The Complex Role of Patient Trust in Oncology

This book presents a comprehensive portrait of trust in medicine and oncology. Trust is vital to medical care. It is linked to treatment recommendation adherence, continuity of care, and even treatment efficacy under certain scenarios, and is distinct from other commonly measured patient-reported outcomes that are used to drive medical practice, such as patient satisfaction. Cancer care highlights many of the issues with trust that all clinicians confront and brings to light the interplay of technology, rapidly advancing treatments, and readily available information consumed by patients and families that may complicate clinician-patient communication.

Each chapter highlights a different aspect of trust in the medical setting, many of which are specific to oncology. For example, trust is fundamental to the first encounter with an oncologist. The anatomy of that encounter is explored. The elements of trust are investigated, from the institutional or fiduciary perspective to the nuancesof the personal and individual encounters with patients. Several key factors are relevant to trust within these encounters, such as the patient’s background, attachment style, and perception of ethically responsible commitment. Further chapters cover topics like the proliferation of false information, health inequities, and patient-centered care.

The Complex Role of Patient Trust in Oncology will be of great interest to oncologists, psychiatrists, internists, and any healthcare professional interested in the role of trust in patient care.