The power of a simple form: a doctor's experiment in building trust with patients

Building trust in the emergency room: a physician's experiment in improving patient-doctor relationships. While we recognise the value of trust, not every patient has the same opportunities to build it with their doctors. How fast and profoundly confidence can be established and maintained depends on the nature of each specialisation and the seriousness of the patient's situation. The interventional cardiologist, the trauma victim, and the surgeon are all people who the STEMI patient will soon come to trust. Unsurprisingly, it can be exceedingly difficult for doctors to build strong trust with a patient if they work in a field like anesthesiology or emergency medicine, where such connections are not common. Why should they believe me, a doctor of emergency? Most of my patients are completely unfamiliar with me before they come in. With the exception of a few "known faces," they'll probably never get to know me well. Digital health can play a crucial role in building trust between physicians and patients. Here are some ways physicians can use digital health to increase patient trust:

• Provide Accurate and Up-to-Date Information: Physicians can use digital health tools to provide patients with accurate and up-to-date information about their health conditions, treatment options, and medication. This can help patients feel more informed and confident in their healthcare decisions, increasing trust in their physician.
• Remote Monitoring: Digital health tools can help physicians remotely monitor patient health conditions and track treatment progress. This can help identify potential issues early on, and provide timely interventions, improving patient outcomes, and building trust.
• Telehealth: Telehealth platforms can help physicians connect with patients remotely, providing them with access to care from the comfort of their own homes. This can help build trust by demonstrating the physician's commitment to the patient's well-being, convenience, and accessibility.
• Secure Communication: Digital health tools can help facilitate secure communication between physicians and patients. This can help patients feel more comfortable sharing sensitive information with their physician, and allow physicians to provide timely and accurate responses to patient questions, building trust.
• Personalization: Digital health tools can help physicians personalize treatment plans to meet the unique needs of each patient. This can help build trust by demonstrating the physician's commitment to the patient's individual health goals and preferences.

Overall, by leveraging digital health tools, physicians can improve patient education and engagement, remotely monitor patients, provide access to care, improve communication, and personalize treatment plans. These efforts can help increase patient trust, leading to better patient outcomes, and ultimately, increased patient loyalty and referrals.