Teledermatology in Primary Care in Singapore: Experiences of Family Doctors and Specialists.
Acta Derm Venereol
; 101(9): adv00540, 2021 Sep 08.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1247772
ABSTRACT
Most teledermatology studies focus on patients' satisfaction; fewer focus on the experiences of healthcare professionals. This qualitative study explored healthcare professionals' perceptions of teledermatology used for linking public primary care clinics with the specialist dermatology centre in Singapore. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 25 family physicians and dermatologists. Six themes were identified satisfaction with the service; perceived patient benefits; rationale for introducing teledermatology; educational impact; challenges of virtual consultations; and desirable service refinements for the future. Family physicians and dermatologists were positive about the service, but highlighted a need to streamline referral processes and improve the quality of transmitted images. Reduced need for referral to the specialist centre could be achieved by expanding the polyclinic's pharmacopoeia and treatment modalities. This study highlights the benefits of telemedicine for patient, professionals, and healthcare organizations, and these are reassuring given the widespread and rapid introduction of telemedicine through necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Skin Diseases
/
Dermatology
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Observational study
/
Qualitative research
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
Acta Derm Venereol
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
00015555-3847
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