Breakdown of the Trust in Today’s Medical System and What We Can Do About It

Breakdown of the Trust in Today’s Medical System and What We Can Do About It Within the last several years there has been an upswing in the number of people in the American public who are quickly losing faith in their doctors and the medical profession. This is for a number of reasons, some legitimate and some imagined, however the growing distrust is having a definite impact on the way healthcare is being perceived and approached in our country. One of the reasons that people are losing faith in their doctors comes with the vast amount of information the public has available to them through the Internet and other social resources. The second is the increase in cost for medical care and procedures. The third is the lack of bedside manner that some medical providers show today. Because of these reasons, and possible many more, the American public is having a breakdown in the amount of trust they are able to give to their doctors and the medical field in general. With the beginning of the information age, the American public began to have access to limitless amounts of information online quickly and for free. When they are feeling sick or have a medical concern, the first place that most people turn to are sites like Google.com or WedMD.com in order to self-diagnose themselves. Since they already have an idea of what their symptoms may mean based on the information read online, when a patient finally does go to the doctor they may have doubts as to the validity of their doctors diagnosis and recommendation for treatment if it contradicts what their own personal research may have suggested. Group forums on sites like Facebook.com also have a role to play in the breakdown of doctor and patient trust. If you ask a question online, anyone, regardless of their background or education and experience level, can respond and sway your opinion. People often comment of threads asking for medical advice with second hand stories and things they may have heard about or read but do not have the direct knowledge or experience to be giving proper medical advice. Online reviews also have an impact of a patient’s ability to trust their medical professionals. Because most of the reviews posted online are of a negative nature, the American public gets a biased view of the way a practice is run and the experiences of other patients. Another reason the American public is losing faith in the medical field and its practitioners is the increased cost of health care in this country. One commonly cited reason for the declining trust of the medical profession as a whole is the creep of commercialism into medicine. For example, many doctors now have ties to pharmaceutical companies and the public may feel like their needs are being overridden for the financial gain of the provider. [Collier, 2012] Many people also feel that the cost of procedures and insurance in today’s society is inflated in comparison to the true costs of the materials and service they are receiving. Political affiliations and feelings regarding Obama Care and all that this policy entails also further erode the trust in the medical profession as a whole. The majority of the American public feel that they were promised an affordable alternative to the rising health care premiums, when in reality the majority of people are now pay more money for insurance that offers less coverage than they previously had. One more reason for the decline in trust between the American public and their doctors in the lack of patient understanding and “bed side manner” that some providers show their patients. Many people feel that doctors are trying to fit as many patients in to their schedules per day as time will allow in order to maximize profits. This allows little time for patient and doctor interactions and in-depth and meaningful conversations regarding symptoms and treatment plans.