21 May Whose Patients Have Lower 30-Day Mortality? Younger or Older Doctors?
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Tsugawa
Yusuke Tsugawa, MD, MPH, PhD
Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Department of Health Policy and Management
Cambridge, MA 02138
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Although evidence has suggested that older physicians may experience a
decline in medical knowledge and are less likely to adhere to standard care, patients in general had a perception that older doctors are more
experienced and therefore provide superior care.
Using a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries who were hospitalized
for medical conditions in 2011-2014, we found that patients treated by
younger doctors have lower 30-day mortality compared to those cared
for by older doctors, after adjusting for patient, physician, and
hospital characteristics.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: Patients should not be concerned when they figured out that their
doctors were younger than they expected. Healthcare providers should
find out a way to make sure that older doctors are keeping up with the
new technologies and clinical guidelines that evolve over time.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: Further research is warranted to identify a mechanism to make sure
that older doctors are keeping up with the new technologies and the
latest clinical guidelines.
MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.
Citation:
Physician age and outcomes in elderly patients in hospital in the US: observational study
BMJ 2017; 357 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j1797 (Published 16 May 2017)Cite this as: BMJ 2017;357:j1797
Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.
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Last Updated on May 21, 2017 by Marie Benz MD FAAD