Exhibit 23


                         Consent of Independent Auditors


     We consent to the  incorporation  by reference in this Annual  Report (Form
10-K) of Healthcare  Realty Trust  Incorporated  of our report dated January 30,
1998  (except for the 2nd  paragraph of Note 13 as to which the date is February
27,  1998)  included in the 1997 Annual  Report to  Shareholders  of  Healthcare
Realty Trust Incorporated.

     Our audits also  included the  financial  statement  schedule of Healthcare
Realty  Trust   Incorporated   listed  in  Item  14(a).  This  schedule  is  the
responsibility of the Company's management.  Our responsibility is to express an
opinion based on our audits. In our opinion,  the financial  statement  schedule
referred to above, when considered in relation to the basic financial statements
taken as a whole,  presents fairly in all material  respects the information set
forth therein.

     We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the following:

         1.    Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 33-97240)  pertaining to 
               the Healthcare  Realty Trust  Incorporated 1993 Employees Stock 
               Incentive Plan, 1995 Restricted Stock Plan for Non-Employee
               Directors, and 1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan; and

         2.    Registration  Statement (Form S-3 No.  33-97888)  pertaining to 
               the  registration of $250,000,000 of debt securities, preferred
               stock, common stock warrants, and common stock.

of our report dated  January 30, 1998 (except for the 2nd  paragraph of Note 13,
as to which the date is February 27,  1998),  with  respect to the  consolidated
financial statements  incorporated herein by reference,  and our report included
in the  preceding  paragraph  with respect to the financial  statement  schedule
included  in  this  Annual  Report  (Form  10-K)  of  Healthcare   Realty  Trust
Incorporated.


                                        Ernst & Young LLP
Nashville, Tennessee
March 24, 1998