Gimeno-Vicente M, Alfaro-Rubio A, Gimeno-Carpio E. Teledermatology by WhatsApp in Valencia: Characteristics of Remote Consultation and Its Emotional Impact on the Dermatologist.
Actas Dermosifiliogr (Engl Ed) 2020;
111:364-380. [PMID:
32404241 DOI:
10.1016/j.ad.2019.10.003]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
WhatsApp is a preferred method of remote consultation for patients. However, the lack a legal framework for this type of patient-physician contact or the inappropriate use of the application can have negative emotional effects on the dermatologist.
OBJECTIVES
To determine the basic characteristics of WhatsApp consultations, quantify the time spent on them, and assess the emotional impact on the dermatologist. Material and methods Retrospective, descriptive, observational, cross-sectional study of responses to a 43-item online survey sent to 275 dermatologists who were members of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) working in the Spanish autonomous community of Valencia.
RESULTS
A total of 128 dermatologists (46.6%) responded. All reported that they used WhatsApp or Telegram; 93% received consultations by this means and 88.3% responded to the messages. Acute inflammatory conditions, usually requiring medication, accounted for 74.1% of the messages. Nearly a third of the consultations required a visit with the dermatologist.The respondents thought that patients used this means of consultation because they felt at ease with the dermatologist, the app was a convenient tool, and they received quick responses. Thirty-one percent of the dermatologists reported that WhatsApp consultations had a negative emotional impact on them, and 82.3% would prefer not to receive these messages.
CONCLUSIONS
WhatsApp consultation should be regulated. Few studies have looked at this type of consultation and many questions remain to be answered.
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