Trust in physicians and medical leaders has steadily declined over the past few decades, with only a quarter of Americans having confidence in the healthcare system.

Those who trust their providers are often healthier than those who don’t. According to the New York Times, trust in physicians has fallen from three-fourths in 1966 to 34 percent today. More notably, only a third of Americans trust the healthcare system to provide accurate information in the event of an outbreak.

Another possible reason for this decline is the uncertainty about a healthcare system's ability to ensure the security and privacy of patient’s electronic medical records and personal data. This barrier to physician trust extends into telehealth utilization as patients are unsure on the accuracy of diagnosis made through a screen rather than in person.

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