Generation Z has never known a world without smartphones, social media, streaming apps, and same-day shipping. Their experience as users and consumers has been defined by speed, convenience, and instant everything, and they are bringing those expectations to health care, too — which more often than not means the urgent care clinic down the street.

The urgent care business is booming, thanks in large part to twentysomethings. Gen Zers visit urgent care clinics at significantly higher rates than older generations, citing the convenience and ease of access. Not coincidentally, they are also far less likely than older generations to have a primary care physician (PCP). Included Health's new survey of the U.S. workforce found that 32% of Gen Zers don't have a PCP, compared to 22% of the workforce overall (and just 12% of boomers). For many Gen Zers, urgent care is primary care.

It's hard to blame them, when an appointment with a PCP can take weeks to schedule, even in big cities. Still, this generational drift away from primary care is a troubling trend.