Generational differences are apparent in almost every aspect of life, and healthcare is no exception. As Connect Media gears up for Connect Healthcare next month (Nov. 7th & 8th, Scottsdale, AZ), we chatted with Rendina’s Neil Carolan, senior vice president of business development and leasing. He’s moderating the panel discussion titled Millennials vs Baby Boomers: Two Approaches to Healthcare.

Millennials, generally defined as those born in the early 1980s through the late 1990s, now outnumber Baby Boomers, which was the previously the largest generational demographic. Today, Millennials are getting married and having children in large numbers, while Baby Boomers are aging and entering retirement.

Their healthcare needs are not only different, their attitudes and expectations are as well, Carolan notes. All this translates into a challenging landscape for healthcare providers, who are struggling to deliver healthcare to two vastly differing generational groups.

Millennials, for example, are more comfortable with technology such as smartphones and the Internet, which means they’re more likely to embrace telehealth and apps that help promote wellness. They also place a premium on convenience, which compels them to seek out urgent care or retail clinics when they’re ill. Baby Boomers, on the other hand, value the relationships they have with their providers—viewing them as authority figures—and feel comfortable visiting them in traditional MOB facilities.

Healthcare real estate plays a large role in satisfying patients, regardless of their demographics. Both Millennials and Baby Boomers have benefited from the advancements in medical technology that allow surgery to be conducted on an out-patient basis in an ambulatory care setting. Demand for these types of facilities continues to grow, as evidenced by one of Rendina’s newest projects—a $30-million, 120,000-sf MOB in Germantown, Tenn.

The panelists participating in the Millennials vs Baby Boomers session at the Connect Healthcare event will delve into ways providers can effectively address the needs of these divergent demographic groups.

For questions, comments or concerns, please contact Jennifer Duell Popovec

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