The role of telemedicine in dermatology with examples on the organization of services for patients with psoriasis and acne

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INTRODUCTION

The term «telemedicine» refers to the remote health care delivery using modern electronic and communication facilities. The aim of such communication is to collect, send and accumulate the information about patient, allowing the doctor to perform diagnosis and recommend effective approaches to achieve disease control to the patient. Generalization of information on the possibilities of information technology application in dermatology is timely and relevant.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze foreign data on the role of telemedicine in dermatology.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The search for relevant sources was conducted using the PubMed bibliographic database and Google system. The following keywords were used in search boxes: «telemedicine», «e-health», «artificial intelligence», «dermatology», «psoriasis», «acne» etc.

RESULTS

Telemedicine tools used in dermatology has been considered. A number of technical approaches equal 3 which are most commonly used: 1) «store-and-forward of images», 2) real-time communication; 3) hybrid techniques. The first approach allows to evaluate a large number of images or analyze a large package of clinical cases in a short period of time. Real-time communication is conducted through simultaneous communication between patients and doctors. Hybrid techniques include images forwarding and real-time consultation. The implementation of teledermoscopy expands the possibilities of teledermatology.

DISCUSSION

Caution should be addressed to medical technologies that have not been validated in clinical trials. Before proceeding to widespread implementation of digital systems, it is advisable to properly assess the outcomes of their use in pilot projects (accuracy of diagnosis, clinical and economic results). Medical activities using digital technologies must be regulated by a set of standards and clinical guidelines. The development of regulatory documents in this field will contribute to the widespread implementation of telemedicine into current dermatological practice.

Keywords:

telemedicine

artificial intelligence

psoriasis

acne

health care delivery

Authors:

Andreev D.A.

Research Institute for Healthcare Organization and Medical Management of Moscow Health Department

ORCID: 0000-0003-0745-9474

Kamynina N.N.

Research Institute for Healthcare Organization and Medical Management of Moscow Healthcare Department

ORCID: 0000-0002-0925-5822

Received:

11.09.2023

Accepted:

17.01.2024

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