Gender sensitivity in health care for elderly men and women

Clinicians function in an environment protocols and guidelines. In developing requirements for reimbursement, the Health Care Financing Administration and the for-profit health care industry often overlook the time involved in forming sound clinical judgments and establishing and maintaining confidential and trusting doctor-patient relationships. Clinicians can best serve their patients by being attentive to the complexities of aging and gender while remaining conscious of time- and cost- efficiencies, keeping informed of the latest research, and orienting treatment toward optimal outcomes.