From online doctor visits to AI-powered symptom checkers, the healthcare journey is increasingly digital. Yet not every patient walks the same path. PYMNTS Intelligence’s latest Generational Pulse survey shows that digital-first Gen Zers and zillennials are racing ahead on virtual doctor’s visits, health tracking apps and alternative payment methods, while baby boomers remain firmly tethered to in-person care and traditional billing. The result is a widening “expectations gap”: Younger consumers crave seamless, end-to-end digital experiences but face the most friction when paying, whereas older consumers report smooth payments but minimal interest in new technologies.
Seven Stand-Out Data Points
Younger generations utilize digital healthcare.
Roughly one in three zillennials say their most recent visit was virtual, versus just 5% of boomers. These shares signal a generational split in care delivery.
Urgent care is more popular among younger generations.
More than one in four Gen Z patients visited urgent care in the last 90 days, over three times the share of boomers, revealing differing priorities for access to healthcare.
Payment barriers pervade digital healthcare.
Despite wider digital wallet availability, more than two in three Gen Z respondents encountered at least one payment barrier, compared with 18% of boomers.
Payment woes improve with age.
A striking 93% of boomers called their last healthcare payment “easy,” while just 62% of Gen Z said the same.
Consumers want digital healthcare technology beyond the patient portal.
Sixty percent of all consumers use digital healthcare tools, but younger cohorts utilize scheduling apps, trackers and bill pay platforms far more than boomers.
An adoption gap is evident among wearable health-monitoring devices.
Daily use of health-monitoring devices is similar across groups (15%-21%). Still, more than half of boomers never use them, indicating that opportunity lies in first-time adoption.
What’s next? Gen Z votes for payment improvements in digital healthcare.
While 62% of boomers show no interest in any new health technology, 29% of Gen Z are eager for digital or mobile payment options in the year ahead.
Key takeaway
Digital health is not a single marketplace, but many that need to operate in seamless union. Providers and payors must serve tech-enthusiast younger patients who demand friction-free payments and always-on access, even as they maintain legacy channels for boomers who prize treatment and payment modes over bells and whistles. Organizations that stitch these parallel tracks into a unified, choice-rich ecosystem will capture loyalty across the age spectrum as healthcare’s digital transformation accelerates.
