Staying Alive 2 of 6

OK! Now everyone has a puppy, right?

Next: Get a Female Doctor

No kidding, a study of 1.5 million hospital records proves this is a good method of “Staying Alive.” Harvard researchers reviewed and analyzed these Medicare records in 2016 and found that patients cared for by female doctors were, (A.) More likely to survive and (B.) Less likely to be readmitted within thirty days of discharge. Furthermore, “If male physicians achieved the same outcomes as female physicians” 32,000 fewer people would die each year.  

I realize these are startling claims and we all know that this is not saying that each female doctor is superior to each male doctor. What the study shows is that overall female doctors as a demographic have better outcomes. This study and others suggest that female doctors are more likely to follow clinical guidelines for care and are overall better at communicating with patients. 

Since over 50% of graduates from medical schools are women, there is no scarcity of female doctors from which to choose. 

“The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.” William Osler

Graphics by Pixabay

 

 

Advertisement