Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

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

Anonymous
Physician
March 3, 2023
Share
Tweet
Share

While we appreciate the importance of trust, not all patients have the same windows of opportunity to establish it with their physicians. The nature of each specialty and the severity of the patient’s condition influence how quickly and deeply trust can be created and maintained. The STEMI patient will quickly learn to trust the interventional cardiologist, and the trauma victim, and the surgeon.

Not surprisingly, it’s very challenging for physicians who practice a specialty in which long-term, trusting relationships are not the norm (e.g., anesthesiology, emergency Medicine) to create deep trust with a patient.

Why should they trust me, an emergency physician? Most of my patients know nothing about me before their visit. They’ll likely never know me well (except for a few “familiar faces” I see recurrently). And many ED patients don’t have the kind of life-threatening emergency that forces the quick establishment of trust, such as in a STEMI or major trauma.

Meanwhile, my mother looks to me solely because of our long-standing relationship for neurosurgical advice, despite my lack of significant training or knowledge of this field.

I was deeply touched by the story of a friend who attended the ED of a different hospital in our health system. He repeatedly mentioned his gratitude for how the physician made him feel very comfortable, not only physically but also socially/relationally, despite the brief relationship; the physician quickly built confidence and trust.

How can we quickly develop that kind of deep confidence and trust? The kind my father had in his cardiologist. The kind my friend had in his ED physician.

What would I want or need to quickly trust an ED physician?

I would want to know the following:

  • Something about my physician (a way to relate to them: where they were born/grew up/went to school/live; what sports teams they like; their non-medical interests)
  • A way to get updates on my condition
  • A way to inform them about changes in my condition
  • A way to get lab, imaging, and consult results; and
  • A way to get in touch with them after discharge, in case there are complications to my treatment plan.

“Wait!” you think. “Patients don’t contact their ED doctor after discharge.” (Some consider that one of the specialty’s benefits.) Or, you may worry, “Patients will contact me incessantly and unnecessarily.”

I thought so, too, but took a leap of faith.

I created a form to allow patients to know a bit about me quickly, the “plan of care” (what I’m thinking about their case and planning to do diagnostically and therapeutically), and how and when to reach me after discharge if needed.

I’ve probably given this form to 500 or so patients. I confess to being a bit selective regarding the patients I give the form to. (There’s no need to be hounded by people seeking chronic pain medication refills). But I’m not extraordinarily selective.

Patients very much appreciate the form. So do I. It is often helpful to me on the same shift that I’m seeing the patient: patients will call me during the shift to inform me a consulting service I called saw them (something I wouldn’t know, now that many services don’t notify us they’ve seen the patient, let alone discuss their thoughts or teach me what to consider in future similar cases). And I’ve found the form a helpful adjunct in making nervous or skeptical patients feel safe for discharge. With my schedule and phone number, they have a safety net, even if they rarely use it. The psychology of a safety net builds trust.

My fears of being “abused” by patients were wildly unfounded. Of the 500 or so patients I’ve given the form, I’ve received after-discharge calls from perhaps four; all were legitimate. For example, “The pharmacy you sent the medications to is closed. Can you send it elsewhere?” “The orthopedist no longer takes my insurance. Can you refer me to someone else?” Because we spend nearly all our waking time thinking of medicine, we fear patients do so also and will try to discuss their cases with us at all hours. My “trust-building” experiment has proven this is categorically not the case: Patients want to go through their lives doing almost everything other than thinking about their health and talking with doctors. They respect our time and privacy.

If you don’t believe me, try it with one patient. It’s a low-risk proposition with great rewards. And better suited to a physician-patient partnership than other popularly-touted trust-building exercises that would be less appropriate in the ED, such as a “trust fall” or “blind taste test!”

You and your patients will be grateful for the trusting relationship, even if it’s only short-lived.

The author is an anonymous physician.

Prev

Patients vs. customers: the ethics of health care as a business

March 3, 2023 Kevin 0
…
Next

Don't hold your breath: Non-competes are unlikely to disappear for physicians

March 3, 2023 Kevin 3
…

Tagged as: Emergency Medicine

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Patients vs. customers: the ethics of health care as a business
Next Post >
Don't hold your breath: Non-competes are unlikely to disappear for physicians

More by Anonymous

  • Do residents deserve the title of physician?

    Anonymous
  • Breaking down barriers: How technology is improving diabetes management in underserved communities

    Anonymous
  • The patient who became my soulmate

    Anonymous

Related Posts

  • Building a bond of trust between patient and physician

    Michele Luckenbaugh
  • Are patients using social media to attack physicians?

    David R. Stukus, MD
  • Give your psychiatric patients a reason to trust

    Anonymous
  • You are abandoning your patients if you are not active on social media

    Pat Rich
  • It’s the little things that can make or break the doctor-patient relationship

    David Penner
  • Patients are not passengers

    Christopher Noll, RN, MSN

More in Physician

  • Breaking the cycle of failure in modern medicine

    Kortney West, MD
  • From license to loneliness: the dilemma of retired physicians

    Richard Plotzker, MD
  • Unlearning our habits: a journey from intelligence to wisdom

    Brian Sayers, MD
  • Beyond pizza and pens: National Doctors’ Day should be about saving lives

    James Young, MD
  • Maximizing physician potential: How coaching can aid in conflict resolution, enhance health care leadership and build stronger teams

    Asha Padmanabhan, MD
  • Physicians are a finite resource we need to protect

    Jack Resneck, Jr., MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The untold struggles patients face with resident doctors

      Denise Reich | Conditions
    • Physicians are a finite resource we need to protect

      Jack Resneck, Jr., MD | Physician
    • Beyond pizza and pens: National Doctors’ Day should be about saving lives

      James Young, MD | Physician
    • From clocking in to clocking out: the transition to retirement

      Debbie Moore-Black, RN | Conditions
    • Collaborating with occupational therapists: a game-changer for behavioral health [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Telemedicine in the opioid crisis: a game-changer threatened by DEA regulations

      Julie Craig, MD | Meds
  • Past 6 Months

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • The untold struggles patients face with resident doctors

      Denise Reich | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Collaborating with occupational therapists: a game-changer for behavioral health [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Breaking the cycle of failure in modern medicine

      Kortney West, MD | Physician
    • ChatGPT: the Napster of the AI world?

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • The missing piece of physicians’ financial plans

      Daniel B. Wrenne, CFP | Finance
    • Counterfeit drugs: a hidden danger lurking in your medicine cabinet

      Emily Kahoud | Meds
    • How understanding cultural backgrounds can lead to better patient care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 3 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Is Surgery Riskier After a COVID Infection?
  • The Best Medicine for Healthcare Workers: A Living Wage
  • Meat Consumption and UTIs; Air Pollution's Effects on Health
  • 'Early Birds' With Sleep Apnea May Get More CPAP Benefits
  • Mental Health Care Goes Beyond Just the Patient

Meeting Coverage

  • VTE Risk in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer Increases With More Lines of Chemotherapy
  • Obesity's Impact on Uterine Cancer Risk Greater in Younger Age Groups
  • Oral Roflumilast Effective in the Treatment of Plaque Psoriasis
  • Phase III Trials 'Hit a Home Run' in Advanced Endometrial Cancer
  • Cannabis Use Common in Post-Surgery Patients on Opioid Tapering
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The untold struggles patients face with resident doctors

      Denise Reich | Conditions
    • Physicians are a finite resource we need to protect

      Jack Resneck, Jr., MD | Physician
    • Beyond pizza and pens: National Doctors’ Day should be about saving lives

      James Young, MD | Physician
    • From clocking in to clocking out: the transition to retirement

      Debbie Moore-Black, RN | Conditions
    • Collaborating with occupational therapists: a game-changer for behavioral health [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Telemedicine in the opioid crisis: a game-changer threatened by DEA regulations

      Julie Craig, MD | Meds
  • Past 6 Months

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • The untold struggles patients face with resident doctors

      Denise Reich | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Collaborating with occupational therapists: a game-changer for behavioral health [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Breaking the cycle of failure in modern medicine

      Kortney West, MD | Physician
    • ChatGPT: the Napster of the AI world?

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • The missing piece of physicians’ financial plans

      Daniel B. Wrenne, CFP | Finance
    • Counterfeit drugs: a hidden danger lurking in your medicine cabinet

      Emily Kahoud | Meds
    • How understanding cultural backgrounds can lead to better patient care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

The power of a simple form: a doctor’s experiment in building trust with patients
3 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...