A striking number of Gen Z don’t want to talk to their doctors on the phone, confirms Smart Communication’s recent Benchmark Report, with over half (53%) of Gen Z preferring mobile/web-friendly interfaces to communicate and provide information, compared to just 30% of Baby Boomers.
The younger generation’s reluctance to favour the phone is understandable. Phone calls usually take longer than expected, come with complicated navigational menus, and—more often than not—devolve into a hapless game of phone tag.
Online scheduling just makes more sense. Plus, Gen Z is already more comfortable and familiar with digital interactions, given that teenagers and early twenty-somethings (born between the late 1990s and early 2010s) have never known a world without ubiquitous technology.
Clearly, there’s a generational shift away from phone calls towards more user-friendly digital communications—it behooves healthcare providers to pay attention and adapt accordingly.
Gen Z digital preferences: comfortable, secure and efficient
Unlike previous generations, for whom technology comes with learning curves, Gen Z are digital natives. They’re not only accustomed to digital tools; they prefer and rely on them for both personal and professional tasks, e.g., socialising, entertainment, fitness, and even banking. By contrast, they consider phone calls time-consuming, inefficient, and, in some cases, anxiety-inducing. It makes sense, then, that they expect the same streamlined, digital experiences in their healthcare interactions, too.
Beyond digitisation, Gen Z has other demands that differ from those of their forebears: comfort. Specifically, Gen Z values privacy and personalisation when communicating with healthcare providers. They find phone calls lack the level of privacy and comfort they need, especially when discussing sensitive issues like mental health. Secure online platforms, on the other hand, ease their privacy concerns by limiting who can see their data. Digital communication tools also give them the personalisation they’ve become accustomed to and now seek in healthcare experiences. In fact, for Gen Z, this can be a dealbreaker; nearly one-third call personalisation a top priority, more so than any other generation.
Generational differences aside, one of the biggest benefits of digital platforms is increased efficiency—and Gen Z is in agreement. Instead of scheduling a convenient time to make a phone call, waiting on hold, and navigating complicated automated systems, Gen Z wants online scheduling systems that allow them to book, reschedule, and cancel appointments with minimal effort.
Why (and how) healthcare providers should meet Gen Z where they are
It’s easy to think Gen Z are still teenagers or even children, but by the end of 2025, they will make up 27% of the workforce in OECD countries. To attract and retain the maturing cohort as patients, providers must offer new platforms that meet their needs for comfort and convenience. If not, Gen Z is all too happy to head for the door. Consider that 44% of Gen Z say they may switch providers if they don’t offer telehealth visits, while 66% of all respondents say they’re likely to switch if a company doesn’t meet their communication expectations, and 67% will end an interaction if they find the company’s information-collection methods too difficult.
Providers can’t ignore the importance of shifting to digital communication. To that end, they must invest in user-friendly digital touchpoints that allow patients to book appointments, view test results, request prescription refills, etc. But not just any digital platform will do. Remember that Gen Z are digital natives who value privacy, i.e., they want intuitive, elegant platforms that are also private and secure.
Additionally, Gen Z are looking for online spaces where they can exchange messages with healthcare providers—and that can replace the old-fashioned phone calls they’ve deemed daunting and time-consuming. These messaging platforms should facilitate consultations, follow-ups, inquiries and post-treatment care instructions, to name just a few.
Digital communication helps providers, too
As healthcare providers pivot to digital communication to please Gen Z, they’ll discover they can benefit from the technology, as well. Beyond increasing younger patient satisfaction, digital tools help healthcare workers save time and improve productivity, among a slew of other advantages revealed in a recent WHO study.
Turns out, it’s not just Gen Z who welcomes a digital shift. While 83% of Gen Z value mobile/web-friendly experiences, 85% of all generations feel communication is important to the overall customer experience. By giving patients options to choose the communication channel that best suits their comfort levels and schedules, providers can put power back in their patients’ hands, better foster a sense of trust, and drive greater customer satisfaction, for everyone.
By John Zimmerer, Vice President of Vertical Solutions, Smart Communications