Medical abortion service delivery

Medical abortion with mifepristone and methotrexate regimens may be offered in a variety of American medical practice settings. In this article the new provider will find information on all aspects of the patient care delivery system for medical abortion, including physical space requirements, staffing and training, patient flow, cost, security, marketing, and quality assurance. Because of the limited published data available regarding logistic issues surrounding abortion care, the information in this article derives largely from the experiences of providers who have established medical abortion practices in their offices or clinics. Its goals are to help make the initial start-up phase briefer and more rewarding for new providers, to offer helpful guidelines for incorporation of medical abortion into practice, and to encourage more practitioners to see the benefits of adding this option to their practices. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000;183:S16-S25.)