Are You Ready for the Healthcare Consumers Called Baby Boomers?

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Really. Have you given any thought to the marketing and operational challenges that Baby Boomer consumers represent to healthcare? In a time of great change in healthcare, from a provider directed and controlled model, to a consumer directed and controlled healthcare model, the Baby Boom generation will have a more significant impact than maybe what you have considered.

Think about it for a moment.

The Baby Boomer wave has changed virtually every industry they have encountered. Identified what they wanted and forced that industry to adapt to them. Brand, brand promise, and brand experience delivered they way they want it and when they want it, has changed entire industries. It has brought new products and services to market; created entirely new industries and channels. They have buried products, services, markets and channels on the ash heap of history, for not meeting their needs or expectations.

What makes you think that the Baby Boomer won't be focused heavily on healthcare, as an involved consumer, who expects high-quality, outstanding-experiences and value, delivered at a price that they deem to be reasonable?

And that will pose some significant challenges to many healthcare organizations and models of care that frown upon a "healthcare consumer" aka patient, questioning what is going on and demanding better.

With their out-of-pocket costs for healthcare increasing, Boomer 's will demand whole lot from you.

Better quality.

Better experiences.

Better value.

Better price.

Better brands.

Boomer's are getting ready to turn the healthcare process over on its head, but is anyone listening?

Marketing will play an ever increasing role in healthcare providers in understanding the massive change about to take place. That of course assumes, a rapid maturing of the understanding of marketing and its place in the organization. And for many a healthcare provider CEO that means, marketing is elevated to the senior management table in presence, focus and resources.

Boomers are bursting onto the healthcare scene as a wave crashes upon the beach. They will be informed. They will be questioning. They will demand answers and involvement in the process of care. They will demand much more from the healthcare system in the way of choice, quality, experience and brand. If Boomers' don't get what they want, they will take their healthcare dollar elsewhere.

That light you saw at the end-of-the- tunnel because of healthcare reform and the mandatory health insurance provision, if you can just survive until then, is an oncoming train that's not slowing down in the least.

Time to change.

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For more information, or to discuss your strategic healthcare marketing, customer experience management, marketing/sales integration or start-up needs, you can learn more at my web site the michael J group; email- michael@themichaeljgroup.com; or phone by calling me at 815-293-1471.