Medical patients might be less likely to die if their doctor is female. 

A recent study by researchers from Japan and the US has highlighted significant differences in healthcare outcomes based on the gender of physicians. 

The observational study examined data from over 700,000 hospitalised patients aged 65 or older, sourced from government medical data during the years 2016 to 2019.

The study revealed that patients treated by female physicians had notably lower mortality and hospital readmission rates compared to those treated by male physicians. 

Notably, the adjusted mortality rates for female patients were 8.15 per cent for those treated by female physicians compared to 8.38 per cent for those treated by male physicians. 

For male patients, the difference was less pronounced, with mortality rates of 10.15 per cent versus 10.23 per cent, respectively.

The data analysed included 458,108 female patients and 318,819 male patients, with 142,465 women and 97,500 men treated by female doctors, respectively.

“For both male and female patients, the difference in outcomes was significant and clinically meaningful, especially among female patients treated by female doctors,” the authors say. 

The researchers also highlighted that the length of stay, spending, and the proportion of intensive evaluations and management claims were similar, regardless of the doctor's gender. 

These findings suggest that the quality of care, in terms of resource use and hospital processes, was consistent across genders.

The study's authors speculated that the improved outcomes for patients with female doctors could be due to several factors. 

“Male physicians may underestimate the severity of symptoms in female patients or have different communication styles that are less effective with female patients,” one researcher suggested. 

Additionally, female doctors might foster a communication style that is more aligned with patient-centred care, particularly beneficial during sensitive examinations and discussions.

The study's observational nature precludes definitive conclusions about causality, but the findings add to a growing body of research suggesting that physician gender can influence healthcare outcomes. 

The full paper is accessible here.