Dermatologic care of uninsured patients managed at free clinics

Abstract

Uninsured patients are not well tracked within the health care system and therefore not commonly recorded in databases. Epidemiologic data regarding patients-specifically, those with dermatologic concerns visiting free clinics-are limited. The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence of dermatologic complaints among uninsured patients who visit free clinics. A cross-sectional chart review of 5553 uninsured patients seen across 8 free clinics in Tampa, Florida, during 2016 was carried out to determine the prevalence of dermatologic chief complaints and patient demographics. Across 8 free clinics, a total of 5553 patients were seen in 2016. Of these patients, 444 (8%) presented with dermatologic complaints. The most common complaints pertained to rash, followed by lesions: localized rash (n=83 [18.7%]), genital rash (n=51 [11.5%]), generalized rash (n=50 [11.3%]), questionable lesions (n=35 [7.9%]), and genital lesions (n=18 [4.1%]). There are notable variations in medical documentation practices among free clinics, thereby limiting data collection. Free clinics have the potential to relieve a great dermatologic burden throughout the uninsured population. The findings from this study can inform other free clinics of the dermatologic conditions that are most likely to be seen among their patient population so that they can better provide their patients with higher-quality care.