Nearly 8 out of 10 patients have lied to their healthcare provider, either directly or by omission.
They've hidden that they skipped their medication, downplayed how much they drink, and nodded along when they didn't understand the instructions. In most cases, it's not an intentional attempt to mislead doctors: it's a trust problem.
A 2022 Berxi survey of over 1,000 patients found that fear of judgment was the number one reason for dishonesty, followed by embarrassment and shame. Perhaps the most revealing finding: of the 23% of patients who said they were completely honest with their providers, 64% still didn't always feel heard. That is worth sitting with. Even when patients are honest, the environment doesn't always make that honesty feel safe or worthwhile.
This problem has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. A 2026 Gallup poll found that trust in medical doctors has fallen 14 points since 2021, dropping to 53%, the lowest level since the mid-1990s. Trust is eroding. Patients are withholding. And the two are deeply connected.
Trust Is A Clinical Variable
When patients trust their provider, they disclose more freely, adhere to treatment plans more consistently, return for follow-up care, and report better outcomes. When they don't, they edit themselves and eventually leave.
Most healthcare organizations measure satisfaction, but far fewer measure trust. Even fewer examine where in the patient journey trust is being built or broken—whether it’s the first interaction with a website or front desk, the language a provider uses in an exam room, or what happens (or doesn't) between appointments.
Every one of those moments is an opportunity to build trust. A provider who opens with “I'm not here to judge” gets different information than one who opens with “So, have you been following the plan?” A follow-up message that checks in earns more loyalty than a billing notice that doesn't. These are the details that strengthen retention and improve patient outcomes.
Measuring What Matters
The challenge is that trust doesn't show up on a standard patient satisfaction survey. Patients will rate their experience highly but still switch providers. They'll say they're satisfied but still withhold the information their care team needs most.
Understanding where trust lives, and where it's leaking, requires research designed to get past the surface. Behavioral science-driven research uncovers the gap between what patients report and what they actually do. It identifies the specific moments, language, and environmental cues that make patients feel safe enough to be honest or guarded enough to edit. It turns trust from an abstract value into something you can observe, measure, and design around.
For healthcare brands, building trust is a retention strategy. Patients who trust you stay longer, engage more, and get better care because they're finally telling you the truth.
MDRG uses behavioral science-driven custom research to help healthcare brands understand where trust is built, where it breaks, and how to design experiences that earn both honesty and loyalty. Connect with us today to learn more.
Topics from this blog: Healthcare