Building a Trustworthy Health Care Team, with Robert Califf, M.D.
Robert Califf, M.D., urges patients and those at risk of illness to find trustworthy health care providers who can help them navigate a fragmented medical system.
By
Lana Pine
| Published on June 11, 2025
2 min read
In a recent conversation, Robert Califf, M.D., former U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner and current instructor in medicine at the Duke University School of Medicine, offers key insights on how people — whether already managing a disease or at risk of developing one — can better navigate the health care system. He emphasizes that finding a health care team you trust and building a lasting relationship with them can make all the difference.
Califf explains that most Americans fall into two groups: those with diagnosed conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, and those with risk factors that, left unaddressed, may lead to illness later. Regardless of category, he believes the fundamentals of prevention and treatment are already well understood. The challenge lies not in what to do but in how to get it done within a fragmented health care system.
For example, he says that someone with diabetes might have multiple providers — such as a primary care doctor and an endocrinologist — but these specialists often don’t coordinate well. With too many patients and not enough endocrinologists, delays, miscommunication and gaps in care are common. This disconnect can leave patients confused or falling through the cracks.
That is why Califf urges people to align themselves with a medical team that communicates well and in whom they feel confident. He acknowledges the system isn’t perfect but says that strong personal relationships with knowledgeable, caring providers can help people better manage their health and get the right support.
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