As abortion clinics shutter across the country, providers in states where abortion is still legal are expecting an influx of patients — and they’re hoping technology can help them manage the deluge.
Clinicians at brick-and-mortar and virtual abortion sites tell STAT they’re using and exploring technology like virtual assistants, online scheduling, increased virtual visits, and asynchronous messaging to ensure more convenient access to abortion care. Ideally, these tools could minimize the need for patients traveling from other states to visit clinics and keep wait times low, they say.
“We’re working to try to figure out the best way to accommodate people,” said Melissa Grant, chief operating officer at Carafem, a chain of reproductive health care clinics in Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee and Washington, D.C. After the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade last month, Carafem saw its call volume double, from about 250 to 500 requests from patients each day. “Part of it is trying to make the online system as flexible and user friendly as possible. Digital technology is really, really helpful because you can scale more quickly.”
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