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The Impact of Female Physicians on Patient Outcomes

Patients treated by female physicians have a reduced risk of dying, with female patients benefiting more than their male counterparts, new research has found. This highlights the crucial role that gender may play in healthcare outcomes.

The mortality rate for female patients was 8.15 per cent when treated by female physicians compared to 8.38 per cent when the physician was male. This demonstrates a notable difference that may have far-reaching implications for patient care.

While the difference for male patients was smaller, female physicians had a 10.15 per cent mortality rate compared with male medics’ 10.23 per cent rate, indicating a trend that warrants further investigation.

The study, published on Tuesday in the peer-reviewed journal Annals of Internal Medicine, found the same pattern for hospital readmission rates, underscoring the consistency of these findings across different healthcare metrics.

Dr Yusuke Tsugawa, associate professor-in-residence of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the study’s senior author said the findings are important and could help improve care for future patients. This implies that understanding these findings could lead to more effective healthcare practices.

“Patient outcomes should not differ between male and female physicians if they practice medicine the same way,” he said. This statement underscores the need for equal treatment and care standards across healthcare providers.

“What our findings indicate is that female and male physicians practice medicine differently, and these differences have a meaningful impact on patients’ health outcomes. This revelation sheds light on the importance of recognizing and addressing these differences in healthcare delivery.

“Further research on the underlying mechanisms linking physician gender with patient outcomes, and why the benefit of receiving the treatment from female physicians is larger for female patients, has the potential to improve patient outcomes across the board.” This suggests that a deeper understanding of these mechanisms could lead to significant advancements in patient care.

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The researchers examined insurance body Medicare’s claims data from 2016 to 2019 for 458,100 female and about 319,800 male patients. This large dataset provides a robust foundation for their findings and may have significant implications for future healthcare policies.

Of those, 142,500 and 97,500, or about 31 per cent for both, were treated by female doctors, indicating a substantial portion of patients benefit from care provided by female physicians.

The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality from the date of hospital admission and 30-day readmission from the date of discharge, highlighting the key metrics used to assess patient outcomes in this study.

Male doctors ‘may underestimate severity of female patients’ illnesses’

The researchers said there could be several factors driving the differences, pointing to a need for further investigation into the underlying causes of gender disparities in healthcare outcomes.

Previous research has found that male doctors might underestimate the severity of their female patients’ illnesses from pain levels to gastrointestinal and cardiovascular symptoms, and stroke risk, which could lead to delayed or incomplete care. Understanding these biases is crucial in addressing disparities in healthcare delivery.

It says female doctors may communicate better with their female patients, making it likelier that these patients provide important information leading to better diagnoses and treatment. Effective communication strategies can play a key role in improving patient outcomes and reducing disparities in healthcare.

Female patients may be more comfortable with receiving sensitive examinations and engaging in detailed conversations with female physicians, highlighting the importance of patient-provider relationships in healthcare settings.

Another study found that female doctors are more empathetic, which could help reduce their patients’ pain and anxiety. It found that patients of empathetic doctors are more likely to take their medication as prescribed, emphasizing the impact of emotional intelligence in healthcare delivery.

Dr Tsugawa says more research is needed into how and why male and female physicians practice medicine differently and its effect on patient care. This highlights the ongoing need for investigation into gender disparities in healthcare practices and patient outcomes.

“A better understanding of this topic could lead to the development of interventions that effectively improve patient care,” he said, emphasizing the potential benefits of addressing these disparities in healthcare delivery.

In addition, gender gaps in physician pay should be eliminated, he said, underlining the importance of gender equity in healthcare settings.

“It is important to note that female physicians provide high-quality care, and therefore, having more female physicians benefits patients from a societal point-of-view,” he said, highlighting the broader societal implications of gender diversity in healthcare.

The study supports similar findings published last year which found that patients operated on by a female surgeon are less likely to die or experience complications than those whose surgery is performed by a male doctor, reinforcing the importance of gender diversity in healthcare practices.

Day of admission

According to a previous study of patients admitted to hospitals in England in 2013 and 2014, the day a patient is admitted is also significant to mortality risk, highlighting the multifactorial nature of healthcare outcomes.

It showed those admitted at the weekend face a higher risk of death within 30 days, even when the severity of their illness is taken into account, emphasizing the need for consistent healthcare services across all days of the week.

Patients admitted on a Saturday and Sunday have a 10 per cent and 15 per cent higher risk of death than those admitted on a Wednesday, shedding light on potential disparities in healthcare delivery based on admission timing.

Updated: April 23, 2024, 1:57 PM