As a guy with long hair i can tell you i would be pissed if they shaved my head while an alternative was available.

That's fair, and it was a poor example on my part.

If one treatment is much better, then yes that one would be preferred. Generally when there are two treatments being weighed, both will have consequences (else one would obviously be better).

My point was that knowing things about a person, outside of their physical biology, can get better outcomes. It should never be REQUIRED for the patient to share it, but we should educate medical staff about their community so that they can use that information when it is helpful.

Some other examples, that aren't specific to gender

• knowing what pronouns to use would make the patient trust the provider more and feel more comfortable
• if you know the patients literacy level or knowledge of medical terminology, you can adjust your explanations
• if the patient belongs to a group that might have an aversion to a particular treatment, you know to either spend more time explaining it or to let them know another option is available
• if you know the patient is poor, then you might take that into account when recommending treatments. Even in publicly funded health systems, the lifestyle recommendations might not apply to every person

At the same time, the person shouldn't be making assumptions based on someone falling into a particular group, and they should confirm whatever it is they are checking for.

IMO, knowing about gender is less important in places where it doesn't carry as much cultural weight. As another example, if someone identifies as a woman in a culture where they don't want to be alone with a male figure, knowing their identity might remind the staff to bring someone else who identifies as a woman into the exam room.