When my elderly friend first started having digestive problems, she told her doctor about them. He dismissed them as “stress” and told her to work on ways of calming herself down.

Two years went by. Despite adopting a regimen of yoga and meditation and switching to a gluten-free diet, her digestive problems got worse. She lost too much weight and could barely leave the house.

So, she went to a new doctor. He at least ordered a colonoscopy. But when the colonoscopy came up normal, he told her it was probably IBS and had only one suggestion for treating it: “Stress makes it worse,” he said. “You need to find ways to de-stress.”

My friend was pretty frustrated by this point. It seemed like none of her doctors were taking her problem seriously.

Finally, after months of demanding to see a specialist, my friend got an appointment with a gastroenterologist. She carefully listened to my friend’s history, examined her, ordered an endoscopy and colonoscopy and prescribed two medications she thought might help.

It’s only been a couple of weeks, but that medication is already helping her feel like herself again.

So, what was the difference between those doctors? If you noticed the last doctor was a woman, you would be correct…

The benefits of women doctors

It may be the 21st century, but gender bias remains a huge problem in healthcare.

Women are needlessly suffering more often than men, living with undiagnosed conditions more often than men and dying from life-threatening diseases because health research still tends to be male-focused.

Some research has shown this bias appears to be in effect regardless of the doctor’s gender. But in one study, researchers found when women experiencing symptoms of a heart attack had a female physician, they were far more likely to survive.

Another showed that if male doctors had the same outcomes as female doctors, there would be 32,000 fewer deaths in the Medicare population.

Now, an observational study of more than 700,000 hospitalized male and female patients, aged 65 years or older, has discovered that patients treated by female doctors had a reduced risk of death compared to patients treated by male doctors, as well as lower readmission rates.

Then things got really interesting. When the researchers took a closer look, they found that female patients treated by female doctors benefitted even more…

The researchers pointed out several reasons for the notable differences in care:

• Male doctors may underestimate severity of illness among female patients
• There could be more patient-centered and effective communication between female doctors and their female patients
• It’s easier for women to talk about sensitive, embarrassing or uncomfortable topics with female doctors

Should you have a female doctor?

If you don’t already have a female doctor, you may be wondering if you should switch to one. The answer: it depends.

Before you go on the hunt for a new doctor, ask yourself these questions:

1. Do I like my doctor?
2. Does my doctor respect my time?
3. Does my doctor really hear what I have to say?
4. Does my doctor answer my questions clearly and completely?
5. Can I understand when my doctor explains things to me?
6. Do I feel belittled or dismissed by my doctor?

If you answered “yes,” to the first 5 questions, then it’s probably best for you to stick with your current doctor, regardless of their gender.

But if you answered yes to number 6, or no to one or more of the other questions, it may be time to move on. And when you do, you may want to consider a female doctor — especially if you’re female yourself.

Sources:

Being treated by a female physician associated with lower risk for death — EurekAlert!

Comparison of Hospital Mortality and Readmission Rates by Physician and Patient Sex — Annals of Internal Medicine

10 signs it’s time to dump your doctor — Detroit Free Press