title: Patient counseling women using oral contraceptives.
abstract: Oral contraceptives (OCs) are the most widely used form of reversible birth control in the United States. However, incorrect and/or inconsistent use may result in increased failure rates and unintended pregnancies, which present a significant cost burden to the health care system and HMOs. One of the best mechanisms to improve outcomes is through high-quality clinician-patient communication. Managed care organizations may benefit from encouraging their providers to counsel and educate patients on the proper use of OCs, as this may reduce unnecessary follow-up visits, lower the number of unintended pregnancies, and increase patient satisfaction with their health care.
authors: Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30308, USA. drchely@msn.com
authors: Celia E
authors: CE
authors: Dominguez
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal