A recent study has found that patients treated by female physicians have a reduced risk of mortality and hospitalization, especially for female patients. The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, included 700,000 Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older who had been hospitalized between 2016 and 2019. The mortality rate was 8.15% for female patients treated by female physicians compared to 8.38% for those treated by male physicians. Researchers suggest that female physicians may be more empathetic, adhere to clinical guidelines, and spend more time listening to patients, all of which contribute to better patient outcomes.