Aging Boomers and More: Key Topics To Watch in 2018
Linda MacCracken, senior principal at Accenture
“One of the great pleasures of [Strategic Health Care Marketing] is tracking the innovative marketing approaches that are key to building consumer engagement,” says Linda MacCracken, senior principal at Accenture (and member of the SHCM Editorial Advisory Board).
After numerous conversations with providers and technology innovators, and from reviewing trending analytic indicators, she has identified five key factors in building strong customer engagement.
One of these requires close attention to the role of seniors. “Since Medicare recipients have the highest service utilization rate — often three times that of younger adults — they are a key priority for health systems and providers,” MacCracken says.
“The aging Boomers, who have been turning 65 over the past decade, have created a dramatic behavioral and attitudinal shift compared to how their predecessors — the once docile, appreciative Silent/Greatest Generation — engaged with their health care services. Consider Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger, and Oprah Winfrey being the new seniors.
“These older Boomers, who are now part of the Medicare base, are shattering preconceived notions about how older people use technology and interact with the health system. The opportunity is to better understand and profile seniors to make sure the various persona types (and their preferences and needs) are addressed.”
MacCracken offers some key insights about this demographic:
- Seniors adopt wearables five times as fast as the general population.
- Seniors are the most likely to share their wearable data compared to other adults.
- While virtually all older seniors have primary care physicians (PCPs) (9.5 out of 10), the younger seniors (Boomers) are less tied to their PCP, with 4 out of 5 having a PCP.
For four more important trends to watch in 2018, read the full article now: Five Topics for Health Care Marketers to Manage in 2018
Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President