| Autor: |
Karen C. McKoy, Sharon DiGregorio, Lisa Stira |
| Předmět: |
|
| Zdroj: |
Telemedicine & e-Health; Nov2004 Supplement 2, Vol. 10, pS-70-S-80, 11p |
| Abstrakt: |
This study evaluated the accuracy, access time, cost, and acceptance by patients and physiciansof asynchronous teledermatology referrals in an urban primary care practice. Primarycare physicians in a multi-specialty group referred patients for a teledermatology consult.Same-day history and digital images taken by a nurse were electronically sent to a dermatologistwho rendered a diagnosis to the physician. Fifty-two patients completed the study.History was adequate for diagnosis in 81% of cases; images were adequate in 75% of cases.Accuracy of the teledermatology diagnosis in cases with adequate images was 97%; accuracyfor all cases was 92%. A dermatology visit was recommended in 26% of cases with adequateimages, and 42% of all cases. Access time for a teledermatology opinion was 1.9 days versus52 days for a regular dermatology appointment. Patient and referring physician were highlyin favor of teledermatology. Cost evaluations for 20% of patients suggested the cost of a remoteconsult to be significantly less than the cost of performing an in-person referral. Asynchronousteledermatology may serve as a valuable tool for triage of dermatology referrals andpossibly for delivering care to more patients than in urban areas. It can decrease waiting timefor a dermatology diagnosis. In an urban multi-specialty clinic-based primary care practice,results suggest the cost of a teledermatology consult is less than that of an in-person service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Databáze: |
Complementary Index |
| Externí odkaz: |
|
