title: Diagnostic accuracy and clinical management by realtime teledermatology. Results from the Northern Ireland arms of the UK Multicentre Teledermatology Trial.
abstract: Diagnostic accuracy and management recommendations of realtime teledermatology consultations using low-cost telemedicine equipment were evaluated. Patients were seen by a dermatologist over a video-link and a diagnosis and treatment plan were recorded. This was followed by a face-to-face consultation on the same day to confirm the earlier diagnosis and management plan. A total of 351 patients with 427 diagnoses participated. Sixty-seven per cent of the diagnoses made over the video-link agreed with the face-to-face diagnosis. Clinical management plans were recorded for 214 patients with 252 diagnoses. For this cohort, 44% of the patients were seen by the same dermatologist at both consultations, while 56% were seen by a different dermatologist. In 64% of cases the same management plan was recommended at both consultations; a sub-optimum treatment plan was recommended in 8% of cases; and in 9% of cases the video-link management plans were judged to be inappropriate. In 20% of cases the dermatologist was unable to recommend a suitable management plan by video-link. There were significant differences in the ability to recommend an optimum management plan by video-link when a different dermatologist made the reference management plan. The results indicate that a high proportion of dermatological conditions can be successfully managed by realtime teledermatology.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Telemedicine and Telecare, Queen's University, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Loane
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Bloomer
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Eedy
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Gore
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mathews
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wootton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009660:Northern Ireland; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D017216:Telemedicine; D016896:Treatment Outcome