Why trust matters in CCM and RPM adoption

𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁. A fundamental barrier to tech adoption in healthcare. 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁. 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆. And for good reason - people’s lives are at stake. But the real issue isn’t just regulatory hurdles or procurement cycles, it’s that clinicians and patients don’t yet trust new systems enough to let go of the old ones. Here’s why trust is one of the biggest bottlenecks in healthcare innovation: 𝗘𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. No matter how advanced, new tech is only as useful as the confidence clinicians have in it. If it’s not explainable, it’s not actionable. 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ≠ 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. Even the safest self-driving cars can be undone by a single accident. AI can be statistically safer than human decision-making, but trust is fragile. 1 failure can have tragic consequences. In healthcare, automation needs continuous oversight and regulation. 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 ≠ 𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. The NHS still uses faxes and bleeps because familiarity feels safer than change, even when the new option is objectively better (we love some psychology). Risk aversion drives decision-making, so new solutions need to feel not just better, but safer. Adoption happens when change feels low-risk, low-effort, and avoids major upheaval - positioning products this way is just as important as building them. 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. Compliance isn’t just a hurdle; it’s a trust signal. The best innovations embrace assurance and ongoing validation to prove long-term safety and efficacy. Regulatory approval is a moment in time, but trust requires ongoing assurance. Clinicians need to know a system won’t just work today, but that it will be continually monitored, refined, and validated as data evolves. 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀. Healthcare and corporate priorities don’t always align. Public health values equity and quality care, while businesses focus on ROI and scale. Overuse of corporate jargon can alienate clinicians & healthcare customers, creating resistance to change. Trust grows when solutions are person-centred and when financial incentives are aligned with better patient outcomes. 𝗣𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝘅: throwback to the never-ending corridors on night shifts on-call. Walked thousands of times by staff who trust the way things have always been done. Creating change in a system with deep-rooted behaviours is about building assurance, evidence and relationships.

It's common for some businesses and their employees to be wary of new technologies. While this reluctance might seem like a barrier to technology adoption, it actually offers leaders a chance to foster trust and transparency. Implementing a comprehensive change management strategy that pays attention to employee concerns and solicits their input is vital for the successful implementation of new technologies. For instance, when the nurses at a hospital in Taiwan were hesitant about the new copilots, leadership actively addressed their worries about being replaced by machines. With direct interaction, they showcased how copilots could enhance their efficiency in patient care.    Today, out of the hospital’s 2,000 nurses, half are utilizing a copilot, and they're joined by numerous doctors, pharmacists, and nutritionists who are also experiencing increased productivity and seeing a reduction in time spent on routine tasks every week. By cultivating trust throughout the process of adopting AI, the hospital's leadership has laid the groundwork for ongoing innovation. I look forward to seeing how they will continue to leverage this technology to better the experiences of healthcare personnel and patients. 

No Trust, No Transformation. Period. AI is becoming ready for the healthcare frontlines. But without trust, it stays in the demo room. At every conference, HIMSS, HLTH Inc., Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM), and even yesterday’s HLTH Europe’s Transformation Summit tech dazzles. AI, cloud, interoperability...are ready to take the stage. And yet, one thing lingers in every room: TRUST. We celebrate the breakthroughs and innovation, but quietly wonder: Will clinicians actually adopt this? Will patients accept it? It’s unmistakable…If we don’t solve the trust gap, digital tools remain in demo stage, not becoming an adopted solution! This World Economic Forum & Boston Consulting Group (BCG) white paper was mentioned yesterday at the health transformation summit by Ben Horner and was heavily discussed during our round table conversation at the summit. It lays out a bold vision for building trust in health AI and it couldn’t come at a more urgent time. Healthcare systems are under pressure, and AI offers real promise. But without trust, that promise risks falling flat. Here are some of the key points summarized by AI from the report “Earning Trust for AI in Health”: • Today’s regulatory frameworks are outdated: They were built for static devices, not evolving AI systems. • AI governance must evolve: Through regulatory sandboxes, life-cycle monitoring, and post-market surveillance. • Technical literacy is key: Many health leaders don’t fully understand AI’s risks or capabilities. That must change. • Public–private partnerships are essential: To co-develop guidelines, test frameworks, and ensure real-world impact. • Global coordination is lacking: Diverging regulations risk limiting access and innovation, especially in low-resource settings. Why it matters: AI will not transform healthcare unless we embed trust, transparency, and accountability into every layer from data to IT deployment. That means clinicians/hcps need upskilling, regulators need new tools, and innovators must be part of the solution, not just the source of disruption. The real innovation? Building systems that are as dynamic as the technology itself. Enjoy the read and let me know your thoughts…