European Dermatologists' Perception and Awareness of Teledermatology Use: Results From an International Survey...

Since the COVID pandemic, there has been an increase in teledermatology (TD) and teledermoscopy (TDS) use. However, no specific data on technical and bureaucratic issues has been collected in Europe to date. We aimed to investigate the real-life knowledge, perceptions, and needs of European dermatologists.

An anonymous survey was shared by email with European dermatologists from September 2024 to June 2025, consisting of four sections and 26 questions.

The interviewed dermatologists (252) practicing TD more frequently worked in a public hospital, were middle-aged (35-49 years), and had an average of 18 years of experience as a specialist. Only one out of three was aware of the existence of specific guidelines/position statements in their countries, while most dermatologists highlighted the absence of specific IT systems/software recommended by their hospitals/authorities. Most dermatologists (42%) use TD intermittently, while daily use is still limited (15%), especially for chronic inflammatory diseases and skin tumors. The most common applications are "triage and screening" (22%), "assisted diagnosis from another specialist" (20%) and "image analysis and interpretation" (18% of cases). The main objectives are to reduce waiting lists and improve the organization of work schedules. The use of TDS is receiving growing interest compared to the past, with 66% of dermatologists using TDS with varying frequencies and reporting a discrete improvement in clinical outcomes related to both diagnosis and management.

Understanding the current state of adoption and reluctance toward TD/TDS is fundamental for designing adequate interventions and developing recommendations on specific issues.