Who Americans Trust in Healthcare — And Who’s Actually Speaking

The 2026 SachsHEALTH Influence Index, created by Sachs Media division,reveals a striking disconnect at the heart of U.S. healthcare communications: the voices Americans trust most are largely absent from the public conversation, while the ones they trust least are dominating it.

The inaugural SachsHEALTH Influence Index, based on a national survey of 2,500 U.S. adults, introduces a concept the firm calls the “Influence Gap” — the divide between who Americans believe currently shapes the healthcare narrative and who they think should.

The findings are stark. Only 26% of Americans say doctors and nurses are among the most influential voices in healthcare today, yet 58% say they should be. Patient advocacy nonprofits and scientists show similar gaps. Meanwhile, insurers hold 51% perceived influence — but just 15% of Americans think they should.

That gap has real behavioral consequences. In the past year, 42% of Americans deliberately acted against their clinician’s recommendations due to distrust in the healthcare system. That means they were avoiding treatments, delaying vaccines, skipping tests, or changing medication on their own.

The report also identifies which messengers are most effective at changing minds on health policy. A personal doctor or clinician tops the list at 50%, followed by independent research organizations at 32%.

Importantly, trust in the system overall has not collapsed — it has shifted. Americans still trust their own doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and local health departments. The challenge for communicators is bridging the gap between that local trust and the broader public conversation.

The full SachsHEALTH Influence Index is available as a free download at SachsHEALTH Influence Index>