(first published on AnCanSpeak substack; subscribe for free)
Less than 50% of Patients trust their Providers. Now that’s a handpicked statistic from a survey conducted during Covid and published in JAMA Network in 2024. Healthcare professionals amongst our readers may have grounds to push back. That said, AnCan’s frequent experience from virtual conversations in our daily groups corroborates that anecdotally perhaps half our participants doubt the medical advice received. Our own 2024 survey backs that up. From our GU ASCO 2026 abstract4:
Seventy percent brought information from AnCan to their providers, 49% added new providers, and 40% changed their lead provider. Over half (54%) reported AnCan influenced their treatment path.
That doesn’t bode well for a trusting Patient-Provider relationship!
“Medicine is characterized by an inherent asymmetry of information and power between physicians and patients.” And goes on to say: “Demonstrating trustworthiness and restoring trust… requires reconsidering the balance of power between patients and health care professionals.”
This brings to mind a cartoon AnCan has employed in presentations:
Both JAMA pieces agree that our system is broken. They recite a fact that AnCan has previously noted… on average Providers interrupt Patients after a median of 11 seconds. In front of Providers, Patients can’t even begin to collect our thoughts, never mind express them.
The article troops out a whole bunch of remedies. Starting with teaching HCPs how to listen, it moves to improving health systems so you actually see your doc – not a surrogate practitioner, encouraging longer patient visits – so Providers have time to listen, and address mis- and disinformation. On a more grandiose scale, the article points out that differences in wealth, insurance status and education also influence Patient-Provider trust levels.
The closest either article comes to balancing the scales between Patient and Provider is to say:
Empowering patients through patient education and skill building, increased transparency in care, and shared clinical decision-making would also increase the collaboration in physician-patient relationships. Mutual partnerships between patients and their physicians may foster more stable patient trust instead of requiring patients to take a more tenuous leap of faith.
Noble words, but who is to take on this Sisyphean task?
AnCan likes to think we lead the way. Name one other organization whose mission is to make you your own best advocate. Already this week we fielded one call from a longtime legal Volunteer whose trust in an inestimable Medical Institution was violated because the Provider they spoke to committed the inexcusable and cardinal sin of simply failing to read the file. Or another Participant, a Medical Provider himself, who needed advice because an Institution was knowingly yet improperly billing him.
Being your own best advocate may not fully restore trust in our health system, but it goes a long way to leveling the playing field. It certainly improves patients’ self-esteem and in doing so, makes us feel immeasurably better.
rick davis rd@ancan.org
References
Perlis RH, Ognyanova K, Uslu A, et al. Trust in physicians and hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic in a 50-state survey of US adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(7):e2424984. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.24984
Even little me speaks to a lot of people, some of whom have Prostate Cancer. And advanced Prostate Cancer and many of them are not acting as their own best advocate. It’s very important that people learn to take control and own and deal with their disease.
Maybe it’s a little long winded and boring, but it took me a year or 2, into my stage, 4, Prostate Cancer. Before I really took control and had one of those aggressive and idiot doctors who told me” i am a ph d in oncology, and you are a beginning student, ” and he tried to dictate to me everything, including his team of radiological, oncology, and his drugs and his procedures, and I watched a number of his patients who I know personally, because I worked with them die without doing all the things they could. Anyway, after a year two I was seeing consulting with good doctors and dana farber and at sloan, and I switched from advisors to sloan and very happy with my oncologist now…. It is very important for people to come to visit. Taking ownership and managing as their own number one, advocate. Okay, I’ll stop boring you because my doorbell is ringing. Thank you bye!”
Active Surveillance Prostate Cancer Video Chat, October 28th, 2026
AnCan is grateful to the following sponsors for making this recording possible: Novartis, Blue Earth Diagnostics, Telix, and Foundation Medicine.
Active Surveillance (AS) for low-risk prostate cancer involves unique challenges compared to other treatments. This online support group is designed for men and their caregivers who are currently on or considering AS. We hold four meetings monthly, recording only the second and fourth sessions. Our discussions cover a wide range of topics, including anxiety management, biopsy experiences, and the decision-making process around continuing or discontinuing AS. Newcomers are given priority to share their experiences, so we encourage you to join us.
You can find out more about our 12 monthly prostate cancer meetings at https://ancan.org/prostate-cancer/. Sign up to receive a weekly Reminder/Newsletter for this Group or others at https://ancan.org/contact-us/.
Active Surveillance Prostate Cancer Video Chat, October 14th, 2026
AnCan is grateful to the following sponsors for making this recording possible: Novartis, Blue Earth Diagnostics, Telix, and Foundation Medicine.
Active Surveillance (AS) for low-risk prostate cancer involves unique challenges compared to other treatments. This online support group is designed for men and their caregivers who are currently on or considering AS. We hold four meetings monthly, recording only the second and fourth sessions. Our discussions cover a wide range of topics, including anxiety management, biopsy experiences, and the decision-making process around continuing or discontinuing AS. Newcomers are given priority to share their experiences, so we encourage you to join us.
You can find out more about our 12 monthly prostate cancer meetings at https://ancan.org/prostate-cancer/. Sign up to receive a weekly Reminder/Newsletter for this Group or others at https://ancan.org/contact-us/.
Chat Log:
Hugh Houston 8:12 PM
https://ancan.org/prostate-cancer-and-gu-pathology-2nd-opinions/ • Jonathan Epstein, MD, Advanced Uro Pathology T: 516-760-2037 (jepstein@imppllc.com) https://advanceduropathology.com • Ming Zhou, MD, PHD, Mount Sinai (NYC) Health T: 516-760-2037 Ming.zhou@mountsinai.org • Jesse McKenney, MD, Cleveland Clinic https://clevelandcliniclabs.com/healthcare-provider-resources/pathology/ • Johns Hopkins Pathology https://pathology.jhu.edu/patient-care/second-opinions
Phil Segal 8:13 PM
mskaeley@gmail.com
Phil Segal 8:15 PM
dmclachlan@gmail.com
Ed C in California 8:18 PM
My charge from Dr Jonathan Epstein was $900 without an insurance payment
Active Surveillance Prostate Cancer Video Chat, September 23rd, 2026
AnCan is grateful to the following sponsors for making this recording possible: Novartis, Blue Earth Diagnostics, Telix, and Foundation Medicine.
Active Surveillance (AS) for low-risk prostate cancer involves unique challenges compared to other treatments. This online support group is designed for men and their caregivers who are currently on or considering AS. We hold four meetings monthly, recording only the second and fourth sessions. Our discussions cover a wide range of topics, including anxiety management, biopsy experiences, and the decision-making process around continuing or discontinuing AS. Newcomers are given priority to share their experiences, so we encourage you to join us.
You can find out more about our 12 monthly prostate cancer meetings at https://ancan.org/prostate-cancer/. Sign up to receive a weekly Reminder/Newsletter for this Group or others at https://ancan.org/contact-us/.
Chat Log:
Rick Davis 8:16 PM
Insurance denial webinar https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4R0lFIupRhuh4bmfrzjBaA#/registration
Rick Davis 8:38 PM
The Active Surveillor https://howardwolinsky.substack.com/
Eric- Atlanta 8:39 PM
GU Pathology 2nd Opinions: https://ancan.org/prostate-cancer-and-gu-pathology-2nd-opinions/
Eric- Atlanta 8:54 PM
https://aspatients.org
Eric- Atlanta 8:54 PM
ASPI is all about active surveillance
Ed (VA) 8:55 PM
I need to drop off at 9 Eastern. I will share in the next meeting in 2 weeks.
Eric- Atlanta 8:56 PM
https://pcri.org The Prostate Cancer Research Institute
Ray E Santa Monica CA 9:03 PM
I am taking off
Rick Davis 9:05 PM
Here’s our AnCan webinar with Klotz and Carroll https://ancan.org/webinar-is-pre-treatment-active-surveillance-for-prostate-cancer-safe/
Rick Davis 9:06 PM
and Klotz on focal therapy on AnCan https://ancan.org/webinar-is-focal-therapy-right-for-your-prostate-cancer/
Eric- Atlanta 9:13 PM
Dr. Liss/Microbiome: https://ancan.org/dr-michael-liss-on-gut-microbiomes-040225/
Rick Davis 9:15 PM
AnCan Michael Liss’ seminar on gut microbiome https://ancan.org/dr-michael-liss-on-gut-microbiomes-040225/
Eric- Atlanta 9:22 PM
Special Presentation: Exercise After Prostate Cancer: Active Surveillance and Beyond: https://ancan.org/special-presentation-exercise-after-prostate-cancer-active-surveillance-and-beyond/
Barry Dixon 9:23 PM
gotta go. Good night. Barry
Eric- Atlanta 9:23 PM
Also: https://ancan.org/evidence-that-vigorous-exercise-may-alter-the-course-of-prostate-cancer/
Joel _ Manassas, VA 9:29 PM
Good to hear our discussions tonight. Thanks to all. Goodnight.
Active Surveillance Prostate Cancer Video Chat, September 9th, 2026
AnCan is grateful to the following sponsors for making this recording possible: Novartis, Blue Earth Diagnostics, Telix, and Foundation Medicine.
Active Surveillance (AS) for low-risk prostate cancer involves unique challenges compared to other treatments. This online support group is designed for men and their caregivers who are currently on or considering AS. We hold four meetings monthly, recording only the second and fourth sessions. Our discussions cover a wide range of topics, including anxiety management, biopsy experiences, and the decision-making process around continuing or discontinuing AS. Newcomers are given priority to share their experiences, so we encourage you to join us.
Active Surveillance Prostate Cancer Video Chat, August 26th, 2026
AnCan is grateful to the following sponsors for making this recording possible: Novartis, Blue Earth Diagnostics, Telix, and Foundation Medicine.
Active Surveillance (AS) for low-risk prostate cancer involves unique challenges compared to other treatments. This online support group is designed for men and their caregivers who are currently on or considering AS. We hold four meetings monthly, recording only the second and fourth sessions. Our discussions cover a wide range of topics, including anxiety management, biopsy experiences, and the decision-making process around continuing or discontinuing AS. Newcomers are given priority to share their experiences, so we encourage you to join us.
