Building Trust with Patients

Core Trust-Building Strategies

The American Society of Clinical Oncology recommends that clinicians explicitly affirm their commitment to supporting patients regardless of their treatment choices, demonstrate competence through honest communication, and actively validate their concerns through empathic responses to build trust with skeptical patients 1, 2
Clinicians should prepare mentally before each encounter by reviewing the patient's medical information and anticipating their needs and emotional responses to establish rapport through active engagement 3
Verbal expressions of clinician competence, honesty, and caring are directly associated with increased patient trust, with patients assessing trust through both technical competence and interpersonal competence 4
Providing clear, understandable information in small chunks and checking understanding frequently is a key behavior in demonstrating care and building trust 2, 5

When patients display emotion, respond empathically rather than minimizing their concerns or changing the subject, and ask patients what they are most concerned about to explore what is behind strong emotions 1, 3, 4

Reinforce that the patient will not be abandoned, regardless of their treatment choice, to address autonomy and control 2, 5
Give understandable information explaining the purpose of proposed treatment, expected benefits, and significant risks, and present information in multiple formats and use mixed framing 6, 7, 8
Inform patients of treatment alternatives and assist them in making choices by providing unbiased information on advantages and disadvantages of each option, framing treatment options in the context of the patient's goals rather than your preferences 2, 6, 7

Include family or caregivers when possible and acceptable to the patient to provide additional support and witnesses to your commitment, which can help validate your trustworthiness 2, 5
Document discussions in the medical record to demonstrate accountability and ensure continuity if the patient seeks verification from other providers 2, 5