Private practice in McMurray, Pennsylvania; founder and chief medical officer, Iagnosis, developers of DermatologistOnCall.com
“Direct-to-patient teledermatology is a rapidly evolving care delivery model enabling patients to have instant access to the most qualified providers of skin care. Recognizing that wait times for in-office visits are extended to beyond 30 days in many markets, direct-to-patient care further expands patient choice, promotes convenience, and reduces costs. It now allows dermatologists to offer a new service as an extension of their physical brick-and-mortar practices and keep the expertise of skin care within the discipline of dermatology, rather than patients having to go elsewhere.
The quality of care should be held to the same standards as an in-person visit. As direct-to-patient teledermatology continues to take a foothold in the evolving integrated health care delivery model, dermatologists should collaborate and promote teledermatology quality measures to ensure patient safety, continuity of care, access to in-office care if needed, and transparency to provider choice.”
Associate professor, department of dermatology, University of Pennsylvania
“When providing quality teledermatology care, it’s most important to be familiar with the local health issues in the community [and] the available medications for the patients being served, as well as the structure of the health care system. Teledermatologists should also know what resources are available to them for working up difficult patients, including biopsies, laboratories, and in-person dermatology visits. The most challenging patients seen [in] teledermatology may require a discussion between providers, a request of additional information, and a collaborative plan, rather than a simple visual diagnosis and treatment recommendation.”