3 Teledermatology Apps for Providers and Patients

Discover the benefits of telehealth apps in dermatology and get an overview of 3 teledermatology apps created for providers and patients.

Author: Jennifer Highland, Content Manager of Miiskin

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Teledermatology is the term used to designate telemedicine services carried out in dermatology. It covers the delivery of dermatology care through digital a digital solution¹.

A store-and-forward teledermatology app is an excellent addition to any dermatology practice for healthcare providers and patients. Teledermatology reduces the waiting time for pediatric and adult patients, it gives dermatologists the opportunity to review more patient cases per hour, it helps dermatology clinics to attract new patients and it helps avoid physician burnout. Whether you have an established clinic or are looking into opening your dermatology practice, this technology will help you optimize your operations and provide better care.

However, narrowing down the list of healthcare apps for teledermatology available in the market can get confusing with so many options. So if you’re looking for some options, here is a list of three teledermatology mobile apps for providers and patients.

The Use of Mobile Devices in Teledermatology

Mobile apps have been used for many purposes in dermatological settings. Some doctors use their mobile phones as a search tool; others use their smartphones to access electronic health records.

Some patients and providers use smartphones for the photographic monitoring of their skin conditions or as a self-monitoring tool to keep track of skin changes.

There are two main types of teledermatology:

• Asynchronous or store-and-forward (SAF):  which relies on the transmission of skin images and the patient’s dermatological history for an online consultation.
• Synchronous or live video conference (LVC): which depends on real-time online interactive consultation with video and sound.

The most predominant type of telehealth used in dermatology is store-and-forward due to its many advantages, including the provider’s ability to do a virtual triage with incoming patient requests.

Many dermatologists offer their patients virtual consultations using a teledermatology platform and a smartphone app. With this technology, patients can get a quick assessment of a new symptom or request a virtual prescription visit.

Besides, nowadays, teledermatology visits are reimbursed at a rate comparable to physical consultations. Dermatology Clinics in Minneapolis are using these types of apps and getting fully reimbursed.

Furthermore, dermatology providers can follow up on a skin condition with a telehealth app after the patient has had an initial consultation; this follow-up is known as remote patient monitoring².

Patients can also bring self-monitoring photos to consultations with their dermatologist to share historical information on how their skin previously appeared or document changes in their skin.

Sharing skin photos is an asynchronous form of teledermatology that can be combined with an in-person examination.

Teledermatology Usage Is Increasing

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) surveyed nearly 600 dermatologists regarding their use of telemedicine before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

• 14% of dermatologists had used telemedicine before the pandemic
• 97% of dermatologists used telemedicine during the pandemic
• 58% of dermatologists will continue to use telemedicine after the pandemic³

Why Are Teledermatology Apps Necessary?

There is a shortage of dermatologists in the U.S., which means patients have to wait a long time before seeing a dermatologist. This is due to several reasons:

• Only 300 residency positions in the U.S. per year
• Increased number of dermatologists who work part-time
• Low density of dermatologists
• Early retirement

Due to the shortage of dermatologists, patients have to wait a long time to get an appointment. Since 2017, the average patient wait time for a dermatology appointment is 32.3 days⁴, and the average waiting time to see a pediatric dermatologist is 100 days⁵.

• 40% of patients waited between one and six months for their initial appointment and an average of six weeks for their follow-up appointment⁶
• 90% of patients said their conditions worsened during long wait times for a dermatology appointment⁷

Besides the long waiting time for a dermatology appointment when patients finally get one, they need to take time from work to attend the physical consultation, which is inconvenient.

In many cases, these patients are so busy that they cancel at the last minute, which means the dermatologist wasted a time slot that could’ve been given to another patient. Then, the patient needs to wait a long time to reschedule the physical consultation.

Teledermatology apps bring together patients and providers, facilitating virtual asynchronous care, which is convenient and time-efficient for both patients and providers. 

Teledermatology apps enable patients to fill in the clinical questionnaire, upload photos of their skin condition and request a virtual consultation in just a few minutes. 

The dermatologist can then review the request, and if it seems like a straightforward case, they can give a diagnosis and prescribe medication to the patient.

In most cases, this whole process will take from 24 to 48 hours (during working days) compared to the 32-day waiting time for in-person consultations.  

Telehealth is not only affordable, but it is also convenient for both patients and providers, and it reduces the wait times to see a dermatologist on average by 30 days.

List of Teledermatology Apps

Below you can see a list of 3 Teledermatology smartphone apps. Our list begins with Miiskin PRO. Please note that Miiskin can not speak for or against the other apps we mention.

This list was created for informational purposes.

1. Miiskin PRO

Miiskin PRO is a HIPAA-compliant, asynchronous teledermatology platform available in the U.S. that allows you to see more patients per hour and get reimbursed at a comparable rate to face-to-face consultation. It consists of a smartphone app for patients and a web portal for dermatologists.

How it works:

Patients download the Miiskin app and then connect to their dermatology clinic via a customized code. They can request consultations by filling in a clinical questionnaire and uploading photos of their skin condition. Providers can do virtual visits, triage patients, or renew prescriptions online based on this information.

Patients can also use the app to keep track of the changes in their skin and see if their treatment is progressing or if one of their moles has changed in size, texture, or color and then reach out to their dermatologist.

Designed for: Dermatologists and patients

Image credit: Miiskin © 2022 

2. Dermicus

Dermicus is a Swedish teledermatology platform available in Europe and the UK that allows general practitioners to submit referrals to dermatologists. They enable the collaboration of multi-disciplinary teams across primary and secondary care. 

How it works:

It allows patients to select appointments for skin cancer diagnosis, dermatology, or wound management and it allows general practitioners to add specialists and doctors from other clinics into the process. 

Designed for: General practitioners and dermatologists

Image credit: Gnosco AB

3. eDerma

eDerma offers a platform that enables dermatology pathways and workflow solutions for inpatient and outpatients available in the UK. It helps handle referrals between primary and secondary care.

How it works:

With this platform, providers can schedule and coordinate skin surgery procedures, manage and signpost referrals within departments to specific clinics, and link histopathology, and skin cancer MDT. It also enables the communication between different providers, teams, and clinics with appropriate governance and auditing.

Designed for: General practitioners and dermatologists

Image credit: Miiskin © 2022 

This concludes the list of teledermatology apps. There are, of course, many more out there both enabling real-time and asynchronous telehealth, but this should give you a starting point for examining your requirements for teledermatology software  telemedicine app for your dermatology practice.

Conclusion

Even as telemedicine apps have been shown to provide care that is equal to, or better than, in-person check-ups, the majority of dermatologists have not yet embraced the use of these apps.

Teledermatology has the potential to reduce treatment times, eliminate delays, and allow more convenient and cost-effective access. As telemedicine apps continue to develop, we can expect dermatologists to increase their adoption in the future.

References:
¹https://dermnetnz.org/topics/teledermatology
²https://server.aad.org/forms/policies/Uploads/PS/PS-Teledermatology.pdf
³https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/2778026
⁴https://patientengagementhit.com/news/long-wait-times-in-dermatology-harm-patient-experience-safety
⁵https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pde.14479
⁶https://patientengagementhit.com/news/long-wait-times-in-dermatology-harm-patient-experience-safety
⁷https://patientengagementhit.com/news/long-wait-times-in-dermatology-harm-patient-experience-safety