolerance for approximately 68 minutes of travel time, reflecting a moderate willingness to prioritize in-person evaluation despite the availability of alternatives. Interestingly, for diagnostic tests, such as MRI scans, the acceptable travel duration increased significantly to an average of 113 minutes, signaling that patients are prepared to endure longer journeys when specialized equipment or testing procedures are involved.
Most strikingly, for specialist consultations—which often require nuanced physical examinations, clinical judgment, and advanced diagnostic capabilities—older adults expressed the willingness to travel even further, averaging 128 minutes. This emphasizes the high value placed on accessing expert healthcare providers, highlighting patients’ recognition of the importance of specialized care in managing complex health conditions. These metrics highlight the intrinsic trade-offs patients consider when balancing travel inconveniences against the perceived benefits of medical care.
Despite these averages, the willingness to travel is heterogeneous within the older adult population, shaped profoundly by health status and socioeconomic resources. Individuals experiencing poorer health, those residing within major metropolitan areas, and those with prior transportation challenges demonstrate a diminished tolerance for prolonged travel times. For these groups, logistical hurdles such as traffic congestion, limited parking availability, and mobility impairments amplify the burden of travel, potentially exacerbating disparities in access.
Conversely, older adults with higher incomes, greater levels of educational attainment, and dependable access to private vehicles exhibit an enhanced willingness to embark on longer journeys for care. These findings underscore the intricate interplay between financial and infrastructural resources and healthcare engagement, illustrating how systemic inequities manifest in practical terms. The revelation that transportation infrastructure and personal vehicle availability mediate healthcare access is particularly salient for policymakers aiming to reduce care disparities.
The implications of these discoveries extend beyond mere travel times, touching the core of healthcare delivery innovation, particularly the expansion of telehealth services. While virtual visits have surged as a convenient alternative, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic, this study cautions against overreliance on telehealth as a panacea. Many diagnostic procedures and specialist evaluations necessitate direct patient-provider interaction and sophisticated equipment, facets that telehealth cannot fully replicate. This nuanced view promotes balanced integration of telemedicine, ensuring it complements rather than supplants in-person care.
Transportation policy emerges as a critical determinant of healthcare access equity. Strategies that enhance ride services, optimize public transit routes, and forge community partnerships to assist vulnerable seniors could alleviate travel barriers. Such interventions can function as key enablers, particularly for those hindered by physical or economic limitations, thereby mitigating inadvertent exclusion from necessary medical attention.
Geographic distinctions also paint a complex picture. Urban-dwelling older adults tend to have lower tolerance for extended travel durations, likely influenced by dense traffic patterns, limited parking, and commuting stresses, which cumulatively render even short distances onerous. In contrast, rural residents—already accustomed to considerable travel for healthcare—display greater acceptance of protracted journeys, reflecting adaptive behaviors shaped by environmental contexts.
However, the persistence of travel barriers among the sickest and most socioeconomically disadvantaged underscores a pressing equity challenge. Marginalized patients face compounded vulnerabilities: deteriorating health, unreliable transportation, and resource constraints converge to elevate risks of delayed or skipped care, threatening health outcomes. Addressing these disparities requires deliberate, multifaceted policymaking sensitive to patient heterogeneity.
The study’s lead investigators emphasize the importance of tailoring healthcare infrastructure and policy to reflect the lived realities of diverse patient populations. Recognizing the variability in travel willingness fosters more responsive health system designs, integrating transportation logistics, service localization, and technological innovation. Such an approach holds promise for enhancing patient-centered care delivery and reducing avoidable healthcare barriers.
Ultimately, this influential research reframes the discourse on healthcare access for older Americans, challenging simplified metrics of geographic proximity. It calls for a paradigm that considers a spectrum of factors—clinical needs, transportation modalities, socioeconomic status, and regional characteristics—that collectively shape care-seeking behavior. By advancing this enriched understanding, health systems and policymakers can better orchestrate resources to meet the nuanced needs of an aging population.
As health delivery continues its transformation through digital technologies and organizational restructuring, integrating these empirical insights becomes indispensable. The quest for equitable, efficient, and patient-aligned healthcare hinges upon such evidence-based strategies that honor the complexities inherent in older adults’ healthcare journeys.
Subject of Research: People
Article Title: Willingness of Older Adults to Travel for Medical Care
News Publication Date: 23-Feb-2026
Web References: JAMA Network Open Article
References: USC Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR), Understanding America Study
Image Credits: iStock
Keywords: Health care, Human health, Older adults, Travel time, Medical accessibility, Telehealth, Healthcare equity, Transportation barriers
