
A recent survey by Edelman shows that 34% of people believe that an average person could know as much as a trained doctor with a simple internet search. This lack of trust in healthcare providers and public health experts could lead to people trusting unvetted healthcare advice or medical misinformation. The report indicates that healthcare providers need to build trust with their patients by adopting patient-centered care principles and acknowledging the burden of public health messages on someone’s everyday life. A multichannel approach to healthcare messaging tailored to varying trust levels could also be effective.
The healthcare industry is facing a significant problem with credibility and patient trust. In a recent Edelman survey, 34% of respondents said they thought a quick internet search might provide information equivalent to that of a skilled medical professional. This lack of trust in healthcare providers and public health experts could lead some to trust unvetted healthcare advice or medical misinformation, which could be detrimental to patient outcomes and well-being.
This lack of trust is not a new issue but has been amplified over the last three years due to the global pandemic. The rapid change in healthcare advice during the early days of COVID-19, as well as the intrusive mitigation efforts, have harmed the public’s confidence in healthcare. Additionally, the discourse surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine has created a messaging challenge that has further eroded the public’s confidence in healthcare.
The Edelman report, based on global surveying of over 12,000 individuals, reveals that Americans don’t trust their healthcare providers, and instead, people are more trusting of their social circles, including family and friends, for healthcare information. While people still mostly trust doctors and nurses for health information, trust in non-experts is nearly equal, with 78% of people saying they trust their friends and family about how to best protect their health.
This trend is concerning as it indicates that people don’t trust the expertise of trained clinicians and public health experts. 34% of people agreed that the average person could know just as much as a doctor with the help of some research. These people said they followed advice from friends and social media that contradicted their doctor’s advice and claimed that it worked out.
However, patients are also putting themselves in the driver’s seat, with 3.5 times more people saying they are educating themselves more about healthcare than last year. This trend may be more indicative of stronger patient engagement and activation, with at least some of these respondents saying they like to verify whether the information they consume is true. Still, providers may want to counsel patients on how to vet good online health information.
To address this issue, health systems, providers, and public health officials need to continue to connect and build trust with disaffected populations. People with a good, trusting relationship with their primary care provider were 4.3% more likely to see good outcomes, the report showed. People with trust in the overall healthcare ecosystem were also 3.3% more likely to experience good outcomes.
One way healthcare providers can build trust is by adopting principles of patient-centered care. Around eight in 10 respondents said they want their providers to treat their needs, follow up with them, start appointments on time, and take their time during appointments. Three-quarters said they need their providers to take their concerns seriously and listen deeply to them. Finally, 63% said their providers can build trust by treating them like individuals and asking questions about their lives.
Healthcare experts, like public health officers, can build trust by treating patients like equals. That doesn’t necessarily mean experts need to act as though they and the public have the same qualifications. Rather, it means acknowledging the burden some public health messages might place on someone’s everyday life. Sixty-two percent of survey respondents said they need to hear from health experts about how a health change will improve their lives, while 67% want a way to ask questions. Significantly, six out of ten respondents said they wanted data gathered from people like them to inform health advice, supporting a variety of clinical studies and medical research.