Six Simple Ways We Build Trust During Your ER Visit

Building Trust in the Emergency Room: What Your Doctor Wants You to Know

This post was originally shared on LinkedIn and has been adapted for our emergency department patients on MyERVisit.com.

Visiting the emergency room can be a scary and overwhelming experience. You might be in pain, worried about what's wrong, or unsure what to expect. As emergency doctors, we want you to know that building trust with you is one of our top priorities—and it doesn't take years of training to achieve that. It takes seconds.

Here are six simple phrases we use to build trust with you right away, and what they mean for your care:

1. "Hello [your name], I am Dr. [doctor's name]."

Why this matters: Using names creates an instant connection. When you know your doctor's name and they use yours, studies show that patients feel more understood and cared for. We want you to see us as real people who are here to help you.

2. "Tell me what brought you in today?" (and then we should listen for at least 22 seconds)

Why this matters: We know you have a story to tell about what's happening to you. Most doctors interrupt patients after about 11 seconds, but patients need about 22 seconds to get to the real point of what's bothering them. When we give you that extra time to talk, it shows we're really listening to you.

3. "I can see you're in real pain. Let's get you more comfortable."

Why this matters: We believe you when you tell us you're hurting. Acknowledging what you're going through and then taking action to help builds trust faster than any test we could run. Your experience matters to us.

4. "Here is what I think we should test for and why."

Why this matters: We explain our plan early so you understand what's happening. We'll tell you what tests we want to run and why we think they're important. When you understand the plan from the start, you can be part of the decision-making process.

5. "I know this is scary, but we will figure this out together."

Why this matters: We understand that being in the emergency room can be frightening. Many doctors miss emotional cues from patients, but we want you to know we see that you're worried or scared. We're here to work with you as a team.

6. "It's safe for you to go home" (and we explain why).

Why this matters: When it's time for you to leave, we make sure you understand that you're safe to go home and why we believe that. This reassurance helps you feel confident about the care plan and what to do next.

One More Thing: We Sit Down When We Can

You might notice that when possible, we try to sit down when we talk with you. Studies show that when doctors sit, patients feel like the visit lasted longer and that their doctor spent more time with them - even though sitting visits are actually shorter! It's a simple way to show we're focused on you.

The Bottom Line

Trust isn't built by the diplomas on our wall. It's built by the words we use and how we make you feel during your visit. Our goal is to make sure you feel seen, heard, and cared for from the moment you arrive until you're ready to go home.

We know that coming to the emergency room isn't easy, but we want you to know that earning your trust and providing excellent care is what we're here for - every single day.