http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellbeing/wellbeing/are-women-doctors-better-20161220-gtesvv.html
Women in Australia earn about 82 cents for every men's dollar. If you look at the highest paid male and female doctors in the country, the pay gap is even more pronounced.
However, an interesting new study has found that hospital patients treated by a female doctor had better health outcomes than those treated by a male doctor.
"We estimate that approximately 32,000 fewer patients would die if male physicians could achieve the same outcomes as female physicians," the report auhors said. Photo: Stocksy
"There is evidence that men and women may practice medicine
differently," said the paper's authors from Harvard Medical School
(female physicians in the U.S. earn around 8 per cent less than male
counterparts).
Previous studies had found female doctors were more likely to provide preventive care, communicate well with patients, offering more psychosocial counselling and perform as well, if not better, on standard examinations.
Researchers had not looked at whether these differences in care extended to patient outcomes, until now.
The researchers evaluated the records of more than 1.5 million hospitalisations in the United States over a three-year period, looking specifically at whether patients died within 30 days of the admission date and whether patients were readmitted within 30 days of the discharge date.
The paper's authors added: "Assuming that the association between sex and mortality is causal, we estimate that approximately 32,000 fewer patients would die if male physicians could achieve the same outcomes as female physicians every year."
Despite the findings, the authors do not suggest seeking care only from female physicians. Apart from the fact that only about 43 per cent of GPs and one-third (34 per cent) of specialists in Australia are women, they say the study's purpose is to begin to understand different patterns of practice that are driving different health outcomes.
"Understanding exactly why these differences in care quality and practice patterns exist may provide valuable insights into improving quality of care for all patients, irrespective of who provides their care," the authors said.
Previous studies had found female doctors were more likely to provide preventive care, communicate well with patients, offering more psychosocial counselling and perform as well, if not better, on standard examinations.
Researchers had not looked at whether these differences in care extended to patient outcomes, until now.
The researchers evaluated the records of more than 1.5 million hospitalisations in the United States over a three-year period, looking specifically at whether patients died within 30 days of the admission date and whether patients were readmitted within 30 days of the discharge date.
Advertisement
They found, with patients treated by a female doctor, a 4 per cent
lower mortality rate and 5 per cent reduction in readmission rates
"across all medical conditions we examined".The paper's authors added: "Assuming that the association between sex and mortality is causal, we estimate that approximately 32,000 fewer patients would die if male physicians could achieve the same outcomes as female physicians every year."
Despite the findings, the authors do not suggest seeking care only from female physicians. Apart from the fact that only about 43 per cent of GPs and one-third (34 per cent) of specialists in Australia are women, they say the study's purpose is to begin to understand different patterns of practice that are driving different health outcomes.
"Understanding exactly why these differences in care quality and practice patterns exist may provide valuable insights into improving quality of care for all patients, irrespective of who provides their care," the authors said.
No comments:
Post a Comment