In a previous video I talked about all the things that Millennials want form doctors such as convenient access, a relationship with their doctors, virtual options, high quality, and price transparency. The fact is we all want those things. Unfortunately, the current healthcare system is not built to give us what we want. Care is fragmented and difficult to navigate. Timely appointments are impossible, and surprise bills are large enough to break the bank. We have a system that still runs largely the way it did for the pasty 70 years.
Unfortunately, Millennials health is suffering as a result. A study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 50% of Millennials do not have a primary care doctor. One in four had not had a physical in the past five years and 75% prefer to get health advice online rather than with a primary care physician. Millennials are more likely to get episodic care as needed from an urgent care or doctor they don’t know online rather than a trusted primary care doctor who they have a relationship with. Why is that? The reason is they can’t get the kind of care they want form today’s system they are seeking care this way because it’s more convenient. But the quality of care that comes with seeing the same doctors over time is lost.
A study conducted by Blue Cross Blue Shield showed Millennials are significantly less healthy than generations X’ers were at the same age. With higher incidents of cardiovascular disease and diabetes what Millennials want is the same thing all of us want. To pay one low transparent fee for access to convenient, frictionless, high quality primary care from a doctor they know and trust.
The traditional healthcare system cannot deliver what they want but there is an innovative solutions that can. It’s called direct primary care. Direct primary care is gaining popularity among not only Millennials but all age groups. It’s a simple subscription plan like a gym membership in which patients pay one low monthly fee for unlimited primary are throughout the year. The primary care doctor can provide 80% of all the care that will be needed throughout the year with no co-pays or deductibles and no surprise bills. The patient becomes a member in their doctor’s practice which is limited to 1/3 the size of a traditional practice. The limited practice size allows for their doctor to give them much more time and attention that results in better quality and outcomes. Enhanced access reduces the likelihood of ending up in an urgent care, emergency room, or hospital preventing those big healthcare bills.
We owe Millennials a big thank you for revolutionizing many aspects of our healthcare system for the better including direct primary care which makes healthcare more accessible, exceptional, and affordable for everyone.
