Patient-provider gender preference in colorectal surgery

Background: Preference for a gender concordant surgeon has been demonstrated when the chief complaint is perceived as private. We aimed to investigate this phenomenon among colorectal patients. Methods: A 3-week prospective, observational, quality improvement study was performed. Schedulers recorded all new patient calls and factors influencing patient selection of surgeon. Demographic information was obtained. Descriptive statistics were performed. Results: There were 60 new patients scheduled; 35 (58.3%) female. Ten(16.7%) chose a surgeon based on gender; 70% of those with gender requests (GR) were female (70%), and 80% were gender-concordant. Seven (70%) of those with GR had anorectal complaints. Of all patients with anorectal complaints, 20.6% had a GR vs. 11.5% non-anorectal (p = 0.49). Conclusions: A considerable percentage of patients make a GR when seeking treatment, especially for anorectal disease. Departments should be mindful of the sensitive nature of many colorectal diseases and strive to diversify accordingly in order to create safe environments for the optimal delivery of patient-centered care.