Live interactive teledermatology compared to in-person care - a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Medical Informatics
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Teledermatology, particularly live interactive (LI) teledermatology, is expanding to improve healthcare access, especially for remote populations.
• LI teledermatology utilizes videoconferencing for direct patient-provider communication.
• A comprehensive review of LI teledermatology's effectiveness, cost, feasibility, and accuracy compared to standard care was lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize existing evidence on the effectiveness, costs, feasibility, and accuracy of live interactive teledermatology.
• To compare LI teledermatology applications with traditional in-person dermatological care.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review was conducted using two databases, with subsequent title, abstract, and full-text screening.
• Reference lists of eligible articles were also screened for additional studies.
• Data extraction included study design, sample size, country, objectives, findings, and LI application characteristics. Study quality was assessed.

Main Results:

• Twenty-three publications (17 case-control, 6 RCTs) from 1997-2017 were analyzed.
• LI teledermatology was found to be a time-effective substitute or supplement to standard care.
• Feasibility and accuracy of LI teledermatology were comparable to standard care, with no clear cost tendencies identified.

Conclusions:

• Live interactive teledermatology presents a viable and effective option for dermatological consultations.
• Current evidence suggests LI teledermatology is comparable to standard care in terms of feasibility and accuracy.
• There is a need for more recent comparative studies, particularly regarding cost-effectiveness.