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Patient Gender Preferences in a Large Military Teaching Hospital

Jon D. Lund, MD^*, James E. Rohrer, PhD and Susana Goldfarb, CNP^*

From the *Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California; and Department of Family and Community Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, Texas.

Address reprint requests to: Address correspondence to: Jon D. Lund, c/o Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Amarillo, Amarillo, TX 79106; e-mail: jon.lund{at}ttuhsc.edu.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify preferences for female providers among obstetric–gynecology patients in a large military teaching hospital in California.

METHODS: A questionnaire regarding patient preferences for female provider was distributed to and collected from 1,544 obstetric–gynecology patients over a two-month period. Responses were tabulated overall and for several demographic subgroups.

RESULTS: Sixty percent of respondents indicated they had no provider gender preference or they preferred a male. Significant ethnic preferences were noted among Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native-American women. Junior officers, wives, and daughters of service members also showed a greater preference for a female physician provider.

CONCLUSION: The majority of obstetric–gynecology patients surveyed had no strong preferences for female providers. In the interest of patient satisfaction, where strong gender preferences exist, attempts to accommodate could be made without overburdening female staff.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III

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