SUMMARY POINTS

SKILL

• Integrating services into your practice setting will help to normalize abortion and early pregnancy loss (EPL) as a part of your patients’ regular health care, helping with access and minimizing stigma.
• Providing medication abortion via telemedicine is safe and effective, and will improve access for your patients.
• Involving various stakeholders is critical to the service’s success and sustainability. Finding, cultivating, and working with other champions in your organization will help maximize your efforts.
• Providing a safe, respectful opportunity for staff to voice a range of feelings about participating in abortion care will help support their involvement.
• Incorporating conversations about implicit bias and racial justice will help build a workplace that prioritizes equity and inclusion.
• Using gender inclusive language in all aspects of care will help more patients feel welcomed into your practice.

SAFETY

• Protocols and drills for medical and security-related emergencies, while rarely needed, should be reviewed on a recurrent basis.
• Necessary equipment, medications, and back-up arrangements for rare abortion-related emergencies should be maintained.

ROLE

• Being patient and persistent with the process of integrating services is critical, as it may take some time.
• Being familiar with practice improvement methodologies used in other parts of your practice, such as small tests of change, will be important in order to apply those skills to this work.
• Using local and national networks will build a sense of collaborative community, help answer your medical and administrative questions, and challenge you to learn best practices.