If anyone ever tells you that patients over the age of 65 are not using the Internet to learn about clinical trials or commercial therapies, please ask them to call or email me. I would love the opportunity to debunk that myth with vast datasets, findings and client results developed during the past ten years. Below is a sample of 5,000 patient inquiries that have been submitted across the PatientEvolution platform. As you will see in the chart, the largest age group (64%) is patients over the age of 65.
The “Third Wave” Is Here! Don’t Miss it!
I’ll make this quick and valuable.
If you’re ready to learn how Internet technology is evolving from infrastructure (Wave 1) to application (Wave 2) to the “Internet of Everything” (Wave 3), I strongly encourage you to read “The Third Wave” by Steve Case, the former CEO of America Online. For me, this book slams home so many relevant points specific to the much-needed evolution of healthcare. With The Third Wave, Steve Case does so much more than just put thoughts on a page.
Marketing Myth #3: Baby Boomers Do Exactly What Their Doctors Tell Them To Do!
Imagine the following scenario… At a routine physical, a Boomer learns she has a heart murmur. The primary care physician refers the patient to a cardiologist. After an echocardiogram, the cardiologist informs her that she has severe mitral valve regurgitation and an enlarged left ventricle. Obviously not good. The cardiologist informs the Boomer that she needs heart valve surgery in the next three months. “Don’t worry,” says the cardiologist, “I know a surgeon who is a ‘magician’ when it comes to valve surgery. He’ll take care of you… no problem.”
Is Patient Consumerism Shaping Care Provider Referral Patterns?
Boomers are doing what they’ve always done: They’re changing the way we think about things, just as they’ve done before. They changed the way we thought about movies (Think Lucas and Spielberg). The way we thought about fitness (Think Richard Simmons and Kathy Smith). The way we thought about technology (Think Bill Gates and Steve Jobs).