Currently, most outpatient medical buildings are owned by hospitals or health systems—but that may not always be the case, according to an expert at health care real estate industry organization Revista.

In time, more medical office space will be owned by real estate investment trusts (REITs), according to Hilda Martin, a principal at Revista. Martin analyzed how the ownership landscape of medical office space is beginning to change in a recent blog post for The MOB Scene.

Currently, REITs own 10% of the medical office buildings in the United States. Private investors own 8%, hospitals or health systems own 57%, and 25% of the country’s medical office buildings are user-owned.

Meanwhile, both health care systems and private equity continue to be net sellers of medical office buildings. REITs are net buyers of medical office buildings to the tune of between $2 billion and $4 billion per year.

“Based on this information, we will likely see the REIT ownership piece expand over time,” Martin concluded.

Written by Mary Kate Nelson