Physical Wellness

Study Suggests Female Doctors Tend To Have Healthier Patients

By Leian N. | Update Date: Dec 22, 2016 08:00 AM EST

A recently published article from JAMA Internal Medicine suggested that female doctors are better at keeping their patients healthy for long-term periods. In fact, a subsisting study suggested that Medicare patients under women doctors between 2011 and 2014 had better health conditions than those resided by male doctors. 

It was suggested that patients with female doctors had higher mortality rates in a span of 30 days after they went for treatment. A research conducted by a team from Harvard involving more than 1.5 million hospitalizations proved that those under the watchful eyes of female doctors survived longer after they were discharged.

According to Ashish Jha, a professor at Harvard School of Public Health, female doctors use evidence-based medicine into their practice and are most-likely to follow protocol when administering treatments to their patients, reported CNN. Because of their methods, their patients were healthier compared to when they were initially admitted mainly because female doctors constantly continue their communication with their patients compared to male doctors.

Recently, the Trump administration had urged the increase the pay for medical practitioners in the field which may likewise increase the good reputation and performance of the female doctors. In fact, a research suggested that female doctors were found to be paid less than their male counterparts. Given this, the new administration may have increased their value in the practice of medicine.

The basis of the research on patients were based upon the gender gap and the consideration of their demographic characteristics such as gender, age, and income of the patients the female doctors attended to, in a report on LA Times. In fact, 11.07 percent of the patients were under the care of female doctors while 11.49 percent were from male doctors in a span of 30 days that these patients had been admitted.

Generally, the results of the study showed that those treated with acute kidney failure, irregular heart rhythm, pneumonia patients, and those suffering sepsis had higher mortality rates while they were under the supervision of female doctors.

Although it was determined that home responsibilities, part-time shifts, and childbearing work leaves may undermine the full potential of female doctors towards patients, the results of the research say otherwise. Therefore, it may be an advantage for patients who want to stay healthier when they are suffering diseases when they would employ women in the medical practice to maneuver their recovery and progress.

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