By the way... Why women might make better doctors

SOME intriguing research has been published recently. A Harvard study that analysed data from more than a million patients over the age of 65 found that those seen by a female doctor in hospital had 4 per cent lower odds of dying within a month than those treated by a man.

They were also 5 per cent less likely to be re-admitted to hospital for more treatment within a month of being sent home.

As the study was carried out in the U.S., we cannot assume that we would have the same outcome in the UK, given the differences between our healthcare systems.

Nevertheless, the findings must give us pause for thought and, if we can understand and gain some insight from them, it could help us improve care and medical training in Britain.

So, why this difference in outcomes? According to the researchers, it is because women are better at communicating and forging relationships with patients.

This is an important area of medicine, but one that I worry is being marginalised — like many others, I fear there is too much emphasis on the scientific and technical aspects of medicine at the expense of the psychosocial elements of patient care.

Yet it is increasingly being recognised that, when we are ill, what is needed is not only technical competence — but also kindness and compassion.

A case in point is that supportive preoperative counselling has been shown to lead to improved wound healing, perhaps due to the placebo effect.

It may be that female doctors provide this kindness and compassion intuitively, more so than male doctors, and perhaps this gives even greater benefits than previously recognised.

The fact that health professionals — doctors, nurses, paramedics — have been under even greater strain recently can only have harmed such aspects of care.

As we are all forced to be ever more efficient and productive, and to tick more and more boxes, sometimes compassion is at risk of being sidelined.

We need to better understand what it is about female doctors and the way they work that is so beneficial to patients.

Fortunately, there are women heading three major medical Royal Colleges — of Surgeons, Physicians and GPs.

You can be sure that they are all aware of this study, and in a position to explore these revelations more fully.