[Implementation of teledermatological consultations at Leipzig University Medical Center].

Background: Numerous patients admitted to a general hospital present skin changes as secondary findings. Approximately 800 dermatological consultations are performed annually at the Leipzig University Medical Center.

Objectives: The aim of this study was, after implementation of teledermatological consulting, the retrospective evaluation of that and the resulting satisfaction of the physicians involved.

Materials and methods: We carried out an analysis of all consultation requests, which were answered using store-and-forward technology via the photo documentation app imitoCAM® (imito AG Zurich/Switzerland) and the clinical information system SAP® (SAP Deutschland SE & Co. KG Walldorf/Germany) from 1 February to 31 July 2023, as well as of questionnaires on satisfaction, which were sent to the participating physicians after the consultation.

Results: Our analysis included 419 consultation requests, 90 of which were answered teledermatologically. The consultation dermatologists stated that 92% of the cases could be solved using only telemedical instruments. Moreover, 90.9% of the consulting physicians rated the technical implementation as good to very good and 47.5% of the consultation dermatologists estimated a time saving of at least 30-60 min.

Conclusions: Our study shows the enormous potential of teledermatology in the inpatient setting. Implementation of teleconsultation enables more efficient consultations, reduces time- and cost-intensive transportation and offers patients a more comfortable dermatological evaluation with reduced risk of infection.