Think Customers: The 1to1 Blog

Kindler responded by talking about what a hospitalization experience is like for Baby Boomers from the "Me" generation who are accustomed to being in control. As a patient, you're not in control. When you check into a hospital you have to fill out a stack of forms and share a lot of personal information, says Kindler. Then you have to get naked in front of strangers and put on a gown that only partially covers your nakedness. As a hospital patient, you're constantly being awakened for tests and subjected to other loud noises and inconveniences, Kindler adds.

All told, being hospitalized is a pretty lousy experience.

As Baby Boomers age, they're going to increase their reliance upon the healthcare system. As they do, they're not going to put up with this kind of treatment as hospital patients, says Kindler. "This paradigm is going to change one way or the other," he says.

Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Millenials want to control their experiences as consumers and this includes their encounters with the healthcare system. The U.S. healthcare system is at the precipice of major change that's expected to occur in forthcoming years. And these changes will include the need for healthcare providers to become more attuned to delivering satisfactory experiences for healthcare customers, particularly as consumer choice becomes more prevalent.