title: The growth of a skin emergency teledermatology service from 2008 to 2014.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conduct an audit of the Skin Emergency Telemedicine Service at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane from January to December 2014, and determine whether there has been any change in the number, type and location of referrals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analyses of referrals to the teledermatology service were conducted and compared with the 2012 audit. Main outcomes assessed included the number of referrals, referral site location, telediagnosis categories, image characteristics and response times.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2014, 318 cases were referred to the teledermatology service. The highest number of cases (n = 140) were referred from Princess Alexandra Hospital and Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital emergency departments. However, referrals to the teledermatology service came from as far as 1600 km distant from Brisbane. The most common provisional telediagnoses were dermatitis or eczema, skin infection or drug eruption. Over half of all referrals (62%) received a response within 3 h and a further 20% were responded to within 3-6 h. Almost half all referring doctors (48%) attached very large image files (> 500 kb) to their referral.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Skin Emergency Telemedicine Service has proved to be a successful, sustainable and valuable addition to the specialist dermatology services provided across Queensland. With adequate funding and resources and appropriate attention to ethical and legal considerations, our service could significantly change the management of Queenslanders with acute skin conditions.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland, School of Medicine, Translational Research Institute (University of Queensland), Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Finnane
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland, School of Medicine, Translational Research Institute (University of Queensland), Brisbane, Australia.|Dermatology Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Siller
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Redzo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mujcic
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland, School of Medicine, Translational Research Institute (University of Queensland), Brisbane, Australia.|Dermatology Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: H Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Soyer
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003880:Dermatology / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D004630:Emergencies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D010781:Photography; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000639:trends*; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: teledermatology; telemedicine