Teledermatology Research Articles

Teledermatology During COVID-19: An Updated Review.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has fundamentally transformed the landscape of providing dermatologic care. In an age of lockdowns and social distancing, teledermatology (TD) has emerged as a powerful tool to deliver remote care. Here, we review literature on TD use during the pandemic to evaluate the positives and negatives of TD implementation. We especially consider the reception of TD in underserved communities and the developing world as well as the ethico-legal challenges wrought by the burgeoning utilization of this new paradigm of care. The potential of TD to occupy a more prominent role in dermatologic care in a post-COVID-19 world is also discussed.

Teledermatology in Times of COVID-19 Confinement: Comparing Patients’ and Physicians’ Satisfaction by the Standardized Brest Teledermatology Questionnaire

The French government imposed the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown from March 17 until May 11, 2020. Only emergency cases and teledermatology (TD) were allowed in outpatient settings. A standardized questionnaire was developed to compare the satisfaction level of patients and their treating physicians. Our main question was whether the patients would perceive TD as a valid alternative for direct physical face-to-face consultation. Eighty-two patients and their 4 treating dermatologists from one dermatology department participated in the study (43 females, 39 males) with a mean age of 46.6 years (SD ±23.9). The reason for TD was a chronic disease in the majority (87.8%), and mainly as a follow-up (96.3%). Regarding satisfaction, almost all categories rated around 9 on a 0–10 verbal analogue scale. The same level of global satisfaction could be seen between the patients and the physicians as well as for the quality of the patient-physician relation and whether all questions could be addressed during the TC. Physicians showed significantly higher scores than patients only for the category of “length” of the consultation. Gender, age, as well as distance between the clinic and home of the patient were not influencing factors for satisfaction. Regarding the technical parameters, the evaluation was mostly comparable for patients and physicians, but overall lower than the relational satisfaction parameters, especially for image quality. Patients were significantly more motivated to continue the TD after the lockdown than their treating dermatologists. We see an interest for implementing TD in specialized centers with chronic patients coming from remote places for regular follow-ups. TD cannot replace in-person patient-physician interaction, but was helpful during the lockdown. As a result, TD might become part of dermatology training to prepare for future lockdown situations.

Teledermatology before and after coronavirus

Teledermatology before and after coronavirus

The Usefulness of Teledermatology in Monitoring the Efficacy and Safety of a Topical Treatment for Actinic Keratosis

We recently reported that teledermatology (TD) is valid and reliable in the diagnosis of actinic keratosis (AK) and field cancerization (Sola-Ortigosa et al., 2020). Although AK is mostly treated by dermatologists, primary care physicians (PCPs) participate in the management and follow-up (de Berker et al., 2017; Lowell et al., 2001). Topical AK treatments usually produce local skin reactions (LSRs) that lead to unscheduled dermatological consultations and treatment withdrawal. We hypothesized that TD could be used for monitoring topical AK therapy in the primary care setting, thus reducing treatment-related referrals.

Direct patient-to-physician teledermatology: Not a flash in the pan(demic)

Dermatology is a clinical and visual discipline, which makes it the quintessential medical specialty for spot diagnosis and telemedicine. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented worldwide renaissance of teledermatology (TD). It has helped deliver high-quality medical care, while protecting the medical personnel and vulnerable patients from potential infection. Examining a patient from a distance through digital photography has many drawbacks, including lack of physical touch, difficulties in performing full body examinations, and several legal and ethical issues. We summarize have summarized the more common pitfalls and highlight the key aspects of direct patient-to-physician TD. Basic practical advice includes the use of TD for obtaining patient history, examining patient-captured photographs for inflammatory skin disease, and skin cancer screening.

Cost Minimization Analysis of a Teledermatology Triage System in a Managed Care Setting

Teledermatology (TD) enables remote triage and management of dermatology patients. Previous analyses of TD systems have demonstrated improved access to care but an inconsistent fiscal impact. To compare the organizationwide cost of managing newly referred dermatology patients within a TD triage system vs a conventional dermatology care model at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (hereafter referred to as the ZSFG) in California. A retrospective cost minimization analysis was conducted of 2098 patients referred to the dermatology department at the ZSFG between June 1 and December 31, 2017. Implementation of the TD triage system in January 2015. The main outcome was mean cost to the health care organization to manage newly referred dermatology patients with or without TD triage. To estimate costs, decision-tree models were constructed to characterize possible care paths with TD triage and within a conventional dermatology care model. Costs associated with primary care visits, dermatology visits, and TD visits were then applied to the decision-tree models to estimate the mean cost of managing patients following each care path for 6 months. The mean cost for each visit type incorporated personnel costs, with the mean cost per TD consultation also incorporating software implementation and maintenance costs. Finally, ZSFG patient data were applied within the models to evaluate branch probabilities, enabling calculation of mean cost per patient within each model. The analysis captured 2098 patients (1154 men [55.0%]; mean [SD] age, 53.4 [16.8] years), with 1099 (52.4%) having Medi-Cal insurance and 879 (41.9%) identifying as non-White. In the decision-tree model with TD triage, the mean (SD) cost per patient to the health care organization was $559.84 ($319.29). In the decision-tree model for conventional dermatology care, the mean (SD) cost per patient was $699.96 ($390.24). Therefore, the TD model demonstrated a statistically significant mean (SE) cost savings of $140.12 ($11.01) per patient. Given an annual dermatology referral volume of 3150 patients, the analysis estimates an annual savings of $441 378. Implementation of a TD triage system within the dermatology department at the ZSFG was associated with cost savings, suggesting that managed health care settings may experience significant cost savings from using TD to triage and manage patients.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on dermatology practices: Results of a web-based, global survey.

This study aimed to assess the immediate and long-term effects of the pandemic on dermatology practice on a large scale, including the clinical activity of participants, frequency and types of procedures used, and teledermatology (TD) use. This web-based, global survey included 733 dermatologists. The primary outcomes are percentages of respondents providing in-person consultations, hospital service, and TD and performing procedures. Factors in logistic regression models that may influence the odds ratio (OR) for TD use during pandemic and for future use also were analyzed. The percentages of respondents providing in-person consultations (46.6% vs. 100% before the pandemic) and hospital service (27% vs. 52.8% before the pandemic) as well as performing procedures (25.6% vs. 100% before the pandemic) decreased, whereas practicing TD increased three-fold (75.2% vs. 26.1% before the pandemic) during the pandemic (p < .001 for each). Practice location was associated with TD use during the pandemic and with its expected use in the future (p < .001 for both), with North American respondents indicating the highest use. TD use during the pandemic showed a positive correlation with TD use before the pandemic, performing procedures and, more specifically, with biopsies of suspicious pigmented lesions during the pandemic (p < .001 for each). TD use before the pandemic was the most powerful predictor of TD use during the pandemic (OR: 16.47; 95% confidence interval, 7.12-38.06). More than two third of participants (68.6%) expect to use TD in the future. The factor with the largest increase in OR on the expectation of future TD use was >1000 COVID-19 cases in the country (OR: 3.80; 95% confidence interval, 2.33-6.21). This survey indicates a profound immediate effect of the pandemic on dermatology practice. The pandemic appears to have substantially contributed to an increased use of TD in the long run.

The reliability and feasibility of teledermatology to diagnose patients referred from the emergency department to outpatient dermatology

The reliability and feasibility of teledermatology to diagnose patients referred from the emergency department to outpatient dermatology

Profile of teledermatology consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic – An observational study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions in healthcare settings all over the world During the lockdown period, teledermatology (TD) played a salient role in helping aggrieved patients receive treatment Material and Method: The following is a retrospective, observational study carried out over 6 weeks at two centers in which TD consultations during the pandemic were evaluated

Basic teledermatology solving two cases of crusted scabies

Basic teledermatology solving two cases of crusted scabies

Assessment of an asyncronic tele dermatology system for primary care physicians via social networking app WhatsApp

In Chile, there is little access to Dermatology outpatient consultations in the public health care system, which has favored the development of tele dermatology (TD). To assess satisfaction levels of primary care providers with a TD channel via the social networking app WhatsApp® and the concordance between the diagnosis of general practitioners and dermatologists at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. An electronic survey was answered by the general practitioners who participate in the TD channel. In 417 cases, the diagnostic concordance between general practitioners and specialists was assessed. The survey was answered by 84 practitioners. General satisfaction levels with the platform were over 95%. Satisfaction levels with the response speed and the management suggested by the specialist were over 90%. Over 80% of the practitioners read the consultation sent by dermatologists and considered that their dermatological knowledge improved. Diagnostic concordance between practitioners and specialists was 41%. TD via a WhatsApp® group linked to a university is a low cost and easy to implement intervention, generating high levels of satisfaction among general practitioners.

Economic impact and cost savings of teledermatology units compared to conventional monitoring at hospitals in southern Spain

Introduction Asynchronous teledermatology (TD) has undergone exponential growth in the past decade, allowing better diagnosis. Moreover, it saves both cost and time and reduces the number of visits involving travel and opportunity cost of time spent on visits to the hospital. The present study performed a cost-saving analysis of TD units and assessed whether they offered a cheaper alternative to conventional monitoring (CM) in hospitals from the perspective of public health-care systems (PHS) and patients. Methods This study was a retrospective assessment of 7030 patients. A cost-saving analysis comparing TD units to CM for patients at the Hospital de Poniente was performed over a period of one year. The TD network covered the Hospital de Poniente reference area (Spain) linked to 37 primary care (PC) centres that belonged to the Poniente Health District of Almeria. Results We observed a significant cost saving for TD units compared to participants in the conventional follow-up group. From the perspective of a PHS, there was a cost saving of 31.68% in the TD group (€18.59 TD vs. €27.20 CM) during the follow-up period. The number of CM visits to the hospital reduced by 38.14%. From the patients’ perspective, the costs were lower, and the cost saving was 73.53% (€5.45 TD vs. €20.58 CM). Discussion The cost-saving analysis showed that the TD units appeared to be significantly cheaper compared to CM.

Dermatological consultations in the COVID-19 era: is teledermatology the key to social distancing? An Egyptian experience

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has received marked attention globally. A worldwide call for social distancing occurred. Although the reduction of face-to-face consultation is required in order to reduce the risk of infection, dermatological services must be maintained in action and ‘teledermatology’ should be the solution. Materials & methods: We introduce a cross sectional observational study, demonstrating the patients’ behavior regarding dermatological consultations in Cairo, Egypt in both private and Public practice. Synchronous (live interaction via What’s app and Zoom) and asynchronous (What’s app, emails) teledermatology models were used. After the end of the teleconsultation, patients were asked to fill a questionnaire adapted from the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ). Results There was an overall satisfaction and future use score among the interviewed patients that received Teledermatology services of 91.0%, a usefulness score of 93.7%, interface and interaction quality scores of 85.9% and 87.0%, ease and use learnability score of 87.8% and reliability score of 86.7%. Conclusion Teledermatology was efficient in triaging and treatment, hence, decreasing risk of COVID-19 exposure for the physician, the patient and the paramedical personel in heavily populated third world countries. Legislation is needed to sanction physician compensation for tele dermatology where this does not exist.

A retrospective review of incidental malignancies in veterans seen for face-to-face follow-up after teledermatology consultation

A retrospective review of incidental malignancies in veterans seen for face-to-face follow-up after teledermatology consultation

387 Teledermatology-based inpatient consult rotations engender autonomy for trainees

Preparation for independent practice is essential for graduation from residency yet promoting resident autonomy without compromising faculty supervision is a challenge. In our program, senior residents gain independence during a unique inpatient consult service where attending oversight is provided via teledermatology (TD), with in-person back up available. We surveyed recent graduates of our program to compare levels of perceived autonomy between the TD-based staffing against a traditional in-person model. We also explored perceptions of potential TD-based staffing for inpatient pediatric consults. Of the 29 graduates queried, 66% responded; 7 practice in an academic setting and 12 provide inpatient consultation. Most graduates felt that both the TD-based rotation and in-person patient consult rotations overall were “extremely helpful” in preparing them for future practice (74% for each). Most graduates strongly agreed that TD-based oversight provided greater autonomy in comparison to in-person attending oversight (74%) and that being the only dermatology provider physically present on the TD-based rotation helped cultivate independence for future practice (84%). The majority agreed that more senior dermatology rotations should provide TD-based attending oversight (“strongly agree”=32%;”agree”=26%). Interestingly, 58% either disagreed (21%) or felt neutral (37%) about having a similar TD-based model for inpatient pediatric dermatology consultation. Free text comments expressed concern for the complex nature of pediatric dermatologic conditions that were felt to necessitate in-person attending oversight for every consult. Overall, we found TD-based attending oversight for inpatient dermatology consultation to be of great benefit to dermatology residents. We believe that this unique educational opportunity engenders autonomy for residents as they prepare for future practice. The discrepant comfort level with TD-based staffing for adult versus pediatric dermatology consultation warrants further investigation.

Will teledermatology be the silver lining during and after COVID-19?

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) has limited traditional consultation and minimized health care access. Teledermatology (TD) has come to the rescue in this situation by extending consultation for nonessential conditions to the comfort of patient's homes. This limits the risk of exposure of both doctors and patients to the coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2). And while there is a reported increase in teleconsultations during the ongoing pandemic, there are some demerits that avert the shift to virtualized health care. The authors conducted an online survey to further understand the hesitancy, limitations, merits, and the demographic of dermatologists who were conducive to TD and these data were analyzed and presented in this article. While TD might never replace physical consultation, it definitely serves an adjunctive role in the post‐COVID era, provided adequate regulatory measures are in place.

The Role of Teledermatology and Teledermoscopy in the Diagnosis of Actinic Keratosis and Field Cancerization

Actinic keratosis (AK) and field cancerization are increasing health problems insufficiently diagnosed by primary care physicians. The objective of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of teledermatology (TD) and teledermoscopy in the diagnosis of AK and field cancerization in a gatekeeper healthcare model. A prospective diagnostic test evaluation was done to assess the diagnostic concordance, accuracy, and performance parameters and the interobserver and intraobserver concordances of TD and teledermoscopy compared with dermatologists' face-to-face evaluation or histopathology. A total of 636 patients with 1,000 keratotic skin lesions were included. TD diagnostic concordance for AK and field cancerization evaluation was very high and superior to primary care physicians' diagnosis (92.4% vs. 62.4% and 96.7% vs. 51.8%, P < 0.001). TD sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for AK diagnosis and field cancerization were high (range= 82.2-95.0) and better than primary care physicians' diagnosis. Teledermoscopy yielded better results in diagnostic concordance, performance parameters, and AK subtypes. Intraobserver and interobserver agreement was >0.83. TD and, to a greater extent, teledermoscopy may be valid and reliable tools for the diagnosis of AK and field cancerization and may improve diagnosis and correct allocation and management in gatekeeper healthcare systems. It can be an alternative tool to training primary care physicians in direct diagnosis of these lesions.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Dermatology Practice in India.

Background:COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted healthcare systems throughout the globe. It has affected dermatology practice to a great extent. Since most of the consultations (except emergencies) in dermatology are deferred as a precautionary measure, dermatologists have taken the route of virtual appointments in order to continue treating patients in the present lockdown state. However, the concept of telemedicine is quite new for doctors as well as for patients in India.Material and Methods:An online questionnaire was circulated among Indian dermatologists which included participant demographics, changes in their practice and teaching during COVID-19, use of virtual or e-health technologies, and attitudes/opinions on their experiences. We also wanted to understand doctor perspectives on their own roles, wellness, and hospital responses to the pandemic.Results:A total of 260 responses from qualified dermatologists of different parts of India were received between 1st and 8th April 2020 and were analyzed. Two-thirds of the respondents were within 10 years of starting practice. Virtual consultations have increased by almost three-fold during the pandemic, which is a major change noticed in the practice when we compare before and during the pandemic. Earlier the focus of teledermatology (TD) was mainly for follow-up care (85%), whereas during the pandemic, both new and follow-up patients were provided virtual consultations. The number of patients coming to them for a consultation has drastically reduced. Only 2% of the responders are still performing minor procedures with proper care. Almost two-thirds do not have systems in place to train their residents and fellows due to the disruptions caused by the pandemic. The rest of them have started to take the virtual route of teaching through webinars, virtual rounds, and providing access to online journals to continue their teaching. Only 18.6% of dermatologists at work were provided with personal protective equipment. TD has opened new doors to virtual consultation and it was evident that 54.4% of doctors are willing to continue it in the future even after the pandemic is over.Conclusion:TD platforms hold great promise to improve access to high-quality dermatologic care in the future. Results from this survey of Indian dermatologists suggest that TD is the future of dermatology as it will be accessed by patients in remote areas and it is a cost-effective move for the patients.

Determinants of the Intention to Use Teledermatology: Evidence From Dermatologists and Primary Care Physicians

Background: Teledermatology (TD) is one of the applications of electronic health and telemedicine that involves the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for the care of skin diseases. Previous studies on TD indicate that it seems to be effective in diagnosing early malignant pathologies, such as melanoma, and in reducing waiting lists by prioritizing urgent cases of pathology. Despite these advantages, the implementation of TD is still low in many areas. Objective: Most previous studies on TD have focused on analyzing the results of TD use. However, to completely understand TD, it is necessary to consider the determinants of its use. This study analyzes the factors that motivate medical professionals to use TD in their clinical practice. Methods: A survey that targeted a total population of 743 medical professionals from health care institutions in Andalusia (Spain) was used. The study sample comprised 223 doctors (87 dermatologists and 136 primary care physicians). Results: Using an extended Technology Acceptance Model and microdata for the 223 physicians, a cluster analysis (of the user’s ICT profile) and binary logistic regression analysis were conducted. This analysis demonstrated the presence of 3 clusters in the sample with respect to the use of technology (cluster 1: advanced use of ICTs; cluster 2: moderate use of ICTs; and cluster 3: scarce use of ICTs). The analysis performed confirmed the model’s goodness of fit, which allowed 69% of the variable’s variance to be explained. The outcomes revealed that the factors that were most important when implementing a TD system were the user’s ICT profile (P=.048), system efficiency (P<.001), and preference of the subjects involved (P=.008; P<.005). The quality of the assistance, the difficulties arising from the use of technology (information security and confidentiality), or interests of the administration were not decisive factors for the implementation of TD. Subsequently, we performed a logistic regression analysis, separating primary care doctors from dermatologists. For the former, the determining factors were the ICT profile and the efficiency of the system, whereas, among dermatologists, only the preference of each individual was considered to be a determining factor. Conclusions: The use of TD should be accompanied by a comprehensive program of validation and evaluation. These results show that determinants of TD implementation differ depending on the subjects involved. Therefore, it is essential to perform studies before the implementation of a TD system to identify and influence the aforementioned predictive factors.

Teledermatologia: uma interface entre a atenção primária e atenção especializada em Florianópolis

Introdução: A aplicação do telediagnóstico em dermatologia pode apresentar diversos benefícios como a redução do tempo de espera para consultas com especialistas focais, triagem de doenças graves - principalmente neoplasias - e educação permanente de profissionais. Objetivo: Relatar a experiência da implantação do serviço de teledermatologia no município de Florianópolis - Santa Catarina - e o impacto inicial do processo no acesso e qualificação da assistência aos pacientes com afecções dermatológicas. Métodos: Estudo observacional, transversal e descritivo. Foram utilizados dados do sistema de prontuário eletrônico municipal, base de dados da plataforma Telessaúde-SC e documentos públicos institucionais da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Florianópolis entre os anos de 2013 e 2017. Resultados: O serviço de teledermatologia foi implementado no município de Florianópolis em 2015, por meio da adesão ao Sistema Integrado Catarinense de Telemedicina e Telessaúde. O processo de adequação ocorreu por meio da aquisição de equipamentos, adaptações na infraestrutura e capacitações de servidores. No período analisado, verificou-se redução de 52,6% na taxa de encaminhamentos para dermatologia, com expressiva diminuição no tempo de espera para consulta de cerca de 3 anos, em 2013 e 2014, para 20 dias em 2017. Nota-se tendência à qualificação dos encaminhamentos ao serviço, com redução nos laudos emitidos com classificação azul, manejados na APS, e aumento de laudos com classificação amarela, referenciados para dermatologia. Conclusão: A implantação da teledermatologia em Florianópolis representou um grande avanço para o processo de integração entre a Atenção Primária à Saúde e Atenção Especializada, contribuindo para a redução nas filas de espera e na qualificação dos encaminhamentos, com potencial para o aprimoramento da coordenação do cuidado e educação continuada dos profissionais.