One of our engaged readers raised a new JAMA study on surgical outcomes based on the genders of the surgeon and patient. According to the study, everyone does better with a female surgeon, although you can consider a male surgeon if you’re a male patient. Could this be true?
surgical outcomes
The answer is yes if you believe a paper recently published in the British Medical Journal. The article gives data mining for results a bad name. It is more like data dredging – scooping out mud and trash. Not to worry, no patients were harmed in this study, although the popular media couldn't help but report on this new reason to fear surgery and surgeons.
Many hospitals have been consolidated and merged into networks. They are frequently anchored by a "Big-Name Hospital" found on U.S. News and World Report's "Honor Roll," touted as the best of the best. But does going to a network-affiliated hospital provide the same care?