EXHIBIT 23

               Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, 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
24, 2002, included in the 2001 Annual Report to Shareholders of Healthcare
Realty Trust Incorporated.

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

         We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the 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; in the
Registration Statement (Form S-3 No. 333-56608) pertaining to the registration
of $500,000,000 of debt securities, preferred stock, common stock warrants, and
common stock; and in the Registration Statement (Form S-3 No. 33-79452)
pertaining to the Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated Dividend Reinvestment
Plan of our report dated January 24, 2002 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 schedules
included in this Annual Report (Form 10-K) of Healthcare Realty Trust
Incorporated.



                                       /s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP


Nashville, Tennessee
March 21, 2002


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