Provider practice models for and costs of delivering medication abortion — evidence from 11 US abortion care settings

Afable-Munsuz, Aimee; Gould, Heather; Stewart, Felicia; Phillips, Kathryn A.; Van Bebber, Stephanie L.; Moore, Charlie

doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2006.09.009

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Volume 75, Issue 1 , Pages 45-51, January 2007

Provider practice models for and costs of delivering medication abortion — evidence from 11 US abortion care settings

Aimee Afable-Munsuz
- University of California, San Francisco and Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH) program, Bixby Center for Reproductive Health Research & Policy, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Corresponding author. Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Box 0936, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. Tel.: +1 415 476 1639; fax: +1 415 476 0705.
Heather Gould
- University of California, San Francisco and Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH) program, Bixby Center for Reproductive Health Research & Policy, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
Felicia Stewart
- University of California, San Francisco and Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH) program, Bixby Center for Reproductive Health Research & Policy, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
Kathryn A. Phillips
- University of California, San Francisco and Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH) program, Bixby Center for Reproductive Health Research & Policy, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
Stephanie L. Van Bebber
- University of California, San Francisco and Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH) program, Bixby Center for Reproductive Health Research & Policy, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
Charlie Moore
- HealthMetrics, Inc., Bedford, MA 01730, USA

Received 17 March 2006; received in revised form 8 September 2006; accepted 12 September 2006. published online 17 November 2006.

Abstract

Purpose

Understanding practice models and provider costs for medication abortion (MAB) provision may elucidate ways to facilitate MAB integration into a larger arena of health care services. This study provides descriptive data on the diverse MAB practice models currently being utilized by US health care providers and the costs associated with the components of those models.

Method

Data were gathered from a sample of 11 abortion care settings, using clinic administrative records and patient satisfaction surveys.

Results

Practice models varied dramatically, with a wide range in the type of staff employed to provide MAB. The total episode cost for providing MAB ranged from $252 to $460, and patient satisfaction was high across all practices.

Conclusion

Information from this study can be used to guide decisions regarding MAB integration into practices not currently providing abortion or which provide only aspiration abortions. The information may also be useful for providers wishing to refine their MAB services.

Keywords: Abortion, Medication abortion, Mifepristone, Provider costs, Practice models