Innovative Fellowship Program Improves Reproductive Health Access in Emergency Departments

Many patients rely on hospital emergency departments (ED) for prenatal care, treatment of sexually transmitted infections or sexual assault. To meet the needs of communities, ED providers need adequate resources and support, especially in environments where patients may lack access to comprehensive OB/GYN care. PHI’s Access Bridge clinical leaders are among the most prominent national experts meeting the moment to make the case for improved education and information for physicians and amplifying the need for less restrictive reproductive health policies to improve patient health outcomes nationwide.

Access Bridge offered guidance to ED providers, teaching them how to offer the best standards of reproductive healthcare, no matter how confusing and/or restrictive policies surrounding abortion may be.  The program provides ED clinicians with the tools and resources needed to offer patients the best evidence-based reproductive healthcare, enabling physicians to meet the moment and offer reproductive healthcare.

Access Bridge educates and empowers fellows to make decisions in confusing landscapes that always center the patient and their health and teaches our clinicians how to scale up and implement Access Bridge protocols and decision-making tools in their own environments. By organizing leaders and fellows, Access Bridge empowers physicians to provide the best evidence-based care for their patients no matter where they practice.

PHI’s Access Bridge trained a cohort of 22 emergency department clinicians (fellows) in 19 hospitals across 13 states (nine which have abortion bans or restrictions) to increase access to reproductive healthcare in their communities. During 2024, the Access Bridge fellowship program directly improved access to contraceptive services in EDs and directly improved access to and the quality of early pregnancy loss treatment, through the development of  easy-to-read algorithms and resources covering miscarriage, contraception and emergency contraception, ectopic pregnancy and medication abortion, along with template decks for physicians to educate their peers. Clinical experts produced and implemented protocols representing the best standards of care in reproductive health in 22 states, one US territory, and one tribal land.