Millennials and Gen Z consumers are less likely to have a primary care physician than older generations and are more likely to use non-traditional care options. They are dissatisfied with many aspects of traditional in-person healthcare and expect more effective, convenient, and efficient care. Nearly half use walk-in or retail clinics for conditions like cold/virus treatment. Younger consumers also have higher demand for virtual care options and are increasingly taking control of their healthcare through digital self-service tools.

1. REVEAL THE
FUTURE OF
HEALTHCARE
TODAY’S CONSUMERS
Accenture 2019 Digital Health
Consumer Survey
FOR MEDIA

2. Millennial + Gen Z
Consumers:
Demanding more from
healthcare than the
status quo

3. Gen Z and Millennials:
Gen Z and millennials are
least likely to have a
primary care physician
(PCP), compared to older
generations.
With millennials in the U.S.
set to become the largest
generation in 2019, they
hold the most power
to influence future
healthcare models.
Who has a PCP?
THE NEW HEALTHCARE
CONSUMER IS HERE
Source: Accenture 2019
55%
Millennials use various
channels for routine
medical services
67%
76%
84%
85%
Millennials
41% Retail clinics
39% Virtual care
Gen Z
(ages 18 to 21 in 2019)
Gen X
(ages 22 to 38)
Baby Boomers
(ages 39 to 54)
Silent Generation
(ages 55 to 73)
(ages 74 to 91)
19% On-demand
12% Digital therapeutics
Less likely to have a PCP

4. Location/channel
Appointment times
Responsiveness to follow-up
(via email or phone)
Dissatisfied with traditional in-person care
Millennial +Gen Z
Effectiveness of care
Medication prescribed
that I expected or requested
Efficient operations
(e.g., e-billing)
Source: Accenture 2019
32%12%
4%
24%
24%10%
5%
24%
11%
24%13%
2 to 3Xs higher dissatisfaction than baby boomers
15%
6%
16%
16% 18%
8%
NEW EXPECTATIONS
FOR HEALTHCARE
Dissatisfied with many
aspects of traditional
in-person care
As these younger
generations have greater
healthcare needs, they
will increasingly look for
services to satisfy their
expectations for
effectiveness,
convenience, efficiency
and transparency.
Millennial + Gen Z
4%
Gen Z Millennials Baby boomersvs.

5. Non-Traditional Care
Shifting to virtual, clinics and
digital care for various needs

6. Walk-in or
retail clinic
NON-TRADITIONAL CARE
IS GAINING GROUND
47%
29%Virtual care
On-demand
Outpatient/
day surgery
(virtual, on-demand, clinics)
Non-traditional for specific needs
Cold/virus
treatment
65%18%
57%
Physical
injury
55%
Mental
Health
42%
screening
38%
Major
surgery
36%
(e.g., appendectomy) and treatment
STD
Source: Accenture 2019

7. are going mainstream
Nearly half of consumers
using walk-in or retail clinic
for different purposes.
There is little distinction between
preferences for using retail clinics
versus traditional for flu shots
(55 percent vs. 54 percent), cold and
virus treatment (47 percent vs.
48 percent) or physical injury such as a
sprained ankle or backache (41 percent
vs. 59 percent). A fifth (21 percent) of
U.S. consumers would visit a walk-in
clinic for a minor surgery.
Source: Accenture 2019
47%
RETAIL WALK-IN CLINICS

8. HIGHER DEMAND FOR VIRTUAL CARE
20%26%
Mental
health
19%25%
Addiction
11%24%
Physical injury
11%23%
11%20% 12%20%
Dermatology
Major health issues All others
Among Consumers With More Complex Needs
(e.g., tobacco, opioids)
(e.g., sprain ankle,
backaches) (e.g., birth control)
Reproductive
STD screenings
+ treatmenttreatment
health

9. Digital
Self-service
Rising
Consumers are taking
control of their own
healthcare

10. Consumers choose providers with digital capabilities
Source: Accenture 2019
Email
provider
2019
67%
77%
57%
70%
53%
69%
58%
68%
39%
53%
36%
49%
DIGITAL SELF-SERVICE
2016
Follow-up
care
reminders
Request
prescription
refills
Video
consults
Schedule
appointments
Remote
monitoring

11. As part of a seven-country study highlighting
preferences and use of traditional and non-
traditional healthcare delivery — including walk-in or
retail clinics, virtual health, on-demand services and
digital therapeutics — Accenture surveyed 2,338
U.S. healthcare consumers (ages 18+) between
November and December 2018. Using cohorts
defined by Pew Research, respondents belonged to
one of five age groups: Gen Z (ages 18-21 in 2019),
millennials (ages 22 to 38), Gen X (ages 39-54), Baby
Boomers (ages 55 to 73) and Silent Generation (ages
74 to 91). Where relevant, select findings are trended
from Accenture’s research in 2016 and 2017.
Methodology
Media Contact:
Copyright © 2019 Accenture.
All rights reserved.
Accenture, its logo, and New Applied
Now are trademarks of Accenture.
Jenn Francis
+1 630-338-6426
jennifer.francis@accenture.com
Read the full research brief at
accenture.com/DigitalHealthSurvey2019