Teledermatology: Using collaborative technologies to enhance public health awareness

Abstract

The benefits of Telehealth is paramount yet, the level of adoption across the U.S. has been modest. The field of Dermatology is known to be a visual specialty and the use of Telehealth has been reported to improve clinical outcomes and increase caregiver satisfaction. This paper presents the efforts to adopt telehealth in the field of Dermatology namely, Teledermatology. A study was conducted in the Minnesota State Fare for four years, and data was collected through paper-based forms and transcribe into electronic format. State Fair goers were asked to participate in the Teledermatology project where they get a free consultation with a Dermatologist at the University of Minnesota. The number of study participants were 863, 60% were females and 40% males, and participants represented all age groups. This study aimed at further understanding the need and challenges of Teledermatology and to increase public awareness about the various uses of Telehealth.