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).