Demographic Variations in Patient Populations and Regional Distributions Between Male and Female Ophthalmologists in the United States: Cross-Sectional Analysis

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To determine if patient demographics differ by ophthalmologist gender.

Methods: Demographic data on U.S. ophthalmologists were collected from the 2017 Medicare Physician and Other Supplier National Provider Identifier Aggregate Report.

Results: Of the 17,230 ophthalmologists included, female ophthalmologists (23.7%) provided care for a smaller proportion of White patients (77.4% ± 24.9% female, 81.0% ± 22.1% male; p < .001), had younger beneficiaries (73.8 ± 3.2 years old females, 74.8 ± 2.9 years old males; p < .001) and had a higher proportion of female beneficiaries per provider (61.1% ± 4.6% females, 59.6% ± 4.0% males; p < .001). Average age of beneficiaries and number of beneficiaries were correlated with years since medical school (rho = 0.283, rho = 0.148; both p < .001). The number of Medicare beneficiaries, proportion of female beneficiaries, years since medical school and group practice size were independently associated with physician gender (p < .001).

Conclusion: Female ophthalmologists saw a larger proportion of ethnically diverse, younger, female patients.

KEYWORDS:

• Medicare
• gender disparities
• practice size
• racial disparities
• geography

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Dr Sridhar is a consultant for Alcon, Regeneron, and Oxurion. The other authors report no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute received funding from the NIH Core Grant P30EY014801, Department of Defense Grant #W81XWH-13-1-0048, and a Research to Prevent Blindness Unrestricted Grant. The sponsors or funding organizations had no role in the design or conduct of this research;NIH Core Grant [P30EY014801];Department of Defense Grant [#W81XWH-13-1-0048];Research to Prevent Blindness Unrestricted Grant;