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To the TikTok ya don’t stop

Millennials and Gen Z are bucking trends when it comes to healthcare. They don’t have primary care providers. They don’t want to wait around for care, and they’re twice as likely as Baby Boomers to use telemedicine and wearable technology. As digital natives, they prefer online portals and tools that allow them to schedule and manage their appointments and medical records. They shop around for cost-effective services and prioritize holistic and preventative care. And, unlike their parents and grandparents, 80% of millennials and Gen Z say social media and online reviews influence their buying decisions. This preference also spills over into healthcare.

Instead of calling their doctor for advice, millennials and Gen Z are more likely to crowdsource answers through social media: only the doctor’s office outranks social media for their preferred way of receiving health information. That’s why one health system’s chief medical social media officer is engaging Gen Z through TikTok. What does this mean for you? Health systems need to make their services more convenient and accessible for millennials and Gen Z and their healthcare experience more tailored. From social engagement to wearables and online services that offer more personalized consumer experiences, digital solution partners can enable health systems to provide services targeting younger consumers. Let’s get started.

Industry insights

• The rise of digital natives: How millennials and Gen Z are transforming healthcare [AVIA]
• Medical education through Twitter? Pharma’s digital strategy for healthcare providers [MedCity News]
• Addressing the unprecedented behavioral-health challenges facing Generation Z [McKinsey]
• Rise of Gen-Z: How to communicate in a way that they’ll care [MarTech Health Directory]
• Three forces driving the consumerization of health care [Forbes]

Millennials and Gen Z have higher expectations of healthcare because of their experiences with other consumer-focused industries. The pressure to consumerize will only grow as these generations become the core buyers of healthcare services. Failing to cater to their needs is a huge mistake, as these are the two largest living generations in the US. Our article, “The Rise of Digital Natives,” will give you insights into the personas of these generations and explain what they’re looking for in healthcare.

Learn more.

What we’re into this week

Read:  Joan Is Okay, a new novel from Weike Wang about an awkward heroine who prefers the company of her machines to her fellow humans

Listen: to Hot White Heist, a star-studded, fictional podcast that’s one part James Bond, one part comedy, and a lot of fun

Watch: The Olympic Games, because we only get to watch high-quality curling matches (a bonspiel for you curling connoisseurs) every four years