Rising distrust in physicians and hospitals is pushing patients toward unvetted online sources, and restoring confidence will require renewed public debate and clearer communication of scientific evidence, said Nathan Goodyear, MD.
Goodyear cited a JAMA Network Open survey showing trust in hospitals fell from 71.5% in 2020 to 40.1% in 2024. He said contentious, sometimes uncivil exchanges among medical factions have contributed to patients stepping back from clinicians and seeking answers on social media and search engines.
Labeling practices as “alternative” can marginalize ideas and halt discussion, Goodyear said, leaving patients to follow information “rabbit holes” without guidance from professionals. To reverse that trend, he urged physicians and institutions to reengage the public arena by openly discussing evidence at every stage, from preclinical findings to clinical results.
At the Williams Cancer Institute, Goodyear said clinicians try to “build bridges” by leading with science, encouraging debate among doctors, and keeping patients at the center of advocacy. He argued that restoring doctor-patient relationships through transparent, evidence-based discourse will improve both trust and health outcomes.
Reference: Perlis RH, Ognyanova K, Uslu A, et al. Trust in physicians and hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic in a 50-state survey of US adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(7):e2424984. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.24984
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