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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Maya Blum, MPH1, Diana Greene, PhD1, and Felicia Stewart, MD2. (1) Center for Reproductive Health Research & Policy, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California Street Suite 335, San Francisco, CA 94143-0744, (415) 502-4070, blumm@obgyn.ucsf.edu, (2) Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy, University of California at San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 335, San Francisco, CA 94143-0744
A potential family planning client’s first contact with a medical provider typically involves a telephone call to inquire about services or to make an appointment. This interaction plays an important role in promoting or hindering access to services. A telephone survey was used to evaluate access to services offered through the Family Planning Access Care and Treatment (Family PACT) program, California’s state-funded family planning program. Family PACT serves 1.3 million clients each year through a network of 2,000 providers. Four trained interviewers posing as potential family planning clients called enrolled providers (n=430) and asked questions about services, cost, and appointment availability. The advantages and limitations of this methodology, as well as design and implementation challenges, will be discussed. Results showed that providers were most likely to offer pregnancy tests (92%) and birth control (86%), and most (90%) were able to provide a scheduled appointment or walk-in services, which on average were just 5.4 days after the call. This methodology is useful for collecting baseline data to measure access to services and quality of care. Other programs may want to consider using this survey approach to assess periodically whether telephone scheduling may be creating obstacles for access to services.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Member of the UCSF evaluation team contracted by the State of California, Office of Family Planning to evaluate the Family PACT Program.