Fixing Healthcare Podcast

FHC #188: Why younger patients turn away from doctors & toward GenAI


Listen Later

In this Diving Deep episode of Fixing Healthcare, cohosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr explore two urgent shifts reshaping the patient-doctor relationship in American medicine.

First, they tackle a generational divide that’s growing wider by the year. Gen Z and Millennial patients (now 40% of healthcare consumers), are increasingly turning away from traditional medical providers. Distrust in institutions, a preference for shared decision-making and frustration with outdated communication methods are driving these younger patients to seek answers elsewhere.

Pearl outlines what physicians must do to bridge the gap. Listen more, collaborate often and meet younger patients where they are: digitally, flexibly and with empathy. If doctors don’t evolve, patients will look elsewhere.

And increasingly, “elsewhere” means artificial intelligence. That leads to the second half of the episode, where Pearl maps out a new reality: for the first time in history, patients can climb the ladder of medical expertise with help from GenAI. Large language models like ChatGPT and Claude are enabling patients to move beyond awareness and application into true analysis, synthesis and even innovation.

Pearl explores what this means for clinical care. Will patients one day use GenAI to monitor chronic conditions like diabetes or asthma on their own? Could AI triage symptoms, suggest follow-ups or even nudge lifestyle changes more effectively than a rushed primary care visit?

These questions are no longer theoretical. As Pearl warns, clinicians must either guide the change or risk being sidelined by it.

HELPFUL LINKS

  • 3 Ways Doctors Can Win Back Gen Z, Millennial Patients (Forbes)
  • Will GPT-5, Claude, Gemini Break Doctors’ Monopoly On Medical Expertise? (Forbes)
  • Monthly Musings on American Healthcare (Robert Pearl’s newsletter)
  • * * *

    Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine.” All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.

    Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn.

    The post FHC #188: Why younger patients turn away from doctors & toward GenAI appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    Fixing Healthcare PodcastBy Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr

    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5

    4.5

    159 ratings


    More shows like Fixing Healthcare Podcast

    View all
    Acquired by Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal

    Acquired

    4,271 Listeners

    GeriPal - A Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine Podcast by Alex Smith, Eric Widera

    GeriPal - A Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine Podcast

    285 Listeners

    White Coat Investor Podcast by Dr. Jim Dahle of the White Coat Investor

    White Coat Investor Podcast

    2,431 Listeners

    KFF Health News' 'What the Health?' by KFF Health News

    KFF Health News' 'What the Health?'

    498 Listeners

    The Nocturnists by The Nocturnists

    The Nocturnists

    610 Listeners

    Choiceology with Katy Milkman by Charles Schwab

    Choiceology with Katy Milkman

    1,457 Listeners

    Worklife with Adam Grant by TED

    Worklife with Adam Grant

    9,210 Listeners

    Bogleheads On Investing Podcast by bogleheads

    Bogleheads On Investing Podcast

    613 Listeners

    Becker’s Healthcare Podcast by Becker's Healthcare

    Becker’s Healthcare Podcast

    189 Listeners

    The Long View by Morningstar

    The Long View

    894 Listeners

    Tradeoffs by Tradeoffs

    Tradeoffs

    395 Listeners

    Chasing Life by CNN Podcasts

    Chasing Life

    8,204 Listeners

    Raising Health by Andreessen Horowitz, a16z Bio + Health

    Raising Health

    146 Listeners

    NEJM AI Grand Rounds by NEJM Group

    NEJM AI Grand Rounds

    58 Listeners

    Catching Up to FI by Bill Yount & Jackie Cummings Koski

    Catching Up to FI

    347 Listeners