The COVID-19 pandemic has created a unique opportunity to develop strategies to continue providing reproductive health services. Telehealth is an effective approach to expanding access to care, however its uptake in the United States has been limited. Exploring patient satisfaction with contraceptive counseling delivered via telehealth will provide essential data that may strengthen the argument for continued virtual delivery of contraceptive counseling.

Our primary objective is to compare patient satisfaction with contraceptive counseling delivered via telehealth (video or telephone visit) to traditional in-person counseling. Secondary objectives include receipt of desired contraceptive method, evaluate satisfaction of technology use and barriers with technology use, and assess the impact of COVID-19 on chosen mode of counseling.

We will recruit participants presenting to the Contraceptive Choice Center, a Title-X funded family planning clinic. When patients schedule an appointment to initiate or switch a contraceptive method, they will choose whether to receive counseling via telehealth or in-person. Immediately following contraceptive counseling, participants will complete a web-based, self-administered survey that includes the Interpersonal Quality in Family Planning scale, questions adapted from the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire, demographic and contraceptive history, additional questions about satisfaction with counseling, barriers to contraceptive care and technology use, and the impact of COVID-19 on counseling.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for alternatives to in-person delivery of healthcare. Providing reproductive health services remains essential during the pandemic. Measuring patient satisfaction contraceptive counseling via telehealth will inform policy decisions regarding coverage for telehealth services and guide further changes to healthcare delivery.