Results
Title

Examining service delivery patterns before and after implementation of a direct‐to‐patient telehealth service providing medication abortion in Australia.

Authors

Seymour, Jane W.; Melville, Catriona; Grossman, Daniel; Thompson, Terri‐Ann

Abstract

In August 2016, MSI Australia (MSIA) brought to scale a direct‐to‐patient telehealth medication abortion service. We used MSIA's patient management systems from January 2015 to December 2018 to assess changes in the proportion of abortion patients obtaining care after 13 weeks' gestation, proportion of abortion patients obtaining medication abortion versus procedural abortion and proportion of abortion patients from regional and remote versus metropolitan areas. The proportions of abortion patients obtaining care before 13 weeks' gestational duration and those from regional and remote residents did not change between the pre‐ and post‐periods. We observed an increase in medication abortion use that was greater among those in regional and remote areas than those in metropolitan areas.

Subjects

AUSTRALIA; HEALTH services accessibility; HUMAN services programs; MEDICAL care; POPULATION geography; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; ABORTIFACIENTS; TELEMEDICINE; PRE-tests & post-tests; MEDICAL consultation; GESTATIONAL age; CONFIDENCE intervals; ABORTION

Publication

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 2024, Vol 64, Issue 6, p647

ISSN

0004-8666

Publication type

Academic Journal

DOI

10.1111/ajo.13846