The Future of Healthcare Real Estate: Expanding Access in Primary Care Deserts

Scott Fouser
Sep 8
3 min read

Updated: Sep 10

Across the U.S., millions of people live and work in primary care deserts — areas where access to basic medical services is limited or nonexistent. Employers struggle to provide affordable healthcare benefits, workers face long waits or long drives for appointments, and communities suffer from gaps in preventive and ongoing care.

At RealNet, we see this not only as a public health challenge but also as a long-term real estate opportunity: creating modern healthcare spaces that solve access problems while delivering durable value for investors.

Strategic Alignment with Direct Primary Care

Our strategy is anchored by partnerships with direct primary care (DPC) clinics — a membership-based model that eliminates insurance billing, lowers administrative costs, and puts patients back at the center of care.

For employers, this means predictable costs and healthier workforces. For patients, it means same-day access to physicians and proactive health management. For communities, it means new clinics that fill critical gaps in primary care delivery.

Building Ecosystems of Care

A primary care clinic doesn’t operate in isolation. By aligning real estate strategy with healthcare delivery, we design spaces that support a broader ecosystem of high-demand providers frequently referred by primary care physicians. These include:

Imaging and radiology services
Physical therapy and rehabilitation
Chiropractic and pain management providers
Ambulatory surgical centers
Behavioral health and counseling services

Bringing these specialties together under one roof not only improves patient access but also creates diversified tenant mixes that strengthen asset performance.

The Employer & Advisor Connection

Healthcare costs are one of the biggest concerns for employers and their insurance advisors. By offering direct primary care solutions tied to strategically located facilities, we help employers address rising costs, reduce absenteeism, and improve employee satisfaction.

RealNet’s properties are positioned to serve as hubs where employers can confidently direct their workforces, knowing they will receive affordable, high-quality care close to home or the workplace. This alignment creates durable tenant demand and strengthens long-term real estate value.

Geographic Focus: The Pacific Northwest and Beyond

Our current focus is on the Northwest, where many communities remain underserved by primary care providers. Over the next 24 months, RealNet expects to build out 10 to 15 new healthcare-focused locations, each anchored by direct primary care and supported by complementary services.

While our initial rollout is regional, the model is scalable nationwide. The need for accessible, affordable healthcare is universal — and so is the demand for real estate that supports it.

Why This Matters for Investors

Healthcare-anchored real estate offers several advantages:

Resilient Demand: Healthcare is non-discretionary, with patient needs remaining steady regardless of economic cycles.
Long-Term Tenants: Medical providers typically sign longer leases and invest heavily in their spaces.
Community Impact: Investments align financial returns with measurable social good — healthier communities, stronger workforces, and improved quality of life.

For investors, this represents an opportunity to participate in assets that are not only financially sound but also socially impactful.

The Road Ahead

At RealNet, we believe the future of healthcare real estate lies in closing access gaps while building value for investors. By aligning with direct primary care, commonly referred providers, employers, and advisors, we’re creating a scalable model that serves patients, strengthens communities, and delivers lasting returns.

The problem of primary care deserts is real. So is the opportunity to solve it. Over the next two years, RealNet will continue to expand, transforming underutilized spaces into healthcare hubs that deliver both impact and income.

Final Word

Healthcare is changing. Patients want access, employers want affordability, and communities need providers who can deliver both. RealNet is building the real estate that makes it possible.

Where others see underserved markets, we see the future of healthcare real estate.