Health Services Implications of a Teledermatology Consult System

Overview

We have previously shown (IIR 95-045) that teledermatology, using store and forward technology, can result in reliable and accurate diagnostic outcomes when compared to clinic-based dermatology consultations. This investigation builds on that fundamental diagnostic information by assessing the health services implications of a teledermatology consult system.

Background: We have previously shown (IIR 95-045) that teledermatology, using store and forward technology, can result in reliable and accurate diagnostic outcomes when compared to clinic-based dermatology consultations. This investigation builds on that fundamental diagnostic information by assessing the health services implications of a teledermatology consult system. Objectives: To investigate health services outcomes related to teledermatology implementation. Outcomes of interest were time to diagnosis and treatment initiation, the proportion of patients that avoided the need for a clinic-based encounter, and an economic analysis. Methods: Patients referred from the primary care clinics to the dermatology consult service were randomized to either usual care or a teledermatology consultation. A usual care consultation consisted a conventional text-based electronic consult request. A teledermatology consultation included digital images and a standardized history, in addition to the electronic text-based consult. Consultant dermatologists, reviewing the consult requests for both modalities, decided when, and if, a referral required a clinic-based evaluation. Status: Final report has been prepared and is in the review process at this time.

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