Female patients' preferences related to interpersonal communications, clinical competence, and gender when selecting a physician

Purpose In obstetrics and gynecology (ob-gyn), a physician's gender can affect patients' access to care as well as medical education curricula and career counseling. The authors focused on the importance that female patients place on various physician characteristics, and how this importance varied by patients' characteristics and compared for family practitioners, obstetrician-gynecologists, and surgeons. Method In 1999-2000, an anonymous questionnaire was distributed for one week to all women scheduled for an ob-gyn visit at six community campuses of Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. The first section of the questionnaire listed 16 physician characteristics and asked patients to rate the importance of each using a six-point scale (1 = not at all important, to 6 very important). The items were presented three times, in reference to the patients' choice of a family physician, ob-gyn, and surgeon. The questionnaire also asked for patients' demographic information. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize patient demographics and ratings. Multivariate relationships were tested using analyses of variance (repeated-measures analysis of variance [ANOVA]) and multiple regression. Results In the 1,059 completed questionnaires items related to physician gender were among the lowest rated, regardless of specialty. A factor analysis resulted in a three factor solution: Interpersonal Communications, Clinical Competence, and Gender. Interpersonal Communications ratings varied least by physician specialty and patient characteristics; Gender ratings varied most. Physician behaviors rather than physician attributes play an important role in women's choices. Conclusions For most women, physician gender was one of the least important characteristics, regardless of specialty. Excellent skills might give all physicians an edge in patients' choice decisions, a finding contrary to widely held beliefs about more limited future opportunities for men in some specialties.