Rapid innovation and adaptation in contraceptive care using telemedicine (RIACCT): Evaluating impact and sustainability at Planned Parenthood of Illinois
Contraception
Awarded 2020
Contraceptive service delivery: Capturing innovations responsive to COVID-19
Debra Stulberg, MD
The University of Chicago
$25,000

Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) is a critical safety net provider, delivering > 42,000 contraceptive visits per year across the state. Starting in March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to maintain patient access to care while reducing in-person contact, PPIL consolidated its in-person sites and began implementing rapid innovations in contraceptive service delivery with telemedicine. It is unknown how these innovations were perceived by providers and frontline staff, and whether changes in access, patient satisfaction, or contraceptive method mix occurred as a result. Furthermore, the sustainability of telemedicine services is in question. The purpose of this study is to measure the impact of PPIL’s innovations and gain informed perspectives on how to sustain valuable aspects of these changes. We will conduct a mixed-methods assessment of PPIL’s contraceptive care innovations, using provider and staff interviews (n=25) and 20 months of pre- and post-crisis service delivery and patient satisfaction data. Qualitative interviews will be guided by the Person-Centered Contraceptive Care framework and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Quantitative analysis will test the causal association between service delivery changes and access to contraceptive care, measured as days from patient appointment request to appointment (primary outcome). Additional measures will include patient satisfaction and contraceptive method mix. Our findings will inform policymakers, insurers, and providers about what has worked during the acute and immediate post-acute phases of the COVID-19 crisis in order to capture the potential benefits and avoid long-term harms to the reproductive health of the population.