Author Interviews, BMJ, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Outcomes & Safety / 21.05.2017
Whose Patients Have Lower 30-Day Mortality? Younger or Older Doctors?
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
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.
(more…)