The role of acknowledgment in rebuilding trust.

Mahadevan, Smrithi; Shore, Caroline; Hilton, Kate B; Martin, Lindsay; Taylor, Lauren A · J Hosp Med · 2026

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Abstract

In response to declining public trust in healthcare institutions, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation (ABIMF) began a collaborative to identify changes that healthcare organizations could make to regain the trust of their care teams and communities. Using IHI and ABIMF's theory of change as a guide, six healthcare organizations tested this framework on-site and shared lessons learned, identifying the critical role of not just acknowledging past breaches but also demonstrating accountability as crucial steps to strengthening trust. The experiences of three healthcare organizations are summarized here.