Penn Medicine researchers have recently examined effective strategies for doctors to communicate with their patients, particularly addressing the issue of patient distrust in the healthcare industry.
Anne Cappola, MD at Penn Medicine, highlighted the problem stating, "Patients frequently arrive at a clinic visit with background false or misleading health information from media sources." She further elaborated on the challenges faced by clinicians, "It is increasingly challenging for clinicians to address this in a nonconfrontational way, while trying to provide optimal patient care."
The United Nations World Health Organization reported that in 2022, misinformation about Covid-19 and vaccines on social media platforms constituted fifty-one percent of all content. This high level of misinformation complicates the task of establishing trust between patients and healthcare providers. In response to this issue, Penn Medicine researchers proposed key communication strategies for doctors in an article published by the Penn Medicine Communication Research Institute (PMCRI). These strategies aim to overcome problems associated with misplaced trust and educate patients on current data.
Cappola, who also serves as a professor of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and Executive Director of PMCRI, emphasized the importance of thoughtful communication. She said, "It’s more important than ever for health experts and care providers to be really thoughtful about how they share medical information with patients. Depending on a patient’s background and experiences, certain strategies may work better than others. But by leveraging these evidence-based approaches, practitioners can build trust, improve relationships, and deliver better health outcomes for their patients and communities."
Karthika Cohen, MS, MA, Director of Research and Operations at PMCRI suggested that physicians could enhance their communication with patients by providing information in a compassionate manner and involving influential community members to disseminate reliable medical advice. Cohen stated that "Communicating in an honest and empathetic manner while being understanding of people’s frustrations in the face of public health problems can go a long way in establishing credibility in the medical profession."
The researchers also noted that in addition to the misinformation prevalent on social media platforms, sociocultural and religious factors have significantly influenced how different groups perceive medical professionals. For instance, unethical studies like the Tuskegee Syphilis Study have often led to mistrust among the Black community towards physicians. Acknowledging this history and incorporating it into patient interactions can significantly improve the physician-patient relationship and overall healthcare outcomes.
