The effects of gender on primary care physician attitudes and practice orientations

What gender-related differences are there among primary care physicians, and what are the implications of the similarities and differences among male and female physicians for health care reform? This study delineates the similarities and differences between male and female physicians. There is a statistically significant relationship between gender and physicians' ages, years in practice, medical practice organization, practice location, and concerns for professional autonomy and the paperwork demands of an alternative health care plan (AHP). There are no significant gender-related differences in physicians' concerns for reimbursement, support for the ongoing innovations in the health care delivery system, support for government involvement in health care delivery and financing, and in physicians' attitudes toward Medicaid beneficiaries. Although the majority of the female subjects of this study practice in public medical institutions, there are no statistically significant differences in male and female physicians' Medicaid caseloads, and in their participation in a government-sponsored alternative health care delivery plan for Medicaid beneficiaries. The study concludes by exploring the implications of the findings for health care reform.