The other side of teledermatology: patient preferences.
We studied patient preferences for a real-time teledermatology consultation or a conventional dermatology consultation. Dermatology patients were given the option of being seen by a dermatologist at their outlying primary care site via telemedicine or of being examined face-to-face by the same dermatologist at the primary care site. The same dermatologist provided the teleconsultations and the conventional consultations. During a 16-month study period, 52 patients were evaluated via telemedicine and 46 patients were seen face-to-face. The demographics for both study groups were similar. Those patients who selected telemedicine were more likely to have seen a dermatologist fewer than twice during the previous year, more likely to self-describe themselves in excellent health and more likely to choose a face-to-face evaluation when presenting with a possible skin cancer or a mole. Patients aged 56 years or less tended to be more likely to be seen via telemedicine, although the association with age was not significant (P = 0.06). This information may help providers to devise strategies to direct patients to telemedicine if and when it is appropriate.
Mofid
Mitra
M
University of California, Davis, California, USA.
Nesbitt
Thomas
T
Knuttel
Robin
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003880:Dermatology / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D019114:Remote Consultation; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D049269:Videoconferencing / Q000295:instrumentation