Trust in Health Care System - Essay Example

Furthermore patients may not even volunteer to give their health information if trust is lacking (McGary, 1999). Not only is trust required between the patients the doctor, it goes beyond that to institutional levels. The health care systems, hospitals, insurance firms and political circles should all work together based on trust and mutual understanding. Lack of trust at any level affects the type of services in the health sector (Rowe & Calnan, 2012). Although trust is significant and the cornerstone of in the health care sector, there are still instances when it lacks.

The historical perspective of trust in the healthcare has been changing at a fast rate. The past was characterized by “doctor knows best”, however, with heightened level of awareness among people, the post- traditional order has seen the upcoming of “expert patients”. The current patient and consumer right dictates that a patient should be informed of all the processes being undertaken on him or her, the benefits or challenges accompanying the process and alternatives to the process. Despite these changes, trust is still an essential in the provision of health care services to the people and society at large.

The trust relationship is dictated by one party, the patient who is the trustor should believe that he or she will get positive expectations in regard to the level of competency of the other party and that the other party is working in the trustor’s best interest “Trust relationships are characterized by one party, the trustor, having positive expectations regarding both the competence of the other party, the trustee, and that they will work in their best interests” (Calnan, 2004). There are varied reasons why trust may be lacking in the health care sector, lack of transparency in the health sector greatly contributes to mistrust.

Introducing health schemes without fully consulting the citizens who are intended beneficiaries may lead to mistrust. Another factor is political interference in the measurement of required standards in the health care system. When there is conflicting information of various aspects regarding the provision of health services, then the general public seizes to trust in the system. Concealing of information, sharing of patients information without their consent or negative reactions to prescribed medical procedures also lead to the development of mistrust.

Disrespecting the patients’ views in regard to the health care procedures also devalue the trust between the provider and the beneficiary. Various studies have also indicated that race is yet another contributing factor to mistrust in the health care system The risk groups that are affected when mistrust occurs are the patients. Individuals who are mistrustful of the healthcare are likely to delay seeking medical attention. Even though they may urgently need it, they keep postponing the access to medical care.

The patient may also end up delaying treatment; this may result to worsening their condition making it more expensive and hard to treat. When there is mistrust, patients are likely to make accusations of malpractice by their medical practitioners. This in turn leads to delayed attention and further damage to the most needed element in the healthcare system, trust. Although doctors, the healthcare institutions and the entire society at