August 31, 2015 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time - BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Millennials overtook Baby Boomers this year as the largest living generation; and while Baby Boomers may currently consume most healthcare resources, the move to value-based care and increased focus on prevention is driving healthcare providers to better understand and reach Millennial patients. As part of its ongoing research on the changing practice of the Art of Medicine, Nuance Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) today released new data on generational patient behaviors and the SlideShare presentation, “How Millennials shop for healthcare.” From its global survey of 3,000 people, this latest data highlights how providers will need to shift to simultaneously support Millennials and Baby Boomer patients, who have different expectations and preferences for the delivery of care.

“These are informed healthcare consumers who, if they feel rushed, are likely to share criticism online. Healthcare organizations need to find ways to help physicians optimize time spent with their patients and to protect their reputations.”

“As patients play a much greater role in determining how, when, and where they receive care, organizations that don’t stay closely connected to their patients won’t be able to survive,” said Trace Devanny, President of the Healthcare Division, Nuance. “Providers need to better understand the populations they serve and the threats to their business to remain competitive in their market and best manage their patients’ needs.”

Key Finding #1: Millennials Share Referrals and Negative Healthcare Experiences

Staying true to their social nature, 70 percent of young Millennials (aged 18 – 24) choose a primary care physician based on recommendations from family and friends, compared to only 41 percent of patients over the age of 65. The survey also revealed that while the majority (51 percent) of patients 65 and older tell their doctors directly if they are unsatisfied with their care, 60 percent of younger patients tell their friends, instead.

This poses a new challenge for providers, who may not hear directly from younger patients when they’re unhappy with their care. Not only do Millennials share negative feedback with friends and family, but those contacts are more likely to trust the feedback and make their own decisions based on what they’ve heard from their personal network.

“From what I have observed, people are more likely to provide a review if they have had a poor experience rather than a good experience.” said Dr. Jeffrey Wolff-Gee, CMIO of Swedish Health Services. “If you are able to adjust for this using a validated methodology, you can then incorporate a better statistical sampling and see scores that are more reflective of the experiences of your full patient population. Feedback is extremely important in healthcare and, at Swedish, we are working with all of our providers to make sure they have full access to what their patients are saying online.”

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