Trust in Healthcare

This entry examines the conceptual issues and empirical research regarding patients' trust in healthcare. First, the meaning of the concept trust is explained. Second, the impact of trust in healthcare systems is explained, and the elements of trust that may be particularly important in this context are discussed. Finally, several relevant results that emerge from a review of the literature on the topic are described.

Concept

Trust has been defined as “the optimistic acceptance of a vulnerable situation in which the trustor believes that the trustee will care for the trustor's interests.” According to Lucy Gilson, this definition emphasizes several key features of trust. First, it implies that trust is a relational notion; that is, it emerges from a set of interpersonal behaviors. These behaviors are ...

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