Using Improv Techniques to Improve Patient Trust

You can be the most skilled doctor, nurse, or therapist in the world, but if your patient doesn’t trust you, that skill won’t matter. Trust is the foundation of any therapeutic relationship. Without it, patients are less likely to follow your recommendations, engage in treatment, or see results.

A recent study from Northeastern University found that public trust in healthcare providers dropped from 71.5 percent in April 2020 to 40.1 percent in January 2024.¹ That’s a staggering shift, and a call to action. If we want to deliver effective care, we need to rebuild that trust and reconnect with our patients.

One surprisingly effective tool? Improv comedy.

Improv techniques—like the "Yes, And" approach—can help providers strengthen communication and create a more collaborative, supportive atmosphere. At its core, improv is about building trust and supporting responsiveness. When improvisers don’t trust each other, the scene does not move forward. The same can be true in healthcare: When patients don’t trust their provider, progress slows, and care suffers.

By borrowing simple tools from improv—like finding common ground, matching tone, and staying authentic—we can build stronger, more human connections that drive patient-centered care.

Trust as the foundation of patient-centered care

Patient-centered care focuses on the whole patient experience and the relationship between patients and their healthcare providers.² It puts the patient in a place where they are a part of the team, instead of being just a client having services rendered to them. It means treating the whole person, not just the diagnosis, and viewing the patient as a partner in their care.

This model only works when there’s trust. Patients are more likely to participate actively in their care when they feel heard, respected, and valued. But that trust isn’t automatic—especially if the patient is skeptical, fearful, or has had negative experiences in the past.

As providers, we need to earn that trust. That starts with listening, showing empathy, and building a real human connection, something improv helps us do more intentionally.

Finding connection through common ground 

Sometimes, the quickest path to trust is a simple shared interest. A favorite movie. A local sports team. A shared opinion about the local transit system (yes, even that). These small moments of connection lower defenses and help patients feel more comfortable being honest.

How often do we see patients wait until the third or fourth visit to share something important, a detail they were embarrassed to say at first? Finding common ground earlier can accelerate trust, allowing you to make more informed clinical decisions and tailor care more effectively.

As Ted Lasso once said, “Be curious, not judgmental.” When you approach each interaction with curiosity, looking for what you and the patient might have in common, you create the space for trust to grow. Odds are, you have something in common with every patient you see—you just need to find it. Approaching conversation with this attitude can really help the patient trust you more and help them see themselves in you.

Agreement as a starting point

When we think about peas in a pod, we think about Scooby and Shaggy, Andy and Ollie Pesto, and Romy White and Michelle Weinberger. These are chartacters that work so well together because they can just effortlessly build off each other and operate in the highest level of agreement. That same principle applies in improv—and in patient care.

Improv actors can often perform seamlessly with someone they’ve just met because they lead with agreement. Similarly, when you agree with or share an interest with your patient, you create a space that feels safe, supportive, and judgment-free. From there, you can build a stronger therapeutic relationship.

Match their energy

People tend to trust those who reflect their energy, even if it happens on an unconscious level. In improv, this is called reading and matching your scene partner’s tone. In healthcare, it means paying attention to how a patient communicates and adjusting your own tone, pace, or body language to align with theirs.

If a patient is quiet and formal, match that tone. If they’re relaxed and casual, respond with a bit more ease, while still maintaining professionalism. Even subtle changes in posture, eye contact, or vocal tone can make patients feel more seen and understood.³

This is part of what improvisers refer to as “group mind”—a state of connection where communication flows effortlessly because trust has been built.⁴ It's not about planning ahead; it's about showing up, reading the moment, and responding with authenticity.

And that’s our job as providers: to meet patients where they are. Not the other way around.

Be yourself, not a script

Improv teaches a valuable lesson: Be yourself, but know that “yourself” can take many forms. You don’t have to create a character or act outside your comfort zone to connect with patients. You just need to show up as a genuine version of yourself that fits the moment.

Think of your personality as a spectrum. Depending on the patient or situation, you might lean more professional or more relaxed, but both are still authentically you. What matters is consistency, honesty, and the willingness to connect.

Patients can tell when you’re being fake. And once that trust is broken, it’s difficult to repair. That’s why mirroring a patient’s tone or energy only works if it still feels natural to you.

Many seasoned improvisers play versions of themselves on stage, not because it’s easy, but because it builds connection. The same idea applies in healthcare. You don’t need to perform, you just need to be present, adaptable, and real.

And Scene! 

Using improv-inspired techniques to build trust with patients may feel unfamiliar at first, but small shifts in how you connect can make a big difference. Start with common ground. Mirror your patient’s tone and energy. Be genuine in your interactions. These simple habits—drawn from the world of improv—can help create the kind of trust that fuels patient-centered care.

When trust is present, patients are more likely to open up, follow your recommendations, and stay engaged in their treatment. And when that happens, outcomes improve.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about what you know—it’s about the connection you build along the way.


References

1. Cynthia McCormick Hibbert. Trust in physicians and hospitals plummeted since the COVID pandemic, Northeastern research says. Northeastern Global News. Published August 7, 2024. https://news.northeastern.edu/2024/08/07/trust-in-physicians-hospitals-research/

2. Abid MH, Kumah A, Newera A, Hafez P. Patient-Centered Healthcare: From Patient Experience to Human Experience. Global Journal on Quality and Safety in Healthcare. 2024;7(4). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39534234

3. Lee SH, Yoo HJ. Therapeutic communication using mirroring interventions in nursing education: A mixed methods study. Asian Nursing Research. 2024;18(5). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39341381

4. Halpern C, Close D, Johnson K. Truth in Comedy : The Manual of Improvisation. Colorado Springs, Co Meriwether Pub; 2011.