Previous generations inherently recognized the value of primary care, and for a long time, maintaining a family doctor — or primary care provider — was the norm, with well-documented benefits. Now, that's changed.
For millennials — the generation that abandoned the idea of a PCP and whose members are now making healthcare purchasing decisions — traditional primary care feels outdated. As a result, getting them to invest in primary care is a challenge: According to a 2017 survey, roughly 33% of U.S. millennials don't have family doctors, more than twice the rate for those aged 50–64 (15%). That trend of divestment in primary care is continuing among Gen Z, with 37% of Gen Z men in the U.S. lacking an established primary care provider. To address this shift in attitudes, the healthcare industry needs to rebrand and reshape primary care, designing solutions that are comprehensive, affordable, and most importantly, that fit into people's lives.
Younger generations have different healthcare priorities, so one challenge is helping them understand the value of primary care and the importance of strengthening their investment in it. To do that, we need to do a better job of showcasing the long-term health and cost savings benefits it brings.
Primary care is essential to achieving desired health outcomes, high quality care and patient satisfaction. Younger generations miss out on preventative benefits by deferring to other types of care on an "as needed" basis. As a result of this mindset, millennials are the most likely generation to avoid preventative care screenings like pap smears, prostate exams and colonoscopies, with 62% reporting doing so.
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For patients with chronic conditions, primary care is essential to helping address physical and mental comorbidities. Take a patient with diabetes, who finds themselves in the emergency room as a result of untreated complications. Primary care — focused on preventive and proactive management — can address these issues before they reach the point of requiring a trip to the hospital, and it provides patients with more control over the active management of their health in the process. Earlier, lower cost interventions are a hallmark of primary care and one of the key factors in making it the most efficient use of resources.
Stoking younger generations' interest in primary care means meeting them where they currently are, and right now, urgent care is the front door to healthcare for millennials and Gen Z. Only 47% of Gen Z patients prefer a PCP to urgent care, compared to 90% of baby boomers, and the majority of Gen Z (51%) and millennials (54%) primarily rely on urgent care or the emergency room for their medical needs, signifying their reliance on the "as needed" model. Virtual urgent care options — attractive to Gen Z and millennials for their low cost and high convenience — are an entry point for providers to build trust with younger patients and attract them to primary care.
As we think of rebranding primary care, we need to redesign solutions to address the evolving needs of these generations. We're already seeing this overhaul in employer-sponsored healthcare, which provides health insurance to over half of Americans; as costs soar, employers are recognizing the opportunity to invest in primary care solutions that address root causes and whole-person health. These solutions need to be comprehensive, combining physical, mental, and wellness needs in one place to promote collaborative care and lighten the friction patients experience when trying to reach the care they need.
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Mental healthcare is a common entry point to care for younger generations, who display a higher demand for mental healthcare than previous generations. In a 2023 survey, 79%of millennials reported seeing a mental health professional in the last year; in contrast, only 61% reported seeing a PCP in the last year. Gen Z and millennials both value health benefits that support mental healthcare more than previous generations, and they're more interested in holistic solutions that address their whole-person needs. These insights into the healthcare priorities — and entry points — of Gen Z and millennials are guiding lights to use in designing solutions that stoke their interest in primary care.
Chief among younger generations' priorities is flexibility, as they seek healthcare that fits into their lives, rather than the other way around. On-demand virtual care offerings provide this flexibility, allowing patients to access providers at any time from anywhere and reducing long travel times and missed work or family time. The preference for virtual care is clear among millennials and Gen Z, who grew up with technology integrated into their everyday lives. More than 70% of younger generations (Gen Z, millennials and Gen X) said they prefer telehealth because of convenience, and 44% of Gen Z and millennials said they may switch providers if telehealth visits were no longer offered.
Virtual care's convenience is crucial for younger generations, who aren't rejecting primary care altogether, but rejecting the friction that traditionally comes with accessing it. Convenient and accessible care — often in the form of virtual care — leads to more consistent patient engagement and provides the opportunity to build trust with patients, both of which are essential for guiding patients toward longitudinal care. This is particularly true amongst Gen Z and millennials, who have higher levels of distrust of the medical system. Nearly a third of Gen Z reported not liking or trusting their doctor, or feeling embarrassed with them, the highest percentage of any generation.
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Finally, primary care solutions must be affordable, which is a top-of-mind concern for younger generations. High healthcare costs led to roughly two-thirds of young adults skipping medical appointments in 2024, and rebranding primary care requires demonstrating that it is the most cost-effective solution to improve overall health outcomes for both patients and employers. Increased primary care usage has been linked to reduced spending on ER and urgent care, with one study finding that each additional primary care visit was associated with a total cost reduction of $721 (per patient per year) on average.
It's clear primary care is the solution to a healthier population, with higher primary care utilization keeping people healthy preventatively, leading to better health outcomes and lower long-term healthcare costs. Employers who prioritize primary care enjoy those benefits among their workforces, along with less absenteeism and higher productivity. But to make that a reality for millennials, Gen Z-ers, and beyond, primary care needs an overhaul in line with new priorities. Employer-sponsored healthcare is a good place to start.
