USC Study Reveals Older Americans Willingly Endure Multi-Hour Travel for Specialized Healthcare Amid Rural Hospital Consolidations

USC researchers find older Americans are willing to travel significant distances for care, though socioeconomic factors limit mobility for the most vulnerable.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 14, 2026, 11:14 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from University of Southern California

The Growing Geographic Stretch of Geriatric Healthcare

The landscape of American medical access is shifting as healthcare systems consolidate, forcing older populations to recalibrate their expectations for in-person consultations. According to a new study from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, seniors are demonstrating a surprising tolerance for long-distance travel to maintain their health regimens. Published in JAMA Network Open, the findings suggest that the average person aged 65 or older is willing to spend more than an hour on the road for routine checkups, far exceeding the travel thresholds previously assumed by federal and state policymakers.

Quantifying the Endurance of Specialized Patient Care

The willingness to travel varies significantly depending on the clinical necessity of the visit and the complexity of the required services. According to data from the Understanding America Study, older adults reported they would tolerate a 68-minute trip for primary care, but that duration nearly doubles for more technical requirements. For specialized medical consultations, respondents indicated they would travel up to 128 minutes, while diagnostic tests like MRIs saw a tolerance threshold of 113 minutes before patients considered delaying or skipping their appointments entirely.

Socioeconomic Disparities in Medical Mobility

While the average travel tolerance appears high, these figures mask deep-seated inequities within the aging population. According to senior author Soeren Mattke, an individual’s willingness to endure long trips is heavily influenced by their personal resources and current health status. Those with higher incomes, advanced education, and consistent access to a personal vehicle reported a much higher capacity for travel. Conversely, seniors in poorer health or those facing existing transportation hurdles were significantly more likely to forgo essential care when distances increased.