Dr. Davidoff on rebuilding patient trust through value-based care

“In value-based care, three crucial goals define what truly matters: enhancing quality, reducing costs, and improving patient experience,” writes Ramin Davidoff, MD, co-CEO of The Permanente Federation, in a recent Medical Economics commentary. “By integrating these elements into our medical practice, we can build trust with each patient.” 

Trust between physicians and patients has been steadily declining in recent years. A 2025 Gallup survey shows public trust in physicians has dropped 14% since 2021. According to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, the decline is part of a broader “crisis of grievance,” fueled by public frustration with fragmented health care systems, as well as concerns about transparency, affordability, and patient safety.  

This erosion of trust has led many younger people to seek health advice from friends, relatives, digital influencers, and online forums instead of medical professionals. 

To reverse this trend, Dr. Davidoff writes that physicians must do more than rely on expertise and experience. Instead, he makes the case that shifting to value-based models that incentivize high-quality care and positive outcomes can help rebuild trust, leading to more honest dialogue, greater adherence to treatment, and better health outcomes.  

Dr. Davidoff recommends four key elements for value-based care success:  

• Care collaboration and coordination among health professionals to create patient-centered care plans that prevent disease and manage chronic conditions. 

• Investments in innovations like virtual visits, remote monitoring and at-home colorectal cancer kits that improve care access and engage patients in their own care.  

• Honest conversations about treatment options and costs, which particularly resonate with younger patients, who value collaborative approaches to managing their health. 

• Addressing patient safety concerns by providing evidence-based, direct patient-provider communication and personalized health education to ensure patient concerns are properly addressed.  

By adopting models of care that put patients first, like that of Permanente Medicine, physicians can begin the hard work of reclaiming their role as trusted partners in health.  

Read the full article here: How to restore trust in the American health care system