Winners in healthcare will embrace digital natives’ health
The powerful influence of social responsibility on the emerging definition of “health” for the digital native generation might come as a surprise to some people in healthcare. But combined with the established role of technology for this generation, the increasing relevance of social responsibility to the consumer’s changing notion of health is a reality that cannot be ignored.
Coming from the generation that started with ‘the’ family doctor and moved through the decades of patient empowerment, shared decision making and managed care plans, it is no surprise that my professional work in health research has focused on the influences and impacts on how we (current and future generations) interact with our healthcare. My generation did not assume, as my parents’ generation had, that there was a stability and constancy in the definition of health. Fast forward to the digital native generation which follows mine, the questions which challenged my thinking regarding my own healthcare have become ever more interesting. For two decades, I have focused my professional work on creating and researching digital strategies in the health field as new technologies replace the old, and new thinking influences current paradigms. My colleagues and I have studied the digital native generations–those born into a world of Google and smartphones–with particular interest. Never before has a generation had this much power to change the way we interact with and define health and the healthcare system.
One of the most significant discoveries in our work is that for digital natives, a well-rounded, healthy life connected through social impact and community is a priority. This new way of thinking is not only framing the way digital natives interact with the healthcare system, but it also has the power to shift even the way older generations approach healthcare as younger consumers break down historical points of view across the marketplace.
Through this journey, we have identified the nuances required to navigate this paradigm shift by understanding the depth and complexity of addressing the connection between social impact and health. This is not a one-size fits all approach that can be made with a few tweaks to our current thinking. But, by capturing, embracing and integrating a new way of thinking, it will better inform how the generational shift in behavior is influencing and even predicting the future of healthcare.
Over the years, I and my colleagues have considered what this means in practice, i.e., in the day-to-day interactions between digital natives, their world, and their definitions of quality of life and “health”.
“Good for you is good for me.”
Digital natives may sometimes be labeled as self-absorbed, but the reality is that they are driving the shift toward “prosocial spending”—spending money to benefit others. They also see this as a health and wellness activity which shows positive signs of increasing well-being. Researchers at the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and Harvard Business School recently found evidence that “how people spend their money” plays a role in happiness; specifically, those who “spend money on others report more happiness.” It’s true of adults around the world, and both physical and mental benefits are observed. What this means is that this ‘self-absorbed’ generation is actually more likely to think of others as part of an important health activity.
Social responsibility and better health
There is evidence of this impact in research studies considering the role of volunteering and health. In a study conducted at Carnegie Mellon, 200 hours of volunteering per year correlated to lower blood pressure. Other studies have found a health benefit from as little as 100 hours of volunteering a year.
Giving to charities (“prosocial spending”) and volunteering are not the only types of social responsibility that connect to overall well-being. Research on social impact wellness discovered that 92% of consumers feel better about themselves when they self-reflect on their involvement with the full range of socially responsible behaviors:
Caring about health and wellness
Giving to charities
Volunteering at a charity
Serving on a charity’s board of directors
Purchasing products that support a cause
Recycling and respecting a sustainable environment
Donating items of food and clothing
Marketing a favorite charity
Sharing with family and friends in need
Celebrating at community events
Research also shows that certain of these categories are more closely related to satisfying the basic human needs of relatedness, competence, and autonomy than others. Examples include donating to a charity of choice, helping a neighbor, learning a few new recycling protocols, participating in a community event, purchasing a product that helps support a cause that has touched the consumer’s family, or serving on a committee to share talent. Understanding the emotional connection yielded through social responsibility is an important factor when woven into the consideration of what health is and how it can be incorporated to improve outcomes. Consider that this behavior is not just about being social and willingness to be charitable, but it extends to a broader mindset about health, wellness, employment, and perspective as a consumer.
What does all of this mean for healthcare?
If the assumption about the digital native generation is that they are self-absorbed, spend most of their time nose down on a phone, and define connection only through social media, then we miss the value and contribution they are making to a rapidly shifting paradigm. My research on the digital native generation and the important roles of social responsibility and technology on health and wellness has painted a different picture. Accepting that this new consumer mindset is steeped in the desire to “do good” and that is correlated to what makes this generation of consumers “feel good” is not the end of the story. It is becoming clear that this connection can impact health outcomes but will also drive the future direction of healthcare. So where the older generations may rightfully value the stability of an in-person provider relationship built on decades of family trust and engagement, we must also see the opportunities in embracing this new point of view. It allows us to think differently about what health is, how healthcare is delivered and what it truly means to the new consumer. Today’s consumer is no longer a passive consumer, but a critically valuable feedback loop, providing data to inform strategy, improve outcomes, and manage costs. Adapting and embracing a new paradigm where change is a constant provides a path to a new future of healthcare if we are willing to think differently.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.