How Patients Want You To Communicate With Them...A Generational Approach

Last week, I was facilitating a health center board strategy session when a comment from one of the board members stopped the room cold.

"Patients want more human connection. We need to get rid of all these automated systems—the phone trees, online scheduling, text reminders. People want to talk to a real person."

The nods around the table were immediate. The murmurs of agreement followed. And I watched as an entire board prepared to make a decision that could actually harm their patient satisfaction scores and bottom line.

Here's why.

The Assumption That's Killing Patient Engagement

The assumption that patients want less technology and more human interaction sounds logical on the surface. After all, healthcare is deeply personal. When you're sick, scared, or confused, you want comfort and clarity from another human being.

But what if I told you that assumption is not only wrong—it's actually the opposite of what patients want?

What 1,000 Patients Actually Said

Vital Interaction recently commissioned a comprehensive study of 1,000 patients across all generations, and the results should reshape how every healthcare leader thinks about patient communication.

Here are the findings that surprised even me:

• 52% of patients prefer receiving medical information by phone (yes, they want that personal touch)
• But 72% would leave their provider if communication before/after appointments was poor
• 78% are more likely to engage with emails that feel personalized to their specific needs
• 90% prefer receiving information from the provider who examined them

The data reveals something crucial: The problem isn't technology vs. humans. It's generic technology vs. personalized technology.

The Generational Communication Divide

What makes this even more complex is that different generations have distinctly different preferences:

Boomers & Gen X:

• Prefer phone calls for receiving test results
• Value online patient portals for accessing information
• Want appointment reminders (92% of Boomers find them valuable vs. 79% of Gen Z)

Millennials:

• Favor digital forms over paper (67% preference)
• Want streamlined data sharing between providers
• Expect efficient, technology-enabled processes

Gen Z:

• Prefer video calls and online chat for follow-up questions
• Are most comfortable with AI-assisted communication
• Expect immediate, digital-first interactions

Everyone (regardless of generation):

• Wants communication from the provider who examined them (90% preference)
• Values personalized, relevant messaging
• Will leave providers with poor communication (72%)

The Hidden Cost of "Human-Only" Communication

When boards insist on human-only communication, they're actually creating several problems:

1. Staff Burnout: Manual outreach for hundreds or thousands of patients overwhelms already stretched teams
2. Inconsistent Messaging: Human communication varies in quality and timing
3. Limited Reach: Staff can only contact a fraction of patients who need follow-up
4. Higher Costs: More staff time means higher operational expenses
5. Patient Frustration: Generic, poorly timed communication feels impersonal regardless of the delivery method

Technology That Amplifies Human Connection

This is where the conversation gets interesting. What if technology could actually enhance the human connection rather than replace it?

Vital Interaction has cracked this code using AI to create what I call "personalized at scale" communication:

Personalized Video Messages: Doctors record template videos that get customized with patient names, specific conditions, and relevant next steps.

Smart Outreach Timing: The system identifies the optimal time to reach each patient based on their behavior patterns and preferences.

Targeted Care Gaps: Instead of generic reminders, patients receive specific outreach about screenings they need or medications they've missed.

Multi-Channel Preference Mapping: The system learns how each patient prefers to be contacted and adjusts accordingly.

The Results Speak for Themselves

Healthcare practices using this approach are seeing remarkable outcomes:

• 20% reduction in no-shows (that's roughly $150,000 in recovered revenue for a medium-sized practice)
• 10% increase in appointments (expanding access while improving utilization)
• 20% revenue increase from patient reactivation (bringing back patients who had fallen through the cracks)

Let's do some quick math on just the no-show reduction:

• Average visit value: $250
• Monthly appointments: 2,500
• Current no-show rate: 15% (375 missed appointments)
• 20% reduction in no-shows: 75 recovered appointments per month
• Monthly revenue recovery: $18,750
• Annual impact: $225,000

That's a quarter million dollars in recovered revenue from just one improvement.

The Smart List Engine: Where the Magic Happens

The technology that makes this possible is what Vital Interaction calls their Smart List Engine. This system continuously scans practice management data using criteria like:

• Demographics: Age, gender, location
• Appointment History: Frequency, patterns, no-shows
• Reimbursement Codes: Specific procedures or treatments
• Clinical Codes: Conditions, medications, care gaps

It then creates automated, customizable campaigns that feel personal because they are personal—each message is crafted based on the individual patient's specific needs and circumstances.

The Board Room Reality Check

Back to that board meeting. When I shared these findings, the room went quiet. Then the questions started:

"So patients actually want technology?"

"Why are we spending so much on additional staff for patient outreach?"

"Could we be serving our patients better AND reducing costs?"

The answer to all three questions is yes.

Making the Right Choice for Your Community

The healthcare leaders who thrive in the next decade won't be the ones who choose between technology and human connection. They'll be the ones who use technology to amplify human connection.

Your patients aren't asking you to eliminate technology. They're asking for technology that:

• Recognizes them as individuals
• Communicates in their preferred method
• Provides relevant, timely information
• Comes from providers they trust
• Reduces friction in their healthcare experience

What's Your Next Move?

The board I mentioned will probably spend the next three months debating this issue. Meanwhile, forward-thinking health centers are already implementing solutions that give patients exactly what they want.

The question isn't whether to use technology in patient communication. The question is whether you'll use technology that treats patients as individuals or as numbers in a database.

Which approach will your organization choose?

Jill Steeley helps health centers optimize operations and improve patient outcomes. If you're interested in learning more about personalized patient communication technology, you can access special pricing for her network at guidance.vitalinteraction.com/jill-steeley.