According to a recent study released by the University of California, patients treated by female physicians experience reduced rates of both mortality and hospital readmission. Lead author Dr. Yusuke Tsugawa, an associate professor-in-residence at UCLA, highlights the significance of these findings, suggesting that variances in medical practice between female and male physicians have tangible effects on patient health outcomes.
Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the study examined Medicare claims spanning from 2016 to 2019, encompassing over 458,100 female and nearly 319,800 male patients. Approximately 31% of patients from each gender were under the care of female doctors.
The research indicates that female patients treated by female physicians had an 8.15% mortality rate, contrasting with an 8.38% rate among those treated by male physicians. A similar trend was observed in hospital readmission rates. Although male patients also displayed lower mortality rates when treated by female physicians (10.15% compared to 10.23% with male physicians), the difference was less pronounced.
Dr. Tsugawa underscores the potential for further investigation into the mechanisms underlying the association between physician gender and patient outcomes, particularly why female patients seem to derive greater benefits from treatment by female physicians. He believes that deeper insights into this topic could pave the way for interventions aimed at enhancing patient care.
Despite the evident advantages of female physicians in improving patient health outcomes, data from the Association of American Medical Colleges indicates that women constituted only 37.6% of all U.S. doctors in 2023. Moreover, a Forbes report from the same year revealed a substantial gender pay gap of 26% among doctors.
Dr. Tsugawa emphasizes the need for continued research to elucidate the factors contributing to the superior performance of female physicians in patient care. He stresses the societal benefits of having more female physicians, emphasizing their provision of high-quality care.
