(INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE) — The Indiana Planned Parenthood affiliate announced the launch of a virtual clinic on Wednesday, touting it as part of an effort to mitigate provider gaps as other options close.
“For many Hoosiers, telehealth isn’t just about convenience — it’s about su
rvival. Indiana faces incredibly pressing sexual health challenges, from high STI rates to maternal health crises, all exacerbated by provider shortages, stigmatization, restrictive policies, and barriers to care in rural communities,” said CEO Rebecca Gibron, who also leads the organization’s efforts in Hawai’i, Alaska and Kentucky.
“Expanding telehealth options means breaking down these barriers, ensuring patients can access compassionate, high-quality care no matter where they live,” Gibron continued in the release. “In a state where reproductive health care is increasingly restricted, investing in telehealth is not just practical—it’s essential to safeguarding the health and dignity of all Hoosiers.”
The Virtual Health Center in Indiana will connect Hoosiers with providers to discuss the following:
Birth control
Emergency contraception
Pregnancy planning
Gender-affirming care
Testing for sexual transmitted infections
Treatment for STIs
Menopause support
The organization’s press release further delved into rural hospital closures and cutbacks to obstetrics services. In Indiana, one-in-four counties are considered to be maternity care deserts, meaning they lack access to obstetric services at hospitals or free-standing clinics. Planned Parenthood pitched the virtual clinic as a way to address those gaps in care, pointing to a report from the Power to Decide on contraceptive deserts that found 428,540 women of reproductive age lacked options in Indiana. Prenatal care is shown to improve care outcomes for both mothers and babies, screening for birth defects and providing timely health care interventions.
STIs are also increasing nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, costings billions each year in treatment and lifelong medical costs. In Indiana, cases of gonorrhea have ticked up slightly while syphilis has more than doubled.
The Planned Parenthood virtual clinic will complement the 11 physical health centers located throughout the state. Appointments can be scheduled online by entering a resident’s state and selecting telehealth.
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