Access to a Dermatologist within 24hrs: Case Study

FACD-certified Dermatologists tend to practise in the cities. That leaves regional Australians travelling long distances for a consultation, with long car trips, days off work and the related expenses, and historically waiting months for an available appointment.

On one occasion, Teledermatologist was able to deliver a Dermatologist consultation within 24 hours of the GP creating the referral. Here is how the timeline ran.

Wednesday

Mid-afternoon, Teledermatologist received a referral from a regional medical centre for a skin condition the local GP wanted specialist assistance diagnosing. Later that afternoon, the clinic's administration team called to discuss availability, and a time was found the very next day that suited the patient, the GP's clinic and the specialist. Before 5pm, the patient had confirmed the appointment and the clinic had been notified.

Thursday

In the morning, the patient sent through their registration form and photos of the skin condition. By early afternoon the consultation had taken place and the condition was diagnosed. Moments later, the letter was on its way back to the GP and a care plan was underway.

The point of the story

Within 24 hours, the patient had seen their GP, been referred, consulted a specialist Dermatologist by video, and received a diagnosis and prescription, without leaving their home town. That is what telehealth makes possible for regional Australia.

All Teledermatologist Dermatologists are Fellows of the Australasian College of Dermatologists (FACD) and based in Australia.