Health Services Implications of a Teledermatology Consult System

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Teledermatology
• Interventions: Procedure: Teledermatology

• Registration Number: NCT00013234
• Lead Sponsor: US Department of Veterans Affairs

Brief Summary

We have previously shown (IIR 95-045) that teledermatology, using store and forward technology, can result in reliable and accurate diagnostic outcomes when compared to clinic-based dermatology consultations. This investigation builds on that fundamental diagnostic information by assessing the health services implications of a teledermatology consult system.

Detailed Description

Background:

We have previously shown (IIR 95-045) that teledermatology, using store and forward technology, can result in reliable and accurate diagnostic outcomes when compared to clinic-based dermatology consultations. This investigation builds on that fundamental diagnostic information by assessing the health services implications of a teledermatology consult system.

Objectives:

To investigate health services outcomes related to teledermatology implementation. Outcomes of interest were time to diagnosis and treatment initiation, the proportion of patients that avoided the need for a clinic-based encounter, and an economic analysis.

Methods:

Patients referred from the primary care clinics to the dermatology consult service were randomized to either usual care or a teledermatology consultation. A usual care consultation consisted a conventional text-based electronic consult request. A teledermatology consultation included digital images and a standardized history, in addition to the electronic text-based consult. Consultant dermatologists, reviewing the consult requests for both modalities, decided when, and if, a referral required a clinic-based evaluation.

Status:

Final report has been prepared and is in the review process at this time.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2001-03-14
• Study First Submitted QC: 2001-03-15
• Study First Posted: 2001-03-16
• Study Completion: 2003-09
• Status Verified: 2007-02
• Last Update Submitted: 2015-04-06
• Last Update Posted: 2015-04-07

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 260

Inclusion Criteria

Patients referred to Dermatology Consult Service.

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Arm 1	Teledermatology	-

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC; 🇺🇸 Durham, North Carolina, United States