Teledermatology via a social networking web site: a pilot study between a general hospital and a rural clinic

Teledermatology via a free public social networking Web site is a practical tool to provide attention to patients who do not have access to dermatologic care. In this pilot study, a general practitioner sent consults to a dermatology department at a general hospital via Facebook(®). Forty-four patients were seen and treatment was installed. We identified both simple-to-treat, common skin diseases and rare congenital diseases that require genetic counseling and more complex treatment. The majority of patients (75%) benefited with the diagnoses and treatments offered, thus avoiding unnecessary expenses or transportation to urban areas.