The introduction of contraception in an urban public hospital

Program Planning and Evaluation

“…(54) They confirm Beasley's hypothesis previously mentioned: that such a service is used eagerly by indigent women. In evaluation program efforts to date, the authors highlight the importance of traditional problems associated with clinic delivery of medical care of any kind, namely: clinic hours; quality and quantity of clinic staffing; suitable space for patient waiting and examination; adequate patient education in the newer fertility regulating methods in language understandable to the patient; free access to the clinic without complex reappointment arrangements; simplicity of drug dispensing without lengthy waiting in pharmacy lines; availability of competent and sympathetic assistance if complications develop in the use of a given method: easy transfer from one method to another if needed; and sound medical counseling about the initial choice of a contraceptive method.…”

Introduction

“…(20) The hospital was under public auspices and served a low-income population in New York City. Family planning services were utilized by both the hospitalized and clinic patients.…”

Nurse‐Midwifery From the Viewpoint of One Obstetrician

“…With present methods, and considering patient expectations with respect to services that will be rendered in conjunction with these methods, one of the most common topics of conversation in doctors’ lounges over the past five years has been the time and energy consumed counseling women with respect to family planning methods, instructing them in their use, reassuring them when they develop doubts and fears, and actually managing the complications of intrauterine devices and oral contraceptive therapy. In hospital services such as Harlem Hospital, where no family planning service existed prior to 1963, 3 1967 found 16,000 patients requesting family planning services as compared to 19,000 requests for prenatal care. The burden of patient care, as it was previously measured in terms of prenatal and postnatal care only, has literally doubled, and potentially will be more than doubled.…”