Project Description

This project developed and tested an interactive, multimedia, Web-based Family Planning Counseling Aid (FPCA). The FPCA was designed to be a low-cost tool that will improve clinic efficiency by enhancing the quality of family planning (FP) services without increasing the providers' counseling workload. The implementation of the FPCA will help patients to be better informed and more engaged in the counseling process and to make more realistic contraceptive choices. The tool will also help clinicians to make their counseling more patient-centered and to feel more satisfied that contraceptive decisions are right for each client.  Specific aims of the project were to develop the FPCA, assess the feasibility of integrating the FPCA into FP clinics' workflow and the usability of the tool by both clients and providers, and assess the impact of the FPCA on the quality and content of counseling. Study sites were two FP clinics--a county health department and a Planned Parenthood clinic. To develop the FPCA, RTI International reviewed existing counseling and decision support tools and sought input from an expert panel. To ensure that the FPCA meets the needs of both patients and clinicians, RTI conducted pretests using interactive mock-ups of the tool and getting reactions through focus groups with clients and interviews with clinicians. RTI then developed a prototype of the FPCA and pilot tested it with clients and clinicians.

Project Partners
Office of Populations Affairs
Project Open
Closed
Countries