A New UCLA Study Has Shown That Patients Treated By Female Physicians Experience Lower Mortality Rates And Reduced Hospital Readmissions Compared To Those Treated By Male Physicians
A new study conducted by researchers at UCLA has highlighted the impact of a doctor’s gender on patient health outcomes.
The findings suggest that patients treated by female physicians actually experience lower mortality rates and reduced instances of hospital readmissions in comparison to those treated by male physicians. Moreover, female patients particularly benefit from the care of female doctors.
The study used Medicare claims data covering over 700,000 patients from 2016 to 2019. By analyzing this data, the researchers discovered a mortality rate of 8.15% for female patients under the care of female physicians, which is slightly lower than the 8.38% recorded by male physicians.
And although this disparity is modest, the researchers regard it as “clinically significant.”
It’s also important to note that male patients experienced improved outcomes when treated by female doctors as well, despite the difference being more subtle. Male patients had a 10.15% mortality rate with female physicians, which is slightly lower than the 10.23% observed with male physicians.
Furthermore, the research revealed that hospital readmission rates were lower for patients initially seen by female doctors, with fewer returning within 30 days of discharge. These results have caused the research team to suggest a number of potential explanations.
“What our findings indicate is that female and male physicians practice medicine differently, and these differences have a meaningful impact on patient’s health outcomes,” explained Dr. Yusuke Tsugawa, the study’s senior author.
One possible explanation is that male doctors may not fully recognize the severity of symptoms in female patients. Past studies have indicated that male physicians often underestimate women’s levels of pain, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal symptoms, and stroke risk, which may potentially lead to inadequate or delayed treatment.
Since female doctors are often perceived as being more effective communicators with their female patients, fostering an environment of trust and openness, communication may also be a contributing factor.
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This enhanced communication could encourage women to disclose crucial health details, resulting in more accurate diagnoses and improved treatment plans. Additionally, female patients may just feel more at ease with female physicians, particularly during in-depth health discussions or examinations.
As for why female patients appear to gain more from being treated by female doctors compared to male patients, the researchers acknowledge that further research is needed. According to Dr. Tsugawa, exploring differences in how male and female physicians practice is crucial, as this could inform strategies to universally enhance patient care.
“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,” Dr. Tsugawa underscored.
Lastly, the study also emphasizes the significance of gender equity in medicine. Even though female physicians deliver high-quality care, they frequently earn less than male physicians – a wage disparity that Dr. Tsugawa says needs to be ended.
“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,” Dr. Tsugawa concluded.
Now, the study’s results do not mean you should select doctors solely based on gender. After all, various factors make up quality care, such as experience, training, and bedside manner.
Still, as experts continue to research this discrepancy, the goal is to improve medical care for everyone, irrespective of gender.
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in Annals of Internal Medicine, visit the link here.
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