EP lab: in 2025, is gender still a factor?

In healthcare, patients' choice of physicians can be influenced by various factors, including age, experience, reputation, and often even the provider's gender. Gender preferences vary based on personal and cultural factors, and some patients may express a specific preference for male or female physicians, perceiving each as having different qualities. Such preferences may stem from expectations regarding communication style, comfort during procedures, or perceived empathy.

Understanding patients’ preferences for healthcare providers can help EP cardiologists optimise patient management, improve care quality, and enhance patient satisfaction. We designed a questionnaire to gather data on how patients perceive and prefer different roles—such as first operator, second operator, anesthesiologist, and nurse—based on gender. This study aims to provide valuable insights into gender-related expectations within clinical settings, thus enhancing patient-provider dynamics in cardiac care.

Between April 2024 and October 2024, we collected 115 anonymous questionnaires from all patients attending our ward who received EP procedures. The questionnaire was divided into two main parts: demographics, educational level, type of procedures; and gender preferences. Statistical analysis was conducted using GraphPad (GraphPad Software, Boston, MA, USA).

We analysed data from 115 patients, of whom 34% were female. The mean age of patients was 58 (±16 years), with no significant age differences between genders. In our sample, we observed a difference in educational attainment: 45.3% of male patients attended college, compared to 25% of female patients. Regarding marital status, a higher proportion of male patients were married (67.5% vs. 73%). Interestingly, the majority of patients reported no preference regarding the gender of the first operator (84.8%), second operator (92%), anesthesiologist (92%), or nursing staff (85.7%). However, among those who did express a gender preference, 94.1% preferred a male first operator, while 87.5% preferred female nursing staff. A sub-analysis based on patient gender revealed that 100% of male patients preferred a male first operator, but only 66,7% preferred female nursing staff. Among female patients, 83.3% preferred a male first operator, and 100% preferred female nursing staff, as shown in Figure 2.

These findings indicate that while most patients do not have strong gender preferences for their healthcare providers, some continue to exhibit gender-based preferences, especially for specific roles such as the first operator and nursing staff. Understanding these preferences can support more tailored approaches to patient care in cardiac electrophysiology.

Demographic characteristics of patients