Trust is the foundation of effective and, more importantly, proactive healthcare. Think about it: patients tend to share sensitive details about their lives, such as symptoms, routines, and health data, only when they believe their information will be used responsibly. Yet across Europe and beyond, trust in the healthcare system has been weakened by outdated data frameworks, costly inefficiencies, and the perception that institutions might prioritize financial benefits over patient needs. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), on average, only 62% of all respondents living with one or more chronic health conditions have trust in their healthcare system. It is already proven that higher levels of trust are associated with better health and clinical experiences. The key question is which policies to implement to increase healthcare trust?
Previously, we covered only partially healthcare trust in our volume-based vs. patient-centric practices blog post. In this blog post, based on the chapter of our playbook “Before It Hurts”, we cover why trust is important in healthcare, how transparency and privacy form the backbone of trust, the five OECD trust drivers that further shape confidence, and finally, how healthcare organizations can put these principles into practice to strengthen patient relationships and deliver better outcomes.
Trust is a practical determinant of how healthcare systems function. But what is trust? OECD describes trust as a person’s belief that another person or institution will act consistently with their expectations of positive behaviour, even in cases when the outcomes or the actions to produce them cannot be verified. When that trust breaks down, participation falls, and so negative consequences emerge:
This erosion of engagement not only affects individual outcomes but also creates inefficiencies at the system level. On the contrary, systems that safeguard data and act transparently build credibility. When patients understand and believe in how their information is used, positive effects follow: more openness to data sharing, higher adherence to treatments, greater willingness to participate in wellness programs, and stronger long-term relationships between patients and healthcare providers. For more information on how early prevention pays off in the future, you can visit our blog post here!
In our playbook, we already emphasize that transparency builds accountability and strengthens the bond between patients, providers, and insurers. To be clear, transparency is more than publishing policies, it means giving individuals visibility into the entire lifecycle of their data. Patients need to understand:
Transparency also means clarity about data limitations, risks, and trade-offs. When information is framed in plain, accessible language, patients feel respected and empowered to make informed decisions about sharing their data. This sense of ownership tends to foster stronger participation in digital health programs.
European initiatives highlight how tangible benefits reinforce trust. Programs like Germany’s TK-Fit or Poland’s PZU Zdrowie demonstrate that when transparent data use is paired with clear value, such as premium discounts, personalized preventive plans, or simplified access to services, patients are more willing to engage. This shows that transparency is not only about disclosure, but about connecting responsible data practices with real-world advantages for the individual.
When organizations commit to this level of openness, they reduce uncertainty, minimize skepticism, and establish a foundation for long-term trust. Patients begin to view their data as a tool for empowerment rather than a resource being extracted without consent. In turn, providers and insurers gain access to richer, more reliable data streams, supporting better decision-making, fairer risk assessments, and improved health outcomes. In total, transparency transforms data exchange from a transaction into a partnership, creating alignment across the healthcare ecosystem.
Privacy frameworks such as GDPR and national acts (e.g., Germany’s SGB V or France’s Loi Informatique et Libertés) ensure that data is collected with explicit consent, handled securely, and applied only for clearly defined purposes. These frameworks set the legal and ethical boundaries within which healthcare organizations must operate. Rather than acting as barriers to innovation, they create a stable environment of certainty that allows insurers, digital health companies, and providers to design new services without risking misuse of information.
Privacy by design means embedding protections into every stage of the data lifecycle. This includes end-to-end encryption of sensitive information, strict role-based access controls that limit who can view or modify data, and detailed consent mechanisms that allow patients to decide what is shared and with whom. It also involves regular audits, compliance checks, and transparent reporting to ensure that standards are met consistently.
By demonstrating these safeguards, organizations signal respect for patients’ autonomy and dignity. They show that personal data is treated not as a commodity but as a protected asset that belongs to the individual. This, in turn, creates the conditions for sustainable engagement, as patients who feel secure are more likely to share data over time, enabling richer insights, stronger preventive strategies, and more effective personalization of care. For more information on health data frameworks, check our blog post here!
Drawing from OECD’s framework on trust in public institutions and our playbook, there are five essential drivers that apply directly to healthcare. Each of these pillars strengthens patient confidence and creates a more resilient healthcare system:
By embedding these principles into healthcare operations, organizations can move from transactional service delivery to genuine partnerships with patients. They can also demonstrate accountability to regulators, insurers, and society as a whole, creating a comprehensive trust ecosystem that supports both individual care and population health management.
Rebuilding trust in healthcare requires more than compliance; it requires clarity, fairness, and shared value. Data transparency shows patients how their information is used; data privacy ensures it is handled securely; and the five trust drivers: responsiveness, reliability, integrity, openness, and fairness turn principles into practice. When patients see both protection and benefits, they engage more deeply, outcomes improve, and costs are contained.
At Thryve, we empower healthcare innovators to use patient data responsibly. We aim to help insurers and providers rebuild trust while driving preventive, personalized care. With our specially designed API, we are able to make data collection and integration fast and secure. We offer:
Book a demo with Thryve to see how secure, transparent data use can transform trust into better health outcomes.
Download our playbook for free here!
Paul Burggraf, co-founder and Chief Science Officer at Thryve, is the brain behind all health analytics at Thryve and drives our research partnerships with the German government and leading healthcare institutions. As an economical engineer turned strategy consultant, prior to Thryve, he built the foundational forecasting models for multi-billion investments of big utilities using complex system dynamics. Besides applying model analytics and analytical research to health sensors, he’s a guest lecturer at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences in the Life Science Master „Modelling of Complex Systems“
