Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1414493
29 PATIENT & CAREGIVER EXPERIENCE Female surgeons have higher risk of pregnancy loss, study finds By Gabrielle Masson F emale surgeons are more likely to delay pregnancy, have nonelective C-sections and experience pregnancy loss than women who aren't surgeons, according to a paper published July 28 in JAMA Surgery. Researchers surveyed 692 female surgeons from November 2020 to January 2021. They found the median age for female surgeons to give birth was 33, compared to a median of 30 for U.S. women with advanced education degrees. Forty-two percent of survey respondents reported a pregnancy loss, more than twice the rate of the average U.S. woman. Nearly half of the surgeons surveyed reported ma- jor pregnancy complications. A quarter of female surgeons said they had used assisted reproductive technology, which comes at a significant financial cost and can be tied to physical risks, the study authors told e New York Times. Female surgeons at the highest risk for pregnancy complications were those who performed surgeries for 12 or more hours a week through their final trimester. More than half of surgeons surveyed worked over 60 hours per week during pregnancy and only 16 percent reduced working hours. "ere's a bravado that goes along with the surgical personality," Erika Rangel, MD, a surgeon at Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital and one of the paper's co-authors, told the Times. "ere's a culture of not asking for help, but this tells us there's a health risk in it." e authors outline multiple hospital policy changes that would enable female surgeons to ask for help, but note that the change re- quires a shi in broad-scale policy as well. n Nearly 4 in 10 US physicians have side gigs: 6 Medscape survey findings By Kelly Gooch N early 4 in 10 U.S. physicians have side gigs, or "side hustles," indicating a continued trend of physicians pursuing a passion project or an additional way to make income, according to a report from Medscape. The report, released July 14, is based on a survey of 2,533 physicians, conducted March 5 through May 14. Six survey findings: 1. Thirty-seven percent of survey respondents reported having a side gig, compared to 63 percent who did not. 2. Forty-five percent of survey respondents with a side gig said financial losses from the COVID-19 lockdowns prompted them to pursue a side gig. 3. Forty-eight percent of survey respondents who have a side gig cited earning extra money as their main goal. 4. Consulting, being an expert witness or chart review were the most popular medically-related side gigs. 5. Real estate and investing advice were the most popular nonmedical side gigs. 6. Seventy-two percent of survey respondents who have a side gig said it is equally or more fulfilling than their primary job. n 1 in 3 patients will switch providers after a bad experience, Accenture finds By Hannah Mitchell E xperience has a large effect on how likely a patient is to return to a provider or adhere to their treatment program, according to an Aug. 6 Accenture report. For the report, titled "Digital Adoption in Healthcare: Re- action or Revolution?" Accenture surveyed 1,755 patients in the U.S. between May and June, according to an Aug. 17 news release on the study. Four study insights: 1. Forty percent of respondents had medical conditions in therapeutic specialties, such as oncology, cardiovas- cular, immunology, neurology and respiratory. 2. Most patients (67 percent) have had a negative health- care experience. Of those patients who had negative experiences, 34 percent said they were less likely to seek medical care the next time they needed it. 3. Thirty-four percent also said they had switched pro- viders or treatments after a negative experience, while some other patients reported they stopped picking up their prescriptions. 4. More than half of patients (55 percent) said what they wanted most from a healthcare provider was someone who explains their condition and treatment clearly. Fif- ty-two percent of patients said they wanted a provider who listens and understands their needs and provides emotional support. n