You Can’t Fabricate Trust: Why Presence Still Matters in a Tech-Driven Industry

By Heather Stanisci, SVP of Business Development at Annuity Health

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years in healthcare revenue cycle, it’s that you can’t fabricate trust. You can’t automate it, fast-track it, or fake it with buzzwords. You have to earn it: one conversation, one deliverable, one follow-through at a time.

That’s not always the glamorous side of this industry, but it’s the one that matters most. Because at the end of the day, hospitals and health systems aren’t handing you a widget to polish, they’re trusting you with their revenue, their reputation, and their relationships with patients. That kind of trust takes time to build and only a moment to lose.

Trust Is the Opposite of Transactional

A lot of people treat vendor relationships like transactions: you sign a contract, deliver a service, and move on. But in healthcare, that mentality doesn’t work. Every engagement is deeply personal, and the people running those organizations need to know you’re as invested in their success as they are.

That means being flexible. Listening. Adjusting.

Sometimes it means starting small, proving yourself with one project before you earn the right to take on the next. I always say, “Give me a corner of your world, and I’ll show you what we can do.” Once you’ve done that well, the relationship grows naturally.
Trust isn’t about making grand promises. It’s about showing up consistently and doing exactly what you said you would do. Over and over again.

Presence Builds Credibility Before the Contract

In a world full of automation, AI, and digital everything, presence still matters. Not just showing up at conferences or hosting dinners (though I’ll never say no to a good dinner conversation), but being visible, engaged, and genuinely part of the community you serve.

People work with people they know and like. If they see you in the industry, speaking on panels, asking smart questions, and supporting their peers, that familiarity builds trust long before you ever sit down to talk business.

Presence says: We’re here. We’re listening. We’re invested.

And it’s not about being the “popular kid” – it’s about being credible. When people see your name attached to thoughtful conversations, your team consistently showing up, and your brand engaged in ways that feel human, that credibility compounds.

Balance Technology with Humanity

There’s no question technology is changing everything about healthcare operations. Automation can make workflows faster, cleaner, and more efficient. But technology can’t replace empathy, judgment, or the human instinct to problem-solve.

The best results happen when people and technology work together, not against each other. Healthcare isn’t an industry that can afford to lose its human touch. Patients, providers, and partners all depend on the nuance that only real people can bring.

So, yes, use AI. Embrace automation. But make sure the people who understand the work are still in the room, guiding the tools, interpreting the results, and keeping the human connection intact.

Start Small, Stay Consistent, Build Long

Trust doesn’t show up on a proposal. It’s something you build through consistency, and through the small wins that prove you’re in it for the long haul.

I’ve seen relationships start with a single pilot or a small staffing fix. When you solve a real problem, when the numbers move in the right direction, and when you follow through, word travels fast. One win becomes two, and before long, you’re not a vendor anymore, you’re part of the team.

That’s how I define partnership: when the client trusts you enough to hand over their toughest challenges, knowing you’ll handle them like your own.

The Real Work of Trust

In healthcare, there will always be new technologies, new players, and new promises of faster, smarter, cheaper. But the truth doesn’t change: relationships drive results.

Trust takes time. Presence takes effort. But when you’ve built both, the work gets easier, the partnerships get stronger, and the impact lasts longer than any campaign or contract ever could.

You can’t fabricate trust. You have to earn it, by being there, doing the work, and showing up again tomorrow.