Patients of Female Physicians Live Longer, Study Finds

A new study may show that men and women practice medicine differently. In fact, researchers argue hospital patients are less likely to die if their doctor is a woman.

The chances whether you will love longer may depend on the gender of your physician. A new study examined the correlation between morbidity and the physician’s gender.

Researchers asked a simple question: “Do patient outcomes differ between those treated by male and female physicians?”

Researchers found that hospital patients who are treated by a female physician are less likely to die within a month of going to the hospital in comparison to hospital patients who are treated by male physicians. In addition, patients treated by a male physician were actually 5% more likely to go back to the hospital.

After completing a cross-sectional study, researchers analyzed the data of thousands of hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries and found that patients treated by female physicians had a lower mortality rate and a lower readmission rate.

Scientists looked at a random sample of Medicare patents ages 65 or older hospitalized with a medical condition and treated by a general physician from 2011 to 2014.

After analyzing a nationally representative sample, scientists argue that the differences in the way male and female physicians treat their patients has a serious clinical impact.

The two recent studies surrounding female physicians have painted a picture of burnt out women getting paid less than their peers.

A 2016 study by the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston found female physicians who become pregnant and take maternity leave experienced more financial pressure and career dissatisfaction. In addition, researchers reported female physicians were more likely to burnout after having a baby due to the increased financial pressure.

In addition, a 2016 study by Harvard Medical School researcher Anupam B. Jena, MD, PHD found that female physicians paid were nearly 10 percent less than male physicians. In fact, at 24 US public medical schools female physicians were paid significantly less than male physicians regardless of the experience, rank and clinical revenue.

However, this new study illustrates that despite financial pressure and lower compensation female physicians in comparison to their peers, are just as talented, if not better, than male physicians.