Why patients trust some health plans — but abandon others

Trust in a health plan isn't built in the fine print of a benefits packet — it's built, or broken, in the handful of high-stress moments when a member actually needs help. A new survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers from mPulse puts hard numbers behind that idea: 88% say real-time or near real-time digital support matters, and nearly a third say their trust dropped after a stressful health care experience gone wrong.

The findings echo a theme that keeps surfacing across the industry. As one recent analysis on why health care organizations need to build trust to drive digital transformation points out, trust is a two-way exchange: patients share sensitive information, and they expect something useful back in return. That dynamic only gets harder as more interactions move online, which is also why physicians exploring virtual care as a trust-building tool have found that thoughtful execution matters more than the technology itself.

The slideshow below breaks down what's actually driving — and eroding — member trust, including a generational split in who gets frustrated with digital tools, and four concrete strategies health plans can use to close the gap.