"ContraceptED": A Multidisciplinary Framework for Emergency Department-Initiated Contraception.

Emergency departments (EDs) are common access points for patients who are at high risk for unintended pregnancy. Low-barrier access to effective contraception represents a crucial and low-cost intervention to address this public health need. Same-day initiation of contraception during an ED visit is a unique opportunity to provide reproductive health care for high-risk patients with otherwise limited health care access. We collaborated with our obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) department, pharmacists, and a team of community health advocates to support emergency clinicians (namely, emergency physicians and advanced practice providers) in assessing pregnancy and contraceptive readiness, increasing proficiency in contraception counseling, prescribing hormonal contraception, counseling on barrier and emergency contraception, and inserting (and removing) the Nexplanon implant, a form of long-acting reversible contraception. With this novel approach, we found that emergency clinicians voluntarily participated in trainings on contraception, including low-threshold long-acting reversible contraception initiation; and, after completing these trainings, clinicians integrated these skills into their workflow in the ED. We report our results after screening 38 patients during our current Pilot Phase of implementing this program.

Midurethral slings for stress urinary incontinence.

Midurethral synthetic slings for female stress urinary incontinence are minimally invasive polypropylene mesh tapes, which are inserted under the midurethra with trocars. In the last decade this new technology has become the most commonly performed procedure for female stress urinary incontinence, replacing the traditional open procedures. Using only 3 small incisions, these outpatient procedures can be performed under local anesthesia with conscious sedation. Retropubic and transobturator approaches will be reviewed along with a review of efficacy, comparative studies, complications, and use in many different clinical situations.