Web-based teledermatology consult system: preliminary results from the first 100 cases

Abstract

The TRICARE Region 1 Teledermatology Consortium has developed a secure web-based "store and forward" consult system designed to allow medical treatment facilities throughout the region to submit dermatology consults. Realizing that there is very little objective data on teledermatology, we have begun to evaluate our system through the integration of questionnaires for patients, referring physicians, and consultants in addition to telephonic patient follow up. We report the preliminary data from the first 100 cases received in the first two months since partly deploying the web based teledermatology consult system in the Tricare Region I (Northeast United States). We primarily address system effectiveness (percentage of cases that required follow up to dermatology and/or primary care physicians, adequacy of evaluating pigmented lesions) diagnostic agreement, acceptance, effect on access to care, and educational value to the primary care physicians.