Emily Hirsch and Marjani Williams
Emily Hirsch and Marjani Williams co-authored this article.

It’s no surprise that more than half of Americans use the Internet to search for healthcare information online—but did you know only 30 percent trust that information? According to a recent survey of 243 U.S. adults aged 18+ conducted in September by G&S Business Communications, that’s the trust gap healthcare companies are facing.

We work with clients in the healthcare business every day, but we’re all also healthcare consumers. We acutely understand the complexities of the healthcare industry that contribute to these challenges as both communicators and users, and we use our expertise and experience to help our clients build the reputational equity they need to maximize their impact.

The truth is that effective communication is one of the most powerful tools the healthcare industry can use to bridge the trust gap, especially in this age of rampant dis- and misinformation. Healthcare organizations, especially providers like health systems, require smart solutions that remove barriers to access, empower consumers with the right information and ultimately help them improve health outcomes equitably.

Building trust

Health is deeply personal to each of us, and our relationship with healthcare works best when it’s built on a foundation of trust. The Internet is now routinely a healthcare organization’s first venue for connection and information sharing. It’s also a space in which reputation and trust can be both built and torn down. Before a conversation with a health professional, most people today search online for information about a condition they or a loved one might have, whether their insurance covers a medication or procedure or how expensive it might be. But it can be hard to find the right answers or know which sources to trust. According to our survey, accuracy (79.84 percent) and trustworthiness (67.90 percent) are the most important factors when considering online healthcare information.

Healthcare organizations should strive to become a primary and trusted source of information as well as the easiest to understand. They can do this by more intentionally using data available about their audiences to tailor content and develop smart media strategies. This is often discussed but rarely put into practice in a consistent and strategic manner.

This article is featured in O'Dwyer's Oct. Healthcare & Medical PR Magazine

Digital analysis: Routinely review user search behavior to literally meet people where they are relative to channels, devices, geographies, demographics and more. Find out what terms people are looking for and how they’re phrasing questions instead of relying on technical medical jargon.

Owned: Use this information to improve the relevance of owned content and increase the use of keywords to rank more highly in search engine results—as well as to ensure content makes sense to those most likely to read and need it.

Earned: Position experts with media contacts to comment on these same issues, building credibility and adding a human touch. And train those experts to communicate clearly and authentically to foster audience connection.

Social: Build community, share engaging stories and relate in real time. Put people at the center of the healthcare story.

This strategic communications approach creates a simple but effective foundation for healthcare businesses to build upon, but no strategy is one-size-fits-all. Organizations must dig deeper with clients to help them align their core values and represent themselves authentically to build connections to their brand.

However, it’s hard to discuss communications in 2024 without acknowledging the rise of misinformation and how it broadly erodes trust. Bots, AI, clickbait and self-proclaimed experts have quickly changed the dynamic on social media and across the Web, making it harder than ever for people to decipher fact from fiction. It’s critical to think through the impact and virality of misinformation and how we prioritize combatting untruths reactively and proactively.

There are many other considerations beyond media that impact trust in healthcare. For example, communities of color and many rural populations have historically endured negative healthcare experiences and many of these challenges remain. Organizations must take a holistic and transparent approach to navigating nuances among vulnerable populations with openness, sensitivity and creativity.

Empowering healthcare consumers

Healthcare consumers want partnership, not paternalism. They want to be actively involved in the decisions that matter most to them. In addition to building credibility, we know that serving up thorough and clear information empowers consumers to be better advocates for their own health. Arming consumers with the right information upfront better prepares them to actively participate in their healthcare, which studies show leads to better clinical outcomes.

As consumers’ healthcare needs continue to evolve, the healthcare industry must plan carefully and move quickly to meet these moments of change and ensure communications remain fresh and easy to access and understand. According to individuals we surveyed, a significant majority (59 percent) believe it’s extremely important that healthcare information is easily accessible. Furthermore, clear calls to action (65 percent) and user-friendly websites (56 percent) are the most effective methods to drive them from information to action.

Organizations should seek to make the customer experience as easy as possible and offer solutions to unmet needs. The healthcare industry has started to embrace the concept of “consumerizing” and enhancing the “ease of use”—making systems more intuitive, easier to access, understand and use. Systems that were once complicated and opaque are becoming more accessible, such as online portals to access health records or test results, scheduling virtual telehealth appointments, etc.

Achieving this consumer focus includes reducing and simplifying complicated technical language, redesigning websites to make information more accessible and creating quizzes or interactive experiences that deliver personalized results and move patients along a customized interactive journey.

The healthcare industry of the future must be built on a foundation of trust and consumer empowerment that is bolstered by effective communication. Consumers today are clear about what they want and need from healthcare businesses and providers. It’s up to the leaders in these spaces to prioritize strategic listening, analysis and content strategies to build trust and share information beyond clinical settings and transactional encounters.

As the healthcare industry evolves, communications professionals will continue to be critical advisors to help combat misinformation and navigate the complex challenges that create barriers to access, especially among vulnerable populations. A unique understanding of the healthcare system as both users and communications experts will help prepare our clients today for the challenges of the future.

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Emily Hirsch and Marjani Williams are senior leaders in the G&S Business Communications healthcare practice.