The Rise of the ‘Super Consumer’ Will Drive Healthcare Transformation

Walk into a doctor’s office today and the frustrations are easy to spot. Patients shuffle between specialists with little coordination, wrestle with opaque bills, and manage fragmented health records through screenshots and PDFs. It’s a system that feels reactive, slow, and built for institutions—not individuals.

But a different future is already coming into view. At PwC, we believe the next decade will mark a fundamental turning point: a $1 trillion reallocation of spend that moves healthcare away from infrastructure-heavy, reactive models toward digital-first, preventive, and personalized care. Consumers are not just ready for this change—they’re demanding it. Our latest PwC Healthcare Consumer Insights and Engagement Survey shows that nearly half (44%) of Americans believe healthcare will improve in the next decade, two-thirds (65%) want preventive care, not sick care, and 70% are already using digital tools like wearables, apps, or patient portals every month.

By 2035, this consumer momentum will flip healthcare’s operating model. Instead of being directed by the system, consumers will direct it. We call this shift the rise of the “super consumer”—an informed, tech-savvy healthcare participant who expects the same seamless, personalized, on-demand experiences they already get from retail, travel, and finance.

Optimism and friction, side by side

The numbers tell a story of both hope and frustration. Among consumers who believe healthcare will improve, optimism is driven by confidence in technology: 60% cite medical advances, 54% point to early detection and prevention, and 41% to AI integration. Younger generations in particular are leaning into digital-first models, with Gen Z and Millennials nearly twice as likely to use virtual visits compared with older cohorts.

At the same time, pain points persist. Half of consumers believe access to quality care still depends on income or status. Nearly a third live with untreated conditions because of cost. And trust in the traditional system is eroding—while 85% of Baby Boomers trust their primary care physician, that number drops to 57% for Gen Z, who are increasingly placing their trust in retailers and technology platforms.

For the “sandwich generation”—primarily Gen X and Millennials balancing care for children and aging parents—the burden is especially acute. Nearly one in three Americans now identifies as a caregiver, and this group is more financially stressed, more likely to delay their own care, and more open to technology that eases the load. These consumers aren’t just participants in the system; they are some of its most powerful demand drivers, pushing for solutions that save time, reduce stress, and deliver care anywhere.

A $1 trillion reallocation is coming

Consumer momentum isn’t happening in isolation. It’s colliding with an economic reality that makes transformation non-negotiable. Healthcare costs are growing at 7–8% annually. Physician shortages are projected to double by 2037. The math simply doesn’t work.

The good news: unlike past moments of crisis, today’s cost pressures coincide with exponential advances in technology and biology. AI can now design new drugs in months instead of years. Robotic-assisted surgeries paired with remote monitoring will shift care into the home. Digital twins and genomic sequencing will allow doctors to anticipate illness before symptoms appear. These advances won’t just treat disease more effectively—they’ll rewire the entire model of care around prediction, personalization, and consumer choice.

That’s why we estimate that as much as $1 trillion in annual U.S. healthcare spend will be reallocated over the next decade—from outdated infrastructure-heavy models into platforms that are digital-first, preventive, and built around consumer needs.

The super consumer sets the bar

This reallocation won’t be directed by institutions alone. It will be accelerated by consumers—especially those willing to pay out of pocket for innovations that deliver better experiences. Already, one in five consumers say they’d pay premiums for personalized treatment, at-home care, continuous monitoring, and AI-driven support.

Super consumers will help fund and shape the next-generation health system, while government and commercial players scale it. At the same time, if innovation is designed only for those who can afford it, inequities will widen. Rural residents, Medicaid recipients, and those without digital access risk being left behind. That’s why equity must be built in from the start—through inclusive pricing, interoperable data, and policies that expand access.

What leaders need to do now

For organizations across payers, providers, pharma, and medtech, success in this consumer-driven future will require bold action:

• Put the consumer first. Build trust through transparency and personalized, easy-to-navigate experiences.

• Go virtual by design. Default to digital-first models that meet consumers where they are.

• Leverage intelligence. Use AI-powered insights to anticipate risks, personalize care, and improve outcomes.

• Form new partnerships. Collaborate across the ecosystem to share accountability and scale impact.

• Design for equity. Ensure innovations expand access, not entrench divides.

A moment of choice

At HLTH, we’ll be sharing two perspectives that connect the dots between industry transformation and consumer demand. First, our flagship Future of Health research explores how $1 trillion of annual U.S. healthcare spend will be reallocated toward models that are more digital, preventive, and personalized. Alongside it, we’ll release our 2025 Healthcare Consumer Insights Survey—a deep dive into the optimism, frustrations, and expectations of more than 4,000 Americans navigating today’s system.

Together, these perspectives show the same truth: the future of healthcare will be consumer-driven. The only question is whether leaders will meet consumers where they are—and, more importantly, where they’re headed.

For deeper insights, access our latest report.