Next Generation Teledermatology: Meshing Telemedicine Video + AI Technology for Faster and More Accurate Access to Dermatology Care
SAN FRANCISCO (PRWEB) August 20, 2018 -- VSee telemedicine and First Derm Artificial Intelligence (AI)-trained dermatology API are seeking to bridge the gap in dermatology care with teledermatology video visits and AI technology.
Dr. Milton Chen, VSee CEO says "VSee is pleased to be working with First Derm in taking teledermatology to the next level by integrating the best of both video telemedicine and AI dermatology. dermatology. We believe these tools will make a true impact in delivering more efficient and more effective dermatology care."
Dr. Alexander Börve founder of First Derm says "We have created a dermatology AI on all skin diseases, not only skin cancer. Working with a telemedicine provider like VSee we can further support primary care providers and extend dermatology services to those who would otherwise not have access."
The US is currently experiencing a dermatologist shortage with an average wait time of 35 days and 40% of patients living in areas underserved by dermatologists. Primary care providers (PCPs) partially offset this shortage. Approximately 15 to 20% of primary care visits are for dermatological related problems including skin cancer, fungal growth, sexually transmitted diseases, acne, hair loss, etc. Yet, most primary care physicians (PCPs) lack confidence in diagnosing these diseases.
The lack of dermatologists in developing countries is even more pronounced. South Africa has a ratio of 3 to 4 million people per dermatologist. And with the exception of the former and Egypt, all other African countries have few dermatology training programs. Thus there is an even greater need globally to access dermatologists and dermatology expertise.
One solution to the dermatology shortage has been the use of teledermatology, which has received favorable responses from both PCPs and dermatologists; however, accuracy continues to be some cause of concern.
Historically, teledermatology is mostly done using store-and-forward technology. Store-and-forward telemedicine allows PCPs to email or upload a picture of the condition along with patient details to the dermatologist. The dermatologist can efficiently give a diagnosis when available without the additional overhead of scheduling a meeting time. While this has helped with access issues, some teledermatology studies question whether store-and-forward teledermatology is as accurate as in-person visits, especially for conditions such as skin cancer. The development of telemedicine systems like VSee and AI-based telehealth apps like First Derm are seeking to solve these access and accuracy problems.
Video telemedicine provides for live real-time video visits allowing providers and patients to satisfy certain legal requirements as well as to help build rapport by visually seeing the person. However traditional videoconferencing systems have complicated IT infrastructure and are inefficiently designed for medical workflows.
VSee telemedicine is specifically designed for fast, simple video visits for patients and providers. For example, VSee allows use of a clip-on or plug-and-play USB dermatoscope for laptops or mobile devices to livestream the skin area of concern while simultaneously seeing patient's faces without the need to toggle between windows. This allows the provider to examine the patient as though face-to-face. In addition, VSee provides a complete virtual clinic with build-your-own online waiting room workflows so practices can customize intake forms, online payment, scheduling, visit notes, and tags for tracking patients and coordinating with staff throughout an online visit.
The First Derm AI provides PCPs with a dermatology diagnostic support tool without having to wait on a dermatologist to respond via email or a store-and-forward system. First Derm’s dermatology AI has been trained on over 100K annotated skin images. For a submitted image, it provides a single diagnosis with 40% accuracy and a diagnoses of the top 5 alternatives with 80% accuracy - nearly instantly. The dermatology AI can be tried here: https://www.firstderm.com/ai-dermatology/
Put these tools together and family doctors providing telehealth can provide faster and more accurate care access to patients. The use of a VSee telemedicine clinic allows patients to walk-in or self-schedule a visit with their preferred provider and upload photos of the skin condition regardless of where they are. Before the visit, the PCP can review the disease alternatives provided by an integrated First Derm AI API to research the possibilities and decide if the patient needs to be referred to a dermatologist, thus providing a faster and more accurate diagnoses.
Together these tools allow family practices, community and rural health clinics, skilled nursing facilities, etc. to provide faster and better care to those in need.
About VSee
VSee is the only approved video telehealth system used by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. VSee’s complete, scalable platform includes simple HIPAA communications and fast clinic workflows. Its modular design allows for seamless integration into a wide range of use cases including ER diversion, on-call specialist consults, tele-ICU, chronic disease management, tele-rehabilitation, and more. VSee provides telehealth education and thought leadership through its Telehealth Secrets video podcast and telehealth conference. It’s 1200+ clients include Walgreens, MDLIVE, Trinity, McKesson, Ascension, Shell, UMich, and DaVita. Learn more at vsee.com
About First Derm®
San Francisco based First Derm® leads the mobile health revolution by empowering users to submit skin ailments anonymously to board-certified dermatologists with photos and a symptom description, from anywhere in the world, in any internet connected device. First Derm® is backed by scientific research as a triage service, yielding an information-based response and suggested course of action. Since the service can be accessed any time in any internet connected device, users receive a reliable review of their ailment directly from a board-certified dermatologist, even on holidays and weekends. First Derm® is available for free download on both iOS and Android, as well via our online widget. For more information, please visit https://www.FirstDerm.com
Anne Chang, VSee, http://vsee.com, +1 6265131824, [email protected]
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