Abstract
IntroductionTeledermatology (TD) is a unique tool to deliver specialised dermatological care from a distance. In Chile, the Chilean Ministry of Health (MINSAL) first implemented a TD platform in 2010. The aim of this study is to compare the mean response time of the dermatologist using TD and the mean response time in face-to-face referral. Material and methodTeleconsultations: 12,400 patients uploaded onto MINSAL's TD platform from January 2011 to September 2017 from the Primary Healthcare centres of the Healthcare Services of Vaparaíso- San Antonio, Metropolitano Oriente, Metropolitano-Occidente and Valdivia. Face-to-face consultations: Statistical analysis made by MINSAL according to the Glosa 06 of February, 2017. ResultsThe mean response time using TD was 18.7 days (SD=37.7). From these, 61.1% were attended in the first 14 days or less, 26.9% were attended between 15 to 30 days, and 12% took more than 30 days from requesting the teleconsultation. The mean response time of face-to-face medical care was 341.36 days. DiscussionThe large majority (90%) of the TD cases were resolved in less than 30 days, with appropriate quality and efficacy levels. Nationwide, there is a lack of accessibility to specialised healthcare, which could be partly mitigated with the use of this tool.TD is an efficient tool in dermatology, which has helped to decrease the waiting times for the resolution of cases related to TD, giving easier accessibility to specialised healthcare.
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