Practices leverage telehealth to enhance access to abortion services

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the delivery of many health services, including abortion, prompting researchers in Seattle to examine the feasibility of telehealth to improve access to this important care. Researchers conducted 21 interviews with clinical staff from four practice settings: independent primary care practices; specialized family planning clinics; online medical services; and primary care clinics within multispecialty health systems. Across all practice settings, the researchers found similar operational procedures for remote medication abortion services, with each site following five basic steps for care provision: patient engagement, care consultations, payment, medication dispensing and follow-up communication.

Though the overarching structure of services remained consistent across clinics, each site adapted services to their specific setting, local laws and regulations, and the needs of their patient populations. Service sites used multiple methods of medication delivery, including on-site pharmacies, medication dispensing protocols, and partner pharmacies. Family planning and health system clinics mailed medications from clinic stock or internal pharmacies, while independent clinics and online services often used mail-order pharmacies. The authors assert that these findings demonstrate the feasibility of offering abortion services in a variety of medical settings and highlight the potential variations that can be made to adapt the service to patient needs.