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Planned Parenthood Wants You to Access Birth Control Online

New pilot program makes getting contraception as easy as clicking a mouse.

Whether it’s social media apps, email or the Web, many of us are tied to the Internet all day, every day.

But Planned Parenthood doesn’t think that has to be a bad thing, especially when it comes to their busy clients.

The women’s reproductive health organization recently launched a new pilot program that will let clients gain access to birth control and other forms of contraception and speak with a health care provider via the Internet and mobile app. 

The program, which is currently in Washington State and Minnesota, allows for women to connect to a secure video portal with a Planned Parenthood supplier. Available Mondays to Fridays between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., clients can request birth control to be mailed to them. Even better: Next month, they will be adding STD counseling and mailing HIV home testing kits and certain STD meds to the program, Think Progress reported.

Jill Balderson, vice president of Health Care Innovation at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, strongly believes that this program can be a game changer for women’s health, especially when getting a prescription means having to come into an office.   

So many people struggle to balance work, family, school, and taking care of their health. Whether it’s difficulty in getting an appointment, the distance to a health center, or a busy work schedule Planned Parenthood knows that the more access patients have to a provider, the more they can get the preventive care they need, when they need it.”

She added that they have plans to expand this program: “Eventually we’d love to see this program expand to other states. Planned Parenthood is continually looking for innovative ways to get patients the care they need, no matter where they live.”

There is a downfall to this pilot program though: Health insurance cannot be used, but according to Think Progress, Planned Parenthood is talking to companies to see if that can change.

Innovative pilot programs that want to meet women where they are is a serious step in the right direction if we are serious about strengthening and improving women's sexual and reproductive health, especially for Black women

Would you use this program for care? Sound off in the comments section!

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 (Photo: Kelsey Snell/MCT)

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