Trust equation is a tool to build confidence in medicine

Trust has always been central to healthcare and is especially important in the relationship between clinicians and patients. But trust is not automatic. It is shaped by the actions and decisions, however small, made in consultations and outside of clinical settings, such as on social media.The General Medical Council (GMC)’s Good Medical Practice guidance begins with a simple assertion: “Patients must be able to trust medical professionals with their lives and health.”1 But it says little about the building blocks of trust. A useful framework to assess these elements is the “trust equation” presented in the book The Trusted Advisor.2 Although designed for business consultants, it can be applied in clinical practice. The trust equation says: Trustworthiness = (credibility + reliability + intimacy) ÷ self-orientation.Credibility is about the clinician’s expertise. Fortunately for doctors, a medical degree and GMC registration confers credibility. Credibility also includes perceived expertise and experience. How a…