Estimates suggest that about 55 percent of skin diseases in the US will be diagnosed by a non-dermatologist. It probably comes as no surprise that more than half of all skin diseases will be diagnosed by general practitioners and pediatricians, given that the patient population in the US continues to balloon. Consider also that a dermatology workforce shortage has long been predicted, and many dermatologists are also dedicating time to cosmetic services and procedures.
Against this backdrop, health information technology (HIT) has emerge as a possible way to increase efficiency and help dermatologists see more patients for diagnosis and management of medical skin conditions.
Art Papier, MD has been at the forefront of diagnostic clinical decision support, which he emphasizes is not synonymous with electronic health records (EHR). He is the co-founder of VisualDX (along with Dr. Lowell Goldsmith), which is used by thousands of dermatologists, emergency physicians, hospitalists, and general practitioners worldwide for assistance with therapeutic selection, differential diagnosis, and patient education. He discusses the potential role for HIT in patient care and explains how technology can actually help dermatology get back to its roots.
Read the full interview with Dr. Papier at Practicing Dermatology.
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