Picture This: Using Dermoscopy Photos to Expedite Dermatology Access

Ariel Park presented a quality improvement project at Harbor UCLA Medical Center aimed at expediting dermatology access using dermoscopy photos. This project addresses the long wait times, often over three months, for dermatological evaluations, particularly at safety net hospitals. The study revealed that a significant proportion of referrals from primary care to dermatology were avoidable, with many patients diagnosed with benign lesions. The introduced workflow involved E-consultation and a new referral process for dermoscopy photo visits where trained dermatology nurses capture images, which are then evaluated remotely by dermatologists. A comparative analysis of patient cohorts before and after implementing the dermoscopy visits showed a significant reduction in time to consultation (from 99 to 60 days) and diagnosis (from 105 to 68 days). Furthermore, the need for in-person visits dropped from 100% to 71%, demonstrating the efficiency of this approach. Most lesions diagnosed remained benign, reaffirming the utility of the new method. The project concluded with recommendations for wider implementation of this strategy in institutions facing similar access challenges and outlined plans for ongoing evaluation of malignant cases and the potential to broaden the program's reach.