The newly released findings of the 2020 Patient Sentiment Report—published by Healthgrades and the Medical Group Management Association—offer insight into how patients perceive their care, and their providers, and it seems as though male providers and the care they provide are, on average, seen in a more favorable light.

The report, which analyzed the more than 8.4 million star ratings completed by patients on Healthgrades as of December 1, 2019, found that patients more commonly rate male doctors higher than female doctors, giving them an average star rating of 4.3—.2 stars more than the 4.1 earned by female providers. It was also found that when reviewing male doctors, patients were more likely to mention skill and quality of care, as well as the office staff, than they did in reviews of female doctors.

Female physicians received high marks of their own, though. When evaluating female providers, patients positively mentioned themes of bedside manner, communication, wait times, and visit times more than they did for male physicians.

There appears, however, to be one area physicians of all genders are equal. The report also found that both male and female physicians have a negative average rating when it comes to wait times.

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