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Usability, Acceptability, and Impact of a Pediatric Teledermatology Mobile Health Application
Alexander G Fiks1,2,3, Linda Fleisher1,2,3, Lindsay Berrigan1
11 Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Insights
A new mobile health app for pediatric dermatology was found to be easy to use and acceptable by families. This teledermatology tool significantly reduced wait times for consultations and care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dermatology
- Digital Health
- Mobile Health Applications
Background:
- Pediatric dermatology appointments often involve long wait times, delaying necessary care.
- Access to specialized pediatric dermatologists can be challenging for many families.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the usability, acceptability, and clinical impact of a store-and-forward teledermatology mobile application.
- To assess the effectiveness of a mobile app in connecting families with pediatric dermatologists.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving parents and adolescents using a teledermatology app to submit skin condition cases.
- Data collected through user surveys, electronic logs, and case submission details.
- One pediatric dermatologist reviewed cases, provided diagnoses, and issued prescriptions.
Main Results:
- High user satisfaction reported, with 83% finding the app easy to use and 93% willing to use it again.
- The median response time for case review was 2.8 hours.
- A significant portion of users (44%) would have otherwise waited for primary care or a dermatology appointment.
Conclusions:
- The mobile health app demonstrated usability and acceptability among users.
- The teledermatology application effectively expedited care for pediatric dermatological conditions.
- Direct consultation via the app offers a viable solution to reduce wait times in pediatric dermatology.
Objective:
Pediatric dermatology appointment wait times often exceed several months. We evaluated the usability, acceptability, and clinical impact of a store-and-forward teledermatology mobile application (app) linking families with pediatric dermatologists.
Methods:
Parents of children age 6 weeks to 17 years or individuals 18-21 years old were invited (by e-mail or referral) to participate in this single group, prospective study. Within the app, users photographed the skin condition, answered questions, and submitted their case for review. One pediatric dermatologist viewed cases, diagnosed conditions, and provided instructions and prescriptions. User surveys immediately following app use and 1 week later, supplemented by electronic logs, assessed usability, acceptability, and impact.
Results:
One hundred ninety-seven parents and one adolescent submitted cases within 39 days of invitation. App users were more likely to be white than those in the population invited (67% vs. 34%, p < 0.001) and their children were slightly younger (mean 7.3 vs. 9.0 years, p < 0.001). A majority, 83% found the app easy to use, 97% felt that submitting a case took "the right amount of time," 87% were satisfied, and 93% would use the app again. Prescription receipt was associated with increased app satisfaction (p = 0.008). The median user received a response in 2.8 h (interquartile range 1.1-6.4). Had the app been unavailable, 44% reported that they would have waited for primary care, 32% for a dermatology appointment, and 7% would have gone to an urgent care clinic.
Conclusions:
A mobile health app allowing families to directly consult a pediatric dermatologist was usable, acceptable, and expedited care.
