Abstract
Objective: To examine the relationship between patient gender and health care quality. Design: Statistical analysis was performed on a 213,641 record database of quality review findings, overall and by individual diagnoses. Setting: Quality review records for Medicare patients from 1989–1991, maintained by the Ohio Peer Review Organization (PRO), were analyzed. Main Outcome Measure: Significant differences in quality problems reported for women and men. Results: Both women and men suffered significantly poorer quality health care, depending on the particular diagnosis. Women had poorer quality health care for several diagnosis related groups (DRGs), half of which involved heart disease. Men had significantly poorer quality in one diagnosis related group (DRG) involving digestive diseases. Conclusions: Patient gender can be associated with poor health care quality for certain diseases. Changes must occur in the health care system, to provide equitable health care for everyone.
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