Generation X: true healthcare consumers
How members of Generation X choose their care
This is the third post in my series on healthcare consumers, focusing on the way members of different generations choose healthcare providers and hospitals. To illustrate how the Generation X consumer makes healthcare choices, I spoke to Chris, a young father of two, graphic artist and coworker at Smith & Jones.
Generation X look for online reviews
Chris is in his early 30s, representing the younger end of the Gen X age range, but he has had experience with healthcare providers and networks. Here are my four questions and his answers:
- How do you decide where to go for a medical procedure or tests?
Chris told me that he generally follows his physician’s recommendations. Only about one-in-five Gen X patients cited physician referrals as the primary influence on their care decisions, and in this characteristic, Chris diverges from the majority of his generation. - How would you choose a specialist?
Chris relies on his primary care physician for referrals to specialists, but also checks reviews and ratings online. - Where would you go for health information?
Chris said his primary care physician was his first resource for health information, but added that he would also go online to learn about care and providers. - Do you pay attention to healthcare advertising?
Chris told me that he doesn’t pay attention to healthcare advertising from a consumer perspective, but he does as a healthcare advertising professional.
While Chris relies on his doctor’s referrals for care, most of Generation X behaves more like consumers than patients when making care decisions. Clearly this is an audience that hospital marketers will need to come to terms with as their healthcare needs grow. Do you have insights or experiences with Generation X consumers? Share them in the comment fields below.
To learn more about each generation’s healthcare decision process, check out the latest issue of Protocol, titled “Understanding Healthcare Consumers.”
Coming next time: Millennials choose healthcare brands
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The Greatest Generation as healthcare consumers