title: Patient perception on the usage of smartphones for medical photography and for reference in dermatology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With increasing use of smartphones in the practice and delivery of dermatologic care, little is known on patient perceptions regarding its applications in the clinical setting.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To survey patient viewpoints regarding medical photography and the usage of smartphone applications during a medical encounter.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey of adult patients in urban academic and private practice clinics. Patients responded to questionnaires tailored to identify respondent characteristics, preferences of photographing procedure and smartphone uses, and concerns regarding smartphone camera use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 300 patients surveyed, the majority preferred a hospital-owned camera (97.7%) over the use of personal photographing equipment including a physician's digital camera (27.5%) or a physician's smartphone camera (27.2%). The majority found personal smartphones to be an acceptable reference tool (69.7%) and means to provide information to the patient (75.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients appear to have clear preferences in the equipment used for medical photography and acceptable applications of smartphones, highlighting the importance of feedback in shaping patient-physician interactions. In light of patient opinions on camera preferences, it may be prudent to make a conscientious effort to refrain from using smartphones as a camera in the clinical setting until patient concerns regarding its use can be addressed.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Section of Dermatology, Chicago, Illinois; †The Dermatology Institute-Naperville, DuPage Medical Group, Naperville, Illinois.
authors.forename: Clifford
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Duri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Ashish C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.forename: Jeffrey T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Arlene M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ruiz de Luzuriaga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D040421:Cell Phone; D003219:Confidentiality; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003880:Dermatology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063731:Mobile Applications; D010067:Ownership; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D057240:Patient Preference; D010465:Perception; D010781:Photography / Q000295:instrumentation*