Online Dermatology Frequently Asked Questions

The difference between telehealth and telemedicine is that telehealth is the technology healthcare providers (dermatologists) use to provide telemedicine services to their patients.

• Moles and lesions
• Acne
• Rosacea
• Wound care
• Psoriasis
• Eczema
• Cosmetic dermatology

There are two types of technologies used to provide virtual dermatology consultations in the United States:

1. Live-video-conferencing (LVC): Patients and dermatologists have a live conversation via any video-conferencing tool
2. Store-and-forward (SAF): Patients take photos of skin conditions and answer clinical questionnaires in which they describe their symptoms and other information required by providers. The providers can review patients’ requests and prescribe a treatment plan without being available at the same time.

In the specific case of dermatology, a store-and-forward solution is a much better alternative. This technology allows patients to send images of their skin conditions to a dermatologist to receive diagnoses without going into the office. This helps doctors save time while also assisting patients in getting better care by giving them faster access to specialists.

Store-and-forward technology also enables dermatologists to spend less time on routine visits, which means more patients can be seen during a day’s work, reducing the waiting lines. In most cases, you will be able to book a “virtual dermatology visit” much faster than a live consultation.

Patients can also request prescription renewals virtually. They need to complete a clinical questionnaire, and if the treatment is progressing as expected, the doctor will renew it immediately.

Live video conferencing requires a steady and robust Wi-Fi connection. If a problem arises, providers may not be able to finish the consultation, which will inevitably lead to patients being upset. 

Besides, during the call, the video call quality can be pretty poor, and providers may not be able to see close-up photos of the skin condition. 

Using live video conferencing may also feel awkward or invasive for patients if the skin lesion is located in a private body area or in a place that can be difficult to show in front of a live camera.

The current dermatological care delivery model can be a bit inefficient.

• Patients, in many cases, have to wait a long time to get an appointment and wait again in the waiting room to see a dermatologist at the patient’s inconvenience 
• Patients have to take time from work to attend physical consultations
• Patients cancel last-minute or don’t show up because they are too busy with work or with family obligations
• Doctors and patients have to communicate via email or another insecure platform
• Doctors spend a lot of valuable provider time asking the same questions about the patients’ skin conditions, medical history and to give patients similar treatment plans

By complementing with virtual dermatology visits, all of that changes.

• Patients can book a virtual dermatology consultation and get treatment much faster, in many cases even within 48 hours
• Patients can take photos of their skin condition and answer clinical questionnaires from the comfort of their homes whenever they have the time
• Patients and doctors don’t need to be available at the same time, which is very convenient for both
• Patients don’t need to spend a lot of consultation time answering questions from their doctor because the clinical questionnaires can be answered on their smartphones
• Patients know that their information is securely stored at a HIPAA-compliant platform instead of using email
• Most insurance companies cover virtual dermatology visits at a comparable rate to in-office visits

In many cases, patients can book a  virtual dermatology consultation via an app or a web portal. At the end of this article, we have compiled a list of dermatological providers that offer virtual visits.

If you would like your dermatologist to offer this service at their clinic, please send us an email at contact@miiskin.com with the name of your local dermatology office and we will try to get them onboard to the Miiskin PRO platform.

For medical emergencies, patients should dial 911 in the USA or 112 in Europe.

It will take less time to get a response for a virtual consultation than to book a physical consultation. The time frame depends on the clinic, the number of dermatology providers to review patients’ cases, and the number of people who request a visit.

Yes, it is possible to get a prescription with an online consultation if your case is straightforward.  If you are an existing patient in the clinic requesting a prescription renewal This can in many cases be facilitated virtually as well. However, in some cases, the dermatologist may consider it necessary to book a physical appointment to review your condition more closely.

It depends on the virtual dermatologist provider. On average, the cost of a telehealth dermatology appointment can vary from 30 to 199 USD, if patients are self-pay; whereas the co-pay is typically the same as an in-person visit,  if covered by insurance. 

It’s important to note that patients get what they pay for, therefore, a consultation with a proper dermatologist will be at the high end of this spectrum.

Most private health insurance companies cover online dermatology visits, and they are reimbursed to providers at a comparable rate to physical consultations. We are mentioning some of the largest insurance companies below, but there are many more insurance companies that cover telehealth visits in dermatology.

• United Healthcare (United Health)
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS)
• Cigna 
• Humana

Medicare and Medicaid do cover online dermatology in some states: Alaska, Washington, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Vermont, Maine, Iowa, Oregon, Nevada, Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, California, Arizona, Tennessee, Virginia, New Mexico, Texas, Georgia, Hawaii, Ohio, and North Carolina. It is, however, our experience that there is better coverage for Telehealth consultations from private payers.

Telehealth is a technology that helps patients find adequate dermatology healthcare and request a virtual visit regardless of where they are. Therefore, using telehealth for a virtual dermatology consultation may be in many cases, equivalent to finding a dermatology clinic near the patient.