FPA: Telecolposcopy is improving the health of women

FPA Women’s Health’s goal is to improve the health of women. It started as a lone service provider but has now grown to offer various gynecological healthcare options. FPA provides for the needs of thousands of women at its 23 locations across California.

FPA is now embracing telecolposcopy to broaden the scope of care it can offer to this mixed-culture population.

85% of FPA patients are uninsured at the time of their initial visit, with a focus on underserved communities. However, according to California law, patients may request supposed eligibility for Medi-Cal coverage. As a result, FPAA can offer patients free coverage at the point of care.

Emergency care enables access to prophylactic medication.

Because they lack health insurance and are from areas with generally poor access to healthcare, the women that FPA assists are frequently hesitant to seek preventative treatment.

The FPA Medical Director, Dr. Rachel Steward, asserts that women frequently visit doctors for their kids but not often for themselves.

This anecdotal account of patient reactions corresponds to a true story. According to Dr. Steward, most patients seek medical attention for a gynecological emergency, such as family planning problems, unexplained bleeding, or painful periods. In addition, doctors advise patients to undergo routine well-woman screening after registration in the FPA system.

Geographical issues are affecting FPA Women’s Health.

Others are underserved because of social or socioeconomic challenges, while some FPA patients reside in geographically underserved areas. Each of FPA’s 23 locations is dedicated to providing the same top-notch care if patients are in central LA or Fresno. Though it might seem easy for patients to receive medical care in California, Dr. Steward outlines the FPA’s commitment to accessibility. 

Even in California, it could be challenging for certain people to receive high-quality healthcare.

To overcome this difficulty, FPA has increased its ability to offer a comprehensive range of women’s health services within a bearable distance from patients. As a result, the phrase “telehealth” has grown in acceptance. For FPA, it has been crucial in extending the scope of its colposcopy services.

The statement stated, “We confronted a geographic challenge, not just in quickly offering colposcopy services to patients, but much more so in training new colposcopists. The physician elaborated. The ASCCP requires that a practitioner perform 25 colposcopies while being closely observed before they may be certified.

EVA system-based approach.

FPA selected the EVA System, a mobile-connected colposcope that offers remote consultation, to assist them in resolving this issue. The EVA System addresses the challenges of increasing patient access and professional oversight. Bonnie Betts, NP, is the Director of Nursing at FPA. She was among the nation’s first medical practitioners to use the EVA System. I always have EVA with me, she declared. When I started doing colposcopy, we had a huge dinosaur-shaped colposcope that restricted me to a single clinic. I was lucky to move it from one room to the next.

The little EVA System can fit under one arm thanks to its size. The other nurses refer to EVA as my “dance companion,” Bonnie said in jest.

“One of my favorite features of employing EVA is the opportunity for patient education. I show the women’s cervix on the screen before, during, and after the procedure. The fear goes away once they can see what is going on.

Telecolposcopy is available from FPA Women’s Health.

The EVA System provides a unique option for clinician training for telecolposcopy, commonly known as remote colposcopy. Bonnie is the ASCCP-certified colposcopy mentor in charge of the fresh FPA trainees. Bonnie says, “We’re excited to use EVA remotely.” Two of my mentees are employed by far-off clinics. While the other is 500 miles away, the first is only 150 miles away. We could only have finished the mentoring with EVA.

Thanks to the EVA System’s remote collaboration capability, Bonnie can view the surgery hundreds of miles away in real-time on her computer or through her EVA System.

Bonnie contended: “Even if I’m not seat next to you, I might as well be.

She can hear about the procedure from me. Pay attention to her comments as she does the colposcopy and shares any advice you may have.

Dr. Steward outlines how the telecolposcopy program benefits her in her capacity as Medical Director. “Regarding quality control, this approach is reassuring. I may choose between going over the procedure again and seeing the photos that were taken. 

It offers command over the whole software.

FPA Women’s Health is using telecolposcopy to extend its colposcopy services. They most likely won’t be the final ones.

According to Dr. Steward, it is incredible to be at the forefront of women’s health and access to technology that can enhance healthcare in underdeveloped parts of the world.