Planned Parenthood Keystone Launches New At-Home STI Testing Service during Pride Month

Keystone is first affiliate nationwide to offer this innovative service for sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment through binx health

[Warminster, PA] – Planned Parenthood Keystone is proud to announce the launch of a new service in Pennsylvania that allows patients to access sexually transmitted disease (STI) testing and treatment, from anywhere, at any time. Planned Parenthood Keystone is the first affiliate of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America to offer this innovative service with binx health. June marks Pride Month and PPKeystone honors the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community who face significant barriers in accessing healthcare. PPKeystone is proud to offer sexual and reproductive healthcare to our LGTBQ+ patients, which now includes at-home STI testing.

Offered in partnership with binx health, this easy, convenient, and private service allows patients to identify and access the appropriate tests to order through a medically-guided sexual health risk assessment. Patients receive specimen collection kits at home and return their specimens to a central laboratory via a pre-paid envelope. All specimens are processed by binx health’s CLIA-certified,CAP-accredited, and HIPAA-compliant partner laboratory. Licensed clinicians contact patients to review results and offer treatment options, if necessary.

With sexually transmitted infections already at all-time highs prior to the pandemic, and local public health resources dedicated to education and prevention of sexually-transmitted infections redirected to combat COVID-19, additional resources are required. At-home testing for sexually transmitted infections is a new tool, arriving at a critical time.  As PPKeystone celebrates Pride Month, it is also imperative to remember that STI testing is an important part of ongoing sexual and reproductive healthcare.

“During this pandemic, physical distancing requirements and fears of contracting COVID-19 are factors impacting our patients’ decisions on whether or not to seek care. For many Planned Parenthood patients, we are their only source of health care. The unfortunate reality is the pandemic has made existing barriers to care worse for many of the communities we serve. This is especially true for LGBTQ+ people, people of color, people who live in rural areas, people with low incomes and those who are uninsured. Through at-home STI testing, we are removing as many barriers as we can, all while keeping our patients, staff, and our communities safe. Now during Pride Month, and always, we remain committed to getting our patients’ the care and information they need, when they need it,” said Melissa Reed, President & CEO.

“We are honored to be able to support a continuum of medically-guided sexual health care for Planned Parenthood Keystone patients and the broader community during this time,” said Christine Clarke, Director of Business Development for binx health. “At-home STI testing enables patients to take ownership of their sexual health and receive routine and recommended care from the privacy of their homes.”

For more information about accessing at-Home STI Testing from Planned Parenthood Keystone, patients can visit the affiliate’s website at ppkeystone.org.

Planned Parenthood Keystone’s nine health centers in Central and Eastern Pennsylvania offer a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, and more than 24,000 patients annually depend on Planned Parenthood Keystone for expert, affordable, and compassionate health care. You can visit ppkeystone.org to find the health center nearest you.

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Planned Parenthood Keystone (PPKeystone) is a non-partisan 501 c(3) organization that operates 9 health centers serving a 37- county region, providing essential health care services and sexuality education. Medical services include birth control, annual gynecological exams, STD testing and treatment, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing and options referrals, abortion care, cancer screening and treatment, confidential HIV/AIDS testing, male services and more. Health centers are located in Allentown, Bensalem, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Quakertown, Reading, Warminster, Wilkes-Barre, and York. Visit www.ppkeystone.org. for more information. PPKeystone is an affiliate of Planned Parenthood Federation of America – the nation’s leading sexual and reproductive health care advocate and provider.