Telemedicine In Dermatology

Written by leading teledermatologists and telemedicine experts, this hands-on guide addresses the practical needs of the many emerging teledermatology services worldwide. It covers the medical and technical prerequisites for such services as well as the photographic imaging essentials. It also illustrates the performance of teledermatology by means of clinical examples, discusses teledermatology in underdeveloped countries, and presents specialized methods of teledermatology. The impact of telemedicine on the doctor-patient relationship is explored, and the advantages that accrue from improving access to expert knowledge are explained. In addition, quality assurance, legal assumptions, economic aspects, and the future horizons of such health care services are all considered. A comprehensive appendix provides information on training opportunities, sample protocols, consent forms, information sheets, references, and relevant web links.

Telemedicine, the practice of transferring medical data using interactive audio, visual and data communication systems, is fast becoming indispensable in modern medicine, healthcare and education. This volume reviews the rapidly expanding and changing field of telemedicine in general with a special focus on teledermatology. As well as presenting historical and technological aspects, the book also describes several of the many fields of application in detail - one of them being teleteaching which already forms an essential part of medical training. Another major issue in telemedicine is the discussion of legal and ethical aspects of teleconsulting. Further contributions acquaint the reader with the various possibilities of telemedicine such as telemedicine for the family doctor, teleradiology, applications in surgery, telepathology, telecardiology, telemedicine in oncology and ophthalmology, and telepsychiatry. The particular aspects of teledermatology are discussed in detail in a separate section. All healthcare professionals from the medical practitioner to the pharmacist, healthcare manager, nurse or technician will find this compilation of up-to-date data valuable reading. The detailed discussion of teledermatology makes it indispensable for the dermatologist.

Teledermatology allows a dermatologist to diagnose a wide range of conditions via the communications industry, thus allowing a specialist to review a patient's condition from miles away while minimizing time and travel. This book focuses on the practical aspects of teledermatology implementation while providing a comprehensive treatment of the topic. Discussions include: business models and reimbursement issues; the current status of teledermatology research; the integration of teledermatology into dermatology residency training programs; ethical considerations; confidentiality issues; and the “art of teledermatology.” It explores the technical aspects of teledermatology and describes the differences between live interactive techniques and store and forward techniques. It provides both novice and seasoned teledermatologists with comprehensive and practical information. Many of the chapter authors are among the world experts in teledermatology and have developed successful and viable programs. The knowledge presented here is based on the lessons they have learned in the course of teledermatology development.

In 1996, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released its report Telemedicine: A Guide to Assessing Telecommunications for Health Care. In that report, the IOM Committee on Evaluating Clinical Applications of Telemedicine found telemedicine is similar in most respects to other technologies for which better evidence of effectiveness is also being demanded. Telemedicine, however, has some special characteristics-shared with information technologies generally-that warrant particular notice from evaluators and decision makers. Since that time, attention to telehealth has continued to grow in both the public and private sectors. Peer-reviewed journals and professional societies are devoted to telehealth, the federal government provides grant funding to promote the use of telehealth, and the private technology industry continues to develop new applications for telehealth. However, barriers remain to the use of telehealth modalities, including issues related to reimbursement, licensure, workforce, and costs. Also, some areas of telehealth have developed a stronger evidence base than others. The Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) sponsored the IOM in holding a workshop in Washington, DC, on August 8-9 2012, to examine how the use of telehealth technology can fit into the U.S. health care system. HRSA asked the IOM to focus on the potential for telehealth to serve geographically isolated individuals and extend the reach of scarce resources while also emphasizing the quality and value in the delivery of health care services. This workshop summary discusses the evolution of telehealth since 1996, including the increasing role of the private sector, policies that have promoted or delayed the use of telehealth, and consumer acceptance of telehealth. The Role of Telehealth in an Evolving Health Care Environment: Workshop Summary discusses the current evidence base for telehealth, including available data and gaps in data; discuss how technological developments, including mobile telehealth, electronic intensive care units, remote monitoring, social networking, and wearable devices, in conjunction with the push for electronic health records, is changing the delivery of health care in rural and urban environments. This report also summarizes actions that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can undertake to further the use of telehealth to improve health care outcomes while controlling costs in the current health care environment.

This book offers a comprehensive and the foundational structure for all healthcare professionals developing, practicing, and performing research in teledermatology. The chapters of this book examines the field of teledermatology and will include: platforms and practice models, the impact of COVID-19, the telehealth and mobile teledermatology industry, the effect on healthcare accessibility, equality, specialty referrals and no-show rates, cost effectiveness, implementation, regulations and reimbursement, practice guidelines, outcomes for skin lesions, inflammatory dermatoses, inpatient consultations and pediatrics, research utilization, education, image quality and artificial intelligence, global and international efforts as well as patient and physician satisfaction. Chapters are authored by leaders in the field of dermatology and teledermatology. The goal is for the reader to become knowledgeable and proficient within field of teledermatology to increase patient access, manage skin disease and develop beneficial outcomes via electronic consultations. Teledermatology: A Comprehensive Overview is a must-have resource for dermatologists, dermatology academic and hospital leadership, hospital administrators, and telehealth programs.

This issue of Dermatologic Clinics, guest edited by Drs. Victoria Williams and Carrie Kovarik, will cover a number of important topics in Global Dermatology and Telemedicine. This issue is one of four each year selected by long-time series Consulting Editor, Dr. Bruce Thiers. Topics discussion include, but are not limited to: Patterns of Skin Disease in the Context of a High Prevalence HIV Population in Botswana; Telemedicine and Community Health Projects in Asia; Utilizing Technology for Dermatology Care in Tajikistan: A Health Systems Perspective; Community Outreach Projects to Increase Dermatology Education and Access to Care in Argentina; Challenges and Successes of Dermatology Training Programs in Africa; Developing an Electronic Platform for Global Dermatology Mentorship and Collaboration; Novel Diagnostics for Kaposi Sarcoma and Other Skin Diseases in Resource Poor Settings; Implementing a Locally Made Low-Cost Intervention for Wound and Lymphedema Care in Western Kenya; Challenges of Managing Skin Disease in Migrants and Refugees; Factors Affecting Quality of Life for People Living with Albinism in Botswana; and Integration of Management Strategies for Neglected Tropical Diseases Affecting the Skin

Telemedicine Based Screening of Infantsat Risk for Retinopathy of Prematurity -- ByOPHTEL:A Bavarian Project for RapidTelemedical Exchange of Knowledge, Files and Skills between Practitionersand Hospitals in Eye Care -- Collaborative Telemedicine between Optometry and Ophthalmology: An Initiative from the University of Houston -- Dermatology -- Web-based Teledermatology Consult system: Preliminary results from the first 100 cases -- Are Dermatologists in Private Practice Interested in Teledermatological Services? -- Pathology -- European Field Tests with HISTKOM Telepathology Equipment -- Radiology -- Economic Analysis of Teleradiology Applications with KAMEDIN -- WWW-Based Access to Radiological Patient Data: Two Years of Experience -- Family Practice and Home Care/Home Monitoring -- Southern Health Board - Advanced Telematic / Telemedicine in Healthcare Services in the South West Of Ireland -- Remote Communities Services Telecentre Project -- HausTeleDienst"--A CATV-based Interactive Video Service for Elderly People -- Fonetix: Building Virtual Speech Therapy Practicum over the Internet -- Psychiatry -- Evaluation of a Canadian Telepsychiatry Service -- Telemedicine in Military -- Functional Characteristics of the Telemedical Network for the Medical Service of the Bundeswehr for Support of Operations Outside Germany and Civil-military Co-operation -- Webliography -- Suggested Telemedicine Websites -- Author Index

This book addresses the maldistribution of health care between people in dense cities and more rural areas. This proactive resource provides solutions that will motivate dermatologists to make a difference, including free rural clinics and incentives to attract dermatologists to the aforementioned areas. Comprehensive yet concise, the book encompasses not only the logistics of the healthcare issues, including location, incentive, and set up of facility but includes insight into the effectiveness of teledermatology, a practice more commonly utilized due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Additionally, chapters examine the relationship between economic viability and quality of care, as well as government incentives and political action to mitigate this issue. Unique and timely, Dermatology in Rural Settings is an invaluable resource for dermatologists, resident dermatologists, and academic physicians interested in rural and urban health.​