Physician trust in healthcare leaders took a hit during the pandemic, according to a study reported by Medscape Medical News on May 24.
The study, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago on behalf of the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation, indicated that 30 percent of physicians reported a decrease in their trust in the U.S. healthcare system and its leaders. Only 18 percent reported an increase in trust.
Ninety-four percent of the 600 surveyed physicians, however, said they trust physicians within their practice, and 85 percent said they trust physicians outside their practice.
That trust increased during the pandemic: 41 percent said their trust in fellow physicians increased, and 37 percent said their trust in nurses rose.
"Clearly there's lower trust in healthcare organization leaders and executives, and that's troubling," Richard J. Baron, MD, president and chief executive officer of the ABIM Foundation, told Medscape.