Top 3 Ways To Show Your Patients The Benefits Of Mobile Dermoscopy

Dermoscopy: known for its ability to increase the diagnostic accuracy of skin conditions such as melanoma, comes in many forms. Most recently is the introduction of mobile dermoscopy for in-home imaging by patients. What can medical experts do to convince patients that this is the next step in receiving affordable, quality skin care?

Many physicians and dermatologists alike are quickly learning that it isn’t enough to adopt the latest innovations in mobile dermoscopy; they must convince their patients that it is the most cost-effective and convenient solution for their long-term health. In this article, we will explore the variety of methods to successfully achieve this milestone:

1.Education and Awareness
Perhaps the most popular of the three is to focus on education and awareness. Due to the fact that survival rates of skin cancer are heavily dependent on its early detection (98% versus 16% in later stages) it is easy to convey to patients the importance of identifying any changes to their skin early as soon as possible.¹ Combined with the fact that 70% of skin cancer cases are discovered by the patient themselves or their loved ones creates a strong argument in favor of including the patient in the imaging component of their care.²

2. Convenience
In addition to providing potentially life-saving services, dermoscopy encourages streamlined consultations. With appointment wait times to be seen by a dermatologist vary from four months to a year, typical teledermoscopy services allow patients to receive their report within as little as a few days. Rather than dedicating as much as 50% of their time to desk work, teledermoscopy services via patient portals like the MoleScope app allow medical professionals to reduce unnecessary in-clinic visits and focus on time-sensitive cases for increased efficiency and efficacy.

3. Empowerment
Skin cancer is something that affects nearly everyone; with 1 in 5 Americans and 2 in 3 Australians developing skin cancer in their lifetime, there is a high chance that your patients will either be diagnosed themselves or be faced with caring for a loved one.^4,5 In many cases, people are invested in the opportunity to take their care into their own hands. Through offering mobile dermoscopy, patients are provided with peace of mind that only reliable access to their healthcare professional and hands-on monitoring can provide.

Conclusion
As mobile dermoscopy continues to increase in popularity, it is essential that medical professionals are equipped with the resources to properly convey the value of this new tool to their patients. In addition to its affordability and accessibility, healthcare providers can elect to emphasize the importance of skin cancer early detection, the dermoscope’s obvious convenience, or its ability to empower patients with the opportunity to take skin imaging into their own hands. Whether one or all of these ideas are communicated, it is essential that patients see the value in mobile dermoscopy if they are to become an intrinsic part of their skin care solution.