If you’ve only just gotten used to the fact that millennials are about to replace the baby boomers as the largest generation, you should think again, a whole new generation is now reaching adulthood. Generation Z, those born between the mid-nineties and the mid-two-thousands, will soon become a large portion of your patient base. Understanding how to attract these patients is crucial to evolving as an eyecare practice.
Gen Z grew up tech-savvy in a world where they were fully connected to everything at their fingertips. This means they will probably seek the same ease from their doctors that they get from their devices. Is your eyecare practice ready to meet this cohort’s demands?
How to Gain Gen Z Patients in Your Eyecare Practice
Convenience
Convenience plays a huge role in attracting Gen Z patients. Similar to their millennial counterparts, Gen Z will schedule appointments using apps, emails, or texting. In fact, according to a study by Accenture, Gen Z is more dissatisfied with aspects of traditional care compared to older generations. The study also shows that “younger consumers are more likely than any other generation to choose medical providers who offer digital capabilities, such as easy access to test results via mobile or online.” For this reason, getting the right optometry software can really increase follow-through and help you meet your Gen Z patients where they are. Strong patient communication that results in reliable scheduling will go a long way in attracting and retaining Gen Z patients.
Telehealth
While most consumers prefer in-person healthcare experiences, younger generations are becoming more accepting of digital encounters as their first choice. Due to this, Gen Z will resemble millennials by preferring telehealth over in-person doctor visits. There are many benefits to adding telehealth to your services such as keeping patients out of your practice waiting room, reducing exposure for your staff, and being accessible to low-mobility patients. Now, it might be time to add, “gaining Gen Z patients,” to that list of benefits. Due to the fact that most Gen Z patients are in school or in the early years of their careers, telehealth offers a unique way to provide quality care wherever they’re at in their lives, and as result, Gen Zers will become more loyal to your eyecare practice.
Online Reputation
The key to winning Gen Z patients is having a positive online reputation. The vast majority of searches for a new eye doctor are made on Google, so if you want new patients, then you need to have lots of recent, positive reviews and a great average rating. If your eyecare practice lacks this, you’re not going to attract Gen Z patients to your eyecare practice.
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