Referral Patterns and Diagnostic Concordance in Pediatric Skin Disorders

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 2025

Resolving Water, Proteins, and Lipids from In Vivo Confocal Raman Spectra of Stratum Corneum through a Chemometric Approach
09:32

Resolving Water, Proteins, and Lipids from In Vivo Confocal Raman Spectra of Stratum Corneum through a Chemometric Approach

Published on: September 26, 2019

7.2K

Brittany J Kozy, Robin N Alexander, Esteban Fernandez-Faith

    Journal of Pediatric Health Care : Official Publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners
    |June 15, 2024
    PubMed

    Insights

    Referral diagnoses in pediatric dermatology often differ from final diagnoses, with similar concordance rates for physicians and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). Focused education may improve diagnostic accuracy for common pediatric skin conditions.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Dermatology
    • Healthcare Quality Improvement

    Background:

    • Referral patterns and diagnostic accuracy are crucial for effective pediatric dermatology care.
    • Understanding concordance between referring providers and dermatologists can identify areas for improvement.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To explore referral patterns in pediatric dermatology.
    • To assess diagnostic concordance between referring providers (physicians and APRNs) and pediatric dermatology specialists.

    Main Methods:

    • Retrospective cross-sectional study of referrals to a pediatric dermatology clinic.
    • Analysis of 8,682 referral charts from July 2018 to June 2019.
    • Comparison of referral diagnoses with first visit diagnoses for 3,738 patients.

    Main Results:

    • Atopic dermatitis, rash, lesion, melanocytic nevus, and warts were common referral diagnoses.
    • Physicians made 78.5% of referrals, APRNs made 18.1%.
    • Diagnostic concordance was 67.1% for physicians and 66.3% for APRNs.

    Conclusions:

    • Physicians and APRNs demonstrate comparable, yet suboptimal, diagnostic concordance rates.
    • A significant proportion of diagnoses were discordant, highlighting a need for enhanced provider education.
    • Targeted educational interventions focusing on common pediatric dermatological conditions could improve referral accuracy.
    Abstract

    Keywords:
    Nurse practitionercommon pediatric dermatology referralspediatric dermatologypediatriciansprimary care

    More Related Videos

    Combining Reflectance Confocal Microscopy with Optical Coherence Tomography for Noninvasive Diagnosis of Skin Cancers via Image Acquisition09:37

    Combining Reflectance Confocal Microscopy with Optical Coherence Tomography for Noninvasive Diagnosis of Skin Cancers via Image Acquisition

    Published on: August 18, 2022

    2.3K
    Dermoscopy Aids in the Diagnosis of Discoid Lupus Erythematosus05:38

    Dermoscopy Aids in the Diagnosis of Discoid Lupus Erythematosus

    Published on: May 16, 2025

    54

    Related Concept Videos

    Skin Diseases and Disorders01:23

    Skin Diseases and Disorders

    Skin is the first line of defense and encounters a variety of microbes. Some pathogenic strains are often the cause of a broad range of infections of the skin and other body systems. These conditions can affect people of all ages and may have different causes, including genetic factors, infections, autoimmune reactions, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices.
    Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...
    3.8K
    Skin Cancer01:30

    Skin Cancer

    Skin cancer is a type of cancer that occurs when there is an abnormal growth of skin cells, usually triggered by damage to the DNA within the skin cells. It is primarily caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide, and its incidence continues to rise.
    Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): BCC is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases. It typically develops in...
    4.1K
    Pedigree Analysis01:35

    Pedigree Analysis

    Overview
    84.2K
    Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives01:14

    Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives

    The first thing a clinician sees is the skin, so the examination of the skin should be part of any thorough physical examination. Most skin disorders are relatively benign, but a few, including melanomas, can be fatal if untreated. A couple of the more noticeable disorders, albinism and vitiligo, affect the appearance of the skin and its accessory organs.
    Albinism
    Albinism is a genetic disorder that affects (completely or partially) the coloring of skin, hair, and eyes. The defect is primarily...
    1.9K
    Receiver Operating Characteristic Plot01:15

    Receiver Operating Characteristic Plot

    A ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) plot is a graphical tool used to assess the performance of a binary classification model by illustrating the trade-off between sensitivity (true positive rate) and specificity (false positive rate). By plotting sensitivity against 1 - specificity across various threshold settings, the ROC curve shows how well the model distinguishes between classes, with a curve closer to the top-left corner indicating a more accurate model. The area under the ROC curve...
    133
    Autism Spectrum Disorder01:19

    Autism Spectrum Disorder

    Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction alongside restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests. ASD is sometimes accompanied by intellectual impairment.
    These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
    80