Communication with patients using asynchronous telehealth medication abortion services.

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Telemedicine
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Telemedicine abortion services have expanded, necessitating an understanding of patient communication patterns.
• Effective patient-provider communication is crucial for quality care in remote healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze patient-provider communication within asynchronous telemedicine abortion services.
• To inform staffing models and resource allocation for these services.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive analysis of patient-service communication data from 504 patients (April-November 2020).
• Comparison of patient demographics with message volume using Kruskal-Wallis test.

Main Results:

• 56% of patients communicated with staff, averaging six messages per patient (IQR: 3-10).
• Key communication topics included eligibility, payment, medication delivery, and the physical process.
• No significant difference in message volume was observed across patient demographics.

Conclusions:

• Asynchronous telemedicine abortion necessitates limited patient communication.
• Nonclinical staff can effectively manage the majority of patient inquiries.
• Findings support efficient resource allocation and staffing decisions in telemedicine abortion care.