Planned Parenthood understands some people on birth control want to keep their personal healthcare discreet. A new pilot program will allow patients to receive online birth control advice, along with access to their prescriptions without ever having to make a trip to the doctor or local pharmacy.
The healthcare provider announced the initial launch for the program in Minnesota and Washington state on Sept. 17. The online service will run daily in Minnesota and on weekdays in Washington from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m, according to the Planned Parenthood website. Patients can access the service either on their computers or mobile devices using the Planned Parenthood Care app.
"Our patients are between the ages of roughly 18 and 29, so they are Millennials, and they are used to being on [the] cutting edge of technology adaptation," Sarah Stoesz, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, told the Minnesota Star Tribune.
The service will also benefit those in rural areas who may not have a local Planned Parenthood clinic in their area.
A typical online visit takes about 15 minutes once the patient is connected to a provider, according to the Planned Parenthood website. The patient must first answer a few questions before speaking with a clinician. They must also have a recent blood pressure reading, which are available at local grocery stores, health centers, community centers and fire stations for free.
Planned Parenthood providers will counsel patients on the best form of birth control for them. Each online video visit costs $45. Patients then will receive their discreetly-packaged birth control in the mail and there's no charge for shipping.
"When a woman needs birth control, she really, really needs it," Stoesz said. "If we are going to be relevant to them we have to be their online provider."
The program will offer additional counseling for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) beginning in October. The service will include mail-order, do-it-yourself treatment kits, if needed, according to the Tribune. The online clinicians will focus on chlamydia and gonorrhea.
