Teledermatology is a showcase of telemedicine specialty. Forwarded high-resolution images of moles or other suspect areas of the skin enable dermatologists to make initial judgments without requiring in-person patient appointments. In 2017, we wrote about 3Derm System‘s imaging system for primary care physicians. A primary care doctor uses 3Derm’s handheld device to capture multiple views of a mark or mole on the skin. The physician sends the images to a dermatologist who decides whether further investigation is necessary. This past June we wrote about the Miiskin self-monitoring skin app that patients use at home to track moles.
Last month, Miiskin launched Miiskin Pro, a telehealth solution for physicians. According to Miiskin, more than 500,000 patients worldwide use the original Miiskin mobile app to capture and monitor high-quality images of suspect areas of their skin. Now, with Miiskin Pro, patients with the consumer app can access their physician’s Miiskin Pro platform to use the new application’s store-and-forward capabilities. The ability to send in images via the cloud for a dermatologist’s review rather than an in-person appointment is particularly welcome with pandemic-related concerns about unnecessary personal contact.
According to Miiskin, dermatologists can offer free use of Miiskin to patients in order to monitor their patient’s overall skin areas as well as specific areas of concern. This platform allows the physician to view high-resolution photos taken over time rather than rely on a single moment-in-time view in the doctor’s office. The system also gives the patient the responsibility for taking and sending images. The active patient engagement in tracking skin health results in high patient satisfaction, Miiskin reports.
Miiskin states that the Miiskin Pro platform is HIPAA-compliant and that the images are compatible with integrated electronic health record (EHR) formats.
Telemedicine can be monodirectional. For example, a wearable sensor that transmits vital signs, activity, or patient adherence activities doesn’t have to include care-provider-to-patient communication. Miiskin Pro, however, is an excellent example of two-way telemedicine with active patient participation in the monitoring and reporting processes.
