Digital natives will change the way we think about healthcare delivery.

This article was first published in Digital Health and co-authored by room44’s founding Partner, Tristan Allen and PA Consulting’s Director of Health & Care, Dr. Diane Bell.

At one level room44 and PA Consulting compete. At another, some things are too clearly signalled to argue about. This is an example where both parties agree on a trend and on the significance to the healthcare environment.

Whatever our individual perceptions of life in the future, every part of it is likely to be aided, facilitated, moderated and serviced by a form of artificial intelligence (AI). Voice activation is a good example. Shopping and entertainment are now more convenient for hundreds of thousands of consumers, thanks to Alexa and Co.

Today’s young people, meanwhile, are digital natives: they have no notion of a time before mobile phones, will never have seen a cassette tape, and soon may not even need to pass a driving test to get behind the wheel of a vehicle. Any question about them not fully embracing intelligent technology is a moot one. Of course they will: they already are. They both accept and expect it.