The advantages of teledermatology during the covid pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has now changed almost every aspect of life, including health services around the world. One of the health services that has not escaped the impact of this worldwide epidemic is skin care. However, you don't need to worry because now teledermatology technology is here, especially during a pandemic.

So, what is teledermatology and how does it help patients get the treatment they usually get from doctors? Check out the full review below to find out the answer.

Caring for skin during a pandemic with teledermatology

Since the COVID-19 outbreak has spread around the world, health protocols in every place, including hospitals have been tightened. Doctors and other health workers are required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) in an effort to prevent transmission of the virus.

The COVID-19 pandemic has indeed changed everything. In fact, not a few people feel worried and afraid to go to the hospital even though they know they need treatment from a doctor.

This drastic decrease in the number of patients has prompted hospitals in several countries to start providing remote consultation services, aka telemedicine. This remote medical service is even available for those who want to consult about their skin problems or what is commonly called teledermatology.

Teledermatology is a skin care service that does not need to come to a doctor's office and this is quite helpful, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients can conduct remote consultations with live video or send photos that the doctor will observe. Then, the consultation will usually continue via telephone.

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According to research published in Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare , teledermatology was even considered effective long before the COVID-19 pandemic began. This study, which reviewed a number of published articles, found that the diagnosis of this service was quite accurate. In fact, not a few patients are satisfied.

Although these studies are quite limited and not carried out recently, these findings can serve as a benchmark that teledermatology can be effective for certain skin problems. Therefore, further research is still needed whether the same results will occur in the near future, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The advantages and disadvantages of teledermatology

Apart from not requiring you to travel to the hospital during a pandemic, teledermatology also provides a number of advantages. Not only for patients, but also doctors and service providers.

Here are some of the advantages of teledermatology that you can get, as reported by the American Academy of Dermatology.

• Easy access for people who have difficulty going to skin care clinics.
• It is considered more comfortable because the patient does not need to visit the clinic.
• Reduces waiting time for patients requiring emergency care.
• The doctor's consultation schedule has become more varied.
• Lower maintenance costs.

However, it is possible that health services that rely on this technology have shortcomings, such as:

• abuse of insurance policies
• malpractice
• misdiagnosis due to incomplete history or poor image quality
• the patient has little or no understanding when describing their problem
• too dependent on technology

Teledermatology is used for certain skin problems

One of the drawbacks of teledermatology that needs to be addressed, especially during a pandemic, is that it can only be used for certain skin problems. Not all skin diseases can be diagnosed and consulted by including a photo and a telephone.

This is because certain types of cases will require further consideration as this method is quite limited. For example, the quality of the images and the lack of access to certain tools can greatly influence the diagnosis.

However, dermatologists still use teledermatology as a tool to check a patient's initial condition. After that, the doctor will use the available visual information to decide when the patient needs to consult them directly.

In the case of skin problems associated with pigmented lesions, such as freckles and moles, it is often linked to whether the lesions are cancerous. Doctors do require direct evaluation of the lesion with the help of an instrument called a dermatoscope.

The dermatoscope cannot be used for remote consultations via telephone calls. As a result, doctors will find it difficult to diagnose the patient's disease correctly.

Apart from the skin problems associated with the lesions, the scalp area is also said to be more difficult to diagnose by teledermatology, especially during a pandemic. Another alternative is that the doctor asks the patient to part or pull out the hair and take a picture with a special light.

What's more, it is also impossible for these healthcare services to instruct a patient to perform certain procedures, such as a skin biopsy or drug injection. However, coming back to the assumption that teledermatology helps doctors see if the procedure is needed and the level of emergency.

Tips for undergoing teledermatology during a pandemic

Despite the drawbacks that teledermatologists have, this method may be able to help you deal with mild skin problems during a pandemic. If you are interested in consulting remotely with a dermatologist, here are some things to do when doing teledermatology.

• Contact a dermatologist clinic, do they have teledermatology services.
• Determine the schedule of online consultations.
• Teledermatology can be done anywhere, be it a cellphone or a laptop.
• Send photos of skin problems before starting the consultation.
• Make sure to consult in a quiet and well-lit place.
• Don't expect too high.
• Acne, eczema, and minor skin rashes are suitable for teledermatology.

Teledermatology health services provide considerable benefits for doctors and patients, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, keep in mind that not all clinics have the same methods. So, you need to choose a dermatologist who is suitable for the problems and conditions at that time.