Research findings from an evaluation of telehealth for medication abortion services at Maine Family Planning clinics

Medication abortion is inaccessible to many people due to a number of barriers, including a lack of providers, the need to travel long distances to access care, and inconvenient clinic hours. These obstacles are further compounded by state regulations that target where, when, and how people can access abortion. Providers have implemented telehealth—the provision of health care at a distance through technology—to expand access to high-quality medication abortion services. 

In 2011, Ibis launched a portfolio of work to evaluate telehealth models for medication abortion in the United States. This brief presents findings from an evaluation that sought to assess patient and provider experiences using telehealth services at Maine Family Planning clinics.