Patient satisfaction of real-time teledermatology: a cross-sectional survey

Review of Teledermatology: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Utilization of telemedicine for dermatology has greatly expanded since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 500 new teledermatology studies published since 2020. An updated review on teledermatology is necessary to incorporate new findings and perspectives, and educate dermatologists on effective utilization. We discuss teledermatology in terms of diagnostic accuracy and clinical outcomes, patient and physician satisfaction, considerations for special patient populations, published practice guidelines, cost effectiveness and efficiency, as well as administrative regulations and policies. Our findings emphasize the need for dermatologist education, prioritization of reliable reimbursement systems, and technological innovations to support the continued development of teledermatology in the post-pandemic era.

Patient and Clinician Satisfaction in Teledermatology: Key Factors for Successful Implementation

Purpose of review

Teledermatology has emerged as a promising solution for remote dermatologic care, especially during COVID-19 pandemic. It improves access to care through information and communication technologies. This paper explores patient and clinician satisfaction in teledermatology.

Recent findings

Patient satisfaction encompasses various aspects, including future willingness, the quality of care, technical quality, and access to care. Clinician satisfaction is influenced by quality of care, implementation, technical aspects, clinician-patient rapport, and financial considerations. It is important to evaluate patient and clinician satisfaction in different teledermatology models, including store-and-forward, live interactive, and hybrid interactive approaches.

Summary

By evaluating satisfaction within different teledermatology models and addressing the factors that impact satisfaction, teledermatology can ensure high-quality care and promote positive outcomes. With proper implementation and ongoing evaluation, teledermatology has the potential to become a widely accepted and valuable component of dermatologic care, offering enhanced access to specialized services.

Patient Satisfaction in Teledermatology: an Updated Review

Purpose of Review

Teledermatology continues to gain popularity across the world. It is crucial that dermatologists understand patient experience and satisfaction to effectively incorporate this practice into patient care. This article provides an updated review of recent findings on patient satisfaction in teledermatology.

Recent Findings

Over the last 2 years, there has been an increase in studies on the patient experience of live-video teledermatology, while previous studies largely focused on store-and-forward teledermatology. This reflects the expansion of live-video teledermatology since the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients are generally very satisfied with both store-and-forward and live-video teledermatology, valuing its accessibility, quality of care, and patient-provider relationship. Decreased patient satisfaction is linked to technical difficulties, privacy concerns, lack of procedure availability, and thorough physical exams. However, teledermatology experiences are not equal across demographic groups. Access to technical support, digital literacy, age, social economic status, and type of dermatological conditions have all been found to affect patient experience.

Summary

Studies show high levels of patient satisfaction in teledermatology but limitations exist. Future efforts to improve teledermatology experiences will require reducing barriers among demographics, improving patient education, investment in technology, and collaboration among all parties involved.

Shaping the Future of Teledermatology: A Literature Review of Patient and Provider Satisfaction with Synchronous Teledermatology during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread adoption of synchronous teledermatology (e.g., live videoconferencing) has increased patient and provider familiarity. To our knowledge, no teledermatology reviews have exclusively characterized patient and provider satisfaction with synchronous models of teledermatology. This study determines the quantitative evaluation of patient and provider satisfaction through a literature review of synchronous teledermatology studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. A review of the literature was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines within the PubMed database. Search terms included, but were not limited to, teledermatology, patient satisfaction, and provider satisfaction. Studies were evaluated for quality of evidence based on guidelines described by the Oxford Center for Evidence-based Medicine. Fifteen studies satisfied the inclusion criteria which described the satisfaction of 7871 patients and 146 providers with synchronous teledermatology during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients and providers were overall satisfied with access measures, the patient- provider relationship and the ability of synchronous teledermatology to meet patient needs. Limitations of the virtual physical exam and image or video quality were two consistent limiting factors in patient and provider experience, respectively. Patients and providers perceive that synchronous teledermatology meets the needs of the patient. Patients perceived satisfactory patient-provider relationship through synchronous teledermatology. Practices can identify best applications and educate patients on expectations of the virtual examination in order to enhance utilization and sustainability of synchronous teledermatology beyond the pandemic.

Challenges for dermatologists during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

Burnout is increasing in all fields of medicine, including dermatology. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presented new and additional challenges for dermatologists.

Objective

Dermatologists of different ages, areas of expertise, and practice settings were convened in 5 focus group to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their clinical practice, working environment, and personal lives.

Methods

Qualitative analysis of the discussions w\s performed on the result of the 5 focus groups of dermatologists (n = 22). Groups were prompted with questions relating to their jobs, personal lives, teledermatology, and pandemic. Responses were recorded, transcribed, deidentified, and coded for recurring themes. The focus groups occurred via a secure videoconferencing platform between December 2020 and January 2021. All participants were currently practicing dermatology in a variety of setting including academic institutions, private practices, and multiple practice types. General dermatologists, residents in training, dermatologic surgeons, dermatopathologists, and dermatologists with significant administrative or educational duties were included.

Results

We identified 4 main themes from the focus group discussions regarding dermatologist and physician wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) adjusting to new administrative, staffing, and educational demands; (2) integration of work as a dermatologist with family life; (3) new technologies such as teledermatology; and (4) adjusting to change with redefining personal and professional priorities.

Limitations

The small number of participants in our convenience cohort disproportionately represented academic dermatologists. Impacts of regional COVID-19 vaccination rates and ideological differences in different geographical locations were not assessed. All of our participants were located in the United States. Physicians severely impacted by health or financial concerns may not have been able to participate in our study. We did not have a comparison group and did not measure or assess burnout in individual participants.

Conclusion

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were common changes and stressors that dermatologists experienced, which affected physician wellbeing. Identifying and addressing these changes could offer the opportunity to improve the wellbeing of dermatologists.