According to research, if you want a successful surgery, it’s best to consult a female doctor. A study conducted in Canada found that female surgeons had lower complication rates compared to their male counterparts. Patients treated by women surgeons for fractures, hip replacements, and heart disease were nearly 10 percent less likely to experience complications such as internal bleeding or infection within 90 days of surgery. Additionally, they had a six percent lower likelihood of being hospitalized with surgical complications up to a year later.
On the other hand, male doctors were found to perform surgeries more quickly. Another study found that male surgeons had significantly shorter operating times, particularly for procedures like gall bladder removal, compared to female surgeons.
Researchers in Canada found those treated by women were nearly 10 percent less likely to face complications within 90 days of surgery (stock)
The above graphic shows how the risk of complications after surgery was eight percent higher for patients who had a male doctor within 90 days of surgery compared to those who had a female doctor. Within a year, the risk of complications was six percent higher
Currently, the majority of American doctors are men, accounting for about 65 percent. However, this number has been slowly increasing over the years.
In the study, which involved nearly 1.2 million patients, researchers suggested that the difference in complication rates could be attributed to how patients responded to advice from male and female doctors. They found that male doctors were more likely to face disagreements from patients of both genders when giving advice on weight loss, exercise, and diet, compared to female doctors.
Engaging in regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and following a nutritious diet are all known to improve a patient’s health.
However, the researchers also observed that female doctors tended to have younger patients with fewer risk factors compared to their male counterparts.
The study, published in JAMA Surgery, analyzed data from patients in the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, which covers surgeries in Ontario, Canada. They examined information from 1.16 million patients who underwent elective or emergency surgeries between 2007 and 2019. The researchers tracked these patients for up to a year post-surgery to monitor adverse events like complications or death.
The results showed that more than a million of the patients, or 90 percent, were treated by male doctors. Of the patients, 60 percent were female, with an average age of 59 years.
Overall, the study found that 14.3 percent of patients experienced one or more complications within 90 days of surgery. By one year, this number increased to 25 percent. Additionally, two percent of patients died within 90 days, and four percent died within a year.
For patients treated by male surgeons, 14.5 percent suffered complications within 90 days of surgery, compared to 12.6 percent for those treated by female surgeons. After a year, the numbers were 25.8 percent and 19 percent respectively.
The researchers adjusted their analysis for factors such as patient and doctor gender, age, year of surgery, and socioeconomic status. They concluded that patients were up to 25 percent more likely to die within a year if they had a male doctor instead of a female doctor. However, they hypothesized that this may be due to male surgeons treating older patients with more pre-existing conditions.
The study also highlighted differences in communication, practice style, and the physician-patient relationship between female and male physicians. The researchers suggested that these factors, along with different medical practices, may play a more significant role in long-term patient outcomes.
The majority of female doctors specialized in general surgery and obstetrics and gynecology, while male doctors were more likely to be in general surgery and orthopedic surgery, as per the data. Previous studies have also shown that male doctors tend to have higher workloads compared to their female counterparts. A 2020 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that female doctors received fewer visits and generated less revenue, but spent more time in direct patient care.
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