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Patients Treated By Women Doctors Face Lower Risk Of Death And Readmission: Study
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What Happened?
A study of nearly 1 million hospital admissions in Ontario found that patients treated by female doctors had lower 30-day mortality rates and fewer readmissions compared to those treated by male doctors.
Key points
- The study analyzed health records of 958,150 adults admitted to hospitals in Ontario from 2008 to 2022.
- 30-day death rate was 12.3% for patients treated by female doctors versus 13.7% for male doctors.
- 18.6% of patients treated by female doctors were readmitted within 30 days, compared to 18.9% for male doctors.
- For every 10% increase in hospital days managed by female doctors, the odds of dying within 30 days decreased by 7%.
- The study included seven common medical conditions, such as heart attacks and pneumonia.
Key insights
- The findings may encourage healthcare systems to analyze and adopt practices from female doctors that improve patient care.
- This research highlights the importance of physician communication styles in patient recovery.
- The study's design minimizes bias by assigning doctors based on rotating schedules rather than patient preferences.
Why it matters
Understanding the impact of physician gender on patient outcomes could lead to improved healthcare practices.
Source
Times Now
