6 Ways to Build Trust and Rapport With Patients
Building trust with patients requires specific skills that healthcare professionals can develop through intentional practice. This article presents expert-backed strategies that enhance patient relationships and improve healthcare outcomes. From creating welcoming environments to communicating medical information clearly, these six approaches help practitioners establish the foundation for effective care.
Welcome Patients with Warmth and Empathy
I believe the foundation of strong doctor-patient relationships starts with making patients feel genuinely comfortable from the moment they walk through our doors. My approach involves greeting each patient with a warm smile and using appropriate humor when suitable to help reduce any anxiety they might be feeling. Throughout the appointment, I make it a priority to provide clear explanations and reassurance, always maintaining an empathetic tone that acknowledges their concerns and makes them feel supported.
Validate Emotions and Request Permission
Establishing strong patient-doctor relationships is critical for successfully providing patient care. I build trust with my patients through many mechanisms to acknowledge their thoughts and feelings. I find naming the emotions present during our interactions validates their experiences and creates a foundation for honest communication. This approach helps patients feel understood and respected, rather than just another case to manage. Additionally, I make it a practice to ask permission before beginning examinations or discussions about sensitive topics, which demonstrates respect for their autonomy and personal boundaries. These techniques have consistently improved patient satisfaction in my practice and created stronger doctor-patient relationships built with mutual respect.
Create Safe Spaces Through Active Listening
I build trust with clients by creating a safe, nonjudgmental space where clients feel heard and respected. Active listening, empathy, and transparency are key. I collaborate with clients on their goals, honor their pace, and communicate openly—fostering a relationship grounded in mutual respect, authenticity, and genuine care for their well-being.
Explain Health Conditions in Accessible Terms
One of the main things I do to build trust with patients is take time to explain what is going on with their health in a way that actually makes sense to them. Even if it is a common condition, I never assume they already know and try to make sure they feel heard and that they understand the "why" behind everything we are doing. That moment improves the relationship with the patient and the outcome. When people understand their condition, they are more likely to trust the plan and follow it through.
Julio Baute, MD
Clinical Content & Evidence-Based Medicine Consultant
invigormedical.com
Communicate Clearly Beyond the Report
As a pediatric teleradiologist, I never physically see my patients--yet I've learned that trust starts with how I communicate my findings to the referring physicians and, when needed, directly to families. Early in my career at Nicklaus Children's Hospital, I made it a point to pick up the phone for critical or unexpected findings rather than just sending a report. That single conversation often prevented confusion and showed the care team I was invested in the child's outcome, not just checking boxes.
One specific thing I do now at South Florida Radiology is include plain-language explanations in my reports when appropriate, especially for pediatric cases. Parents are often the ones reading these reports online before they even speak to their doctor, and medical jargon creates anxiety. When I explain what a finding means and what the next step typically is, families feel less in the dark. I've had referring physicians tell me parents specifically mentioned feeling reassured by how the report was written.
During the pandemic drop in volume that almost shut down my practice, I also learned that showing up consistently--even when it's hard--builds trust over time. I stayed accessible to my hospital partners, adjusted turnaround times, and kept communication open about our capacity. That reliability became our reputation, and it's why we now have 50+ hospital partnerships and won the Best of Doral Award in 2022.
Foster Calm Environments With Reliable Care
A powerful way to build trust and strengthen patient/doctor relationships is through the creation of a calm, respectful, and emotionally safe clinical environment. Patients are often navigating complex emotions surrounding their diagnoses and may carry apprehension rooted in previous healthcare experiences. Demonstrating steady, composed presence and conveying genuine respect for each patient's dignity fosters an atmosphere in which openness naturally develops. Reassuring patients that their care is receiving undivided attention can look like a carefully paced interaction, coupled with nonverbal cues such as sustained eye contact and attentive posture. Trust is also reinforced through reliability and follow-through. Patients develop confidence in their physicians when promises are honored, results are communicated promptly, and questions receive thoughtful, thorough answers. Over time, this consistent demonstration of respect and reliability builds a stable foundation of trust that deepens the therapeutic alliance and enhances the overall quality of care.
