Researchers have discovered a significant disparity in patient outcomes based on the gender of the treating physician. A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed data from over 770,000 patients hospitalized for medical conditions in the United States, revealing that women treated by female physicians had an 8.15% mortality rate within 30 days, compared to 8.38% for those treated by male physicians. A similar pattern was observed for hospital readmission rates. This difference, although seemingly small, has been deemed “clinically meaningful” by researchers.
The lead author of the study, Dr. Yusuke Tsugawa, explains that this 3% difference translates to one fewer death for every two 420 hospitalizations when patients receive care from female physicians. Considering the millions of hospitalizations that occur annually in the U.S., this difference becomes significant at the population level.
Dr. Tsugawa believes that these patterns are not limited to the U.S. and could be observed in other countries as well. The findings suggest that female and male physicians practice medicine differently, leading to meaningful variations in patient health outcomes.
The study’s analysis revealed that female patients experienced the greatest benefits from treatment by female physicians. This was particularly notable among severely ill female patients.
The researchers attribute this discrepancy to well-documented sex disparities in healthcare quality and hospital outcomes. Past studies have shown that female patients often receive less intensive care and procedures, face delayed diagnoses more frequently, and report more negative experiences compared to male patients.
For instance, a 2018 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that women have a higher survival rate from heart attacks if treated by a female doctor. Similarly, studies published in JAMA Surgery in 2021 and 2023 indicated that both male and female patients experienced fewer complications and shorter hospital stays when operated on by female surgeons.
These findings suggest that female surgeons may have more favorable outcomes and operate more cautiously than their male counterparts.
The researchers also highlight evidence that female patients are more likely to have their concerns dismissed, experience discrimination, and have their pain and cardiovascular symptoms underestimated. These issues may be exacerbated by limited opportunities for systematic medical training in women’s health in general medical curricula.
Based on these prior studies, the research team was not surprised by their findings. They believe that female physicians are more likely to follow clinical guidelines and spend more time listening to their patients, factors that may contribute to better clinical outcomes.
Female patients may also feel more comfortable discussing private or culturally sensitive medical issues with female doctors.
The researchers emphasize the need for further studies to gain a deeper understanding of gender-related variations in healthcare outcomes. They also call for better training of physicians in women’s health to ensure that all patients receive high-quality care regardless of their physician’s gender.
