Defining patient distrust

Patient dissatisfaction with the healthcare system has long been a concern — but today, it’s something far more serious: outright distrust. Between 2023 and 2025, the share of Americans who don’t trust their doctor at all to make the right recommendations jumped by eight percentage points. Now, nearly one in six patients lack confidence in their physician.

Let’s be clear: patient distrust may not be the fault of health leaders — but it is absolutely their problem to solve. Rebuilding trust is a business imperative because distrust affects clinical quality, workforce stability, public health, and the financial health of organizations.

In this episode, host Rachel (Rae) Woods sits down with Advisory Board experts Morghen Philippi and Matt Cornner to unpack how the industry reached this point, why trust is a strategic asset, and what health leaders can do to start rebuilding it.

We’re here to help:

• Harvard Business Review: The 3 Elements of Trust
• Nature: Human neuroscience is entering a new era — it mustn’t forget its human dimension
• Want to see how upcoming policy changes could reshape the industry and impact your patients? Explore our Healthcare Policy Timeline to stay ahead of key developments and prepare for what’s next.
• Vaccine policies keep changing. Here's what you can do to prepare.

2025 Advisory Board December Virtual Summit

A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.