More than one in four Gen Z adults in the U.S. do not have a primary-care provider [1].
This gap in consistent medical oversight for the youngest adult demographic suggests a potential long-term decline in preventative care and early disease detection. Without a dedicated physician to manage health records and screenings, young adults may rely more heavily on emergency services or urgent care for routine needs.
The findings come from a national survey conducted by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center [1]. The data indicates that more than 25% of Gen Z patients lack a regular doctor to coordinate their healthcare [2]. This trend highlights a disconnect between the healthcare system and a generation that is entering the workforce and navigating independent health management for the first time.
While the survey identifies the prevalence of this issue, the lack of a primary provider can lead to fragmented care. When patients do not have a home clinic, they often miss critical preventative milestones, such as annual physicals or mental health screenings, that are standard in primary care models [3].
The study emphasizes the scale of the issue across the U.S. population. With over 25% of this age group without a primary-care provider [1], the medical community faces a challenge in establishing lifelong patient-provider relationships with Gen Z. This shortage of consistent care could result in higher healthcare costs as manageable conditions go untreated until they become acute emergencies [2].
Health officials and providers continue to monitor how this demographic interacts with the medical system. The survey results from Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center provide a baseline for understanding the current state of healthcare access for young adults [3].
“More than one in four Gen Z adults in the U.S. do not have a primary-care provider.”
The lack of primary-care providers for a quarter of Gen Z adults suggests a systemic failure in transitioning young adults from pediatric to adult care. This trend may increase the burden on emergency departments and lead to a decrease in the early detection of chronic illnesses, potentially impacting public health outcomes for this generation as they age.
