our collaborators:
IMPACT = Improving Medicine’s Power to Address Care and Treatment
Our Mission
Project IMPACT is a global effort brought to you by VisualDx to reduce disparities in medicine and highlight the tools we use to bridge gaps of knowledge and improve care.
Our Values
- We believe healthcare providers who evaluate and treat dermatologic conditions should be able to recognize disease in all skin colors.
- We believe technology that brings images and information to the point of care can reduce biases in medicine by bridging knowledge gaps.
- We believe it is imperative to address healthcare disparities and to work towards health equity for all citizens of the world.
Together We Can Make an IMPACT
Health disparities continue to profoundly afflict people of color nationally and globally and the statistics are staggering. ProjectIMPACT was created to help reduce those disparities and help bring health equity to all people.
Disease Presentation in Different Skin Colors
Recognizing how diseases present on all skin types is key in reducing diagnostic error and improving patient care. Unfortunately, many professional resources often do not adequately provide medical education on diseases in skin of color. VisualDx has been committed to reducing bias in medical knowledge for 20 years. A recent JAAD study showed that “VisualDx demonstrates pathology on dark skin in remarkably high proportion to other resources.”4
Contribute Your Images
People with darker skin face worse health outcomes than their peers with lighter skin. By ensuring that clinicians and students have access to a diverse set of clinical images we can begin to improve healthcare outcomes—particularly for patients of color. Join the movement and contribute your medical photos to VisualDx.
Our Global Impact
People worldwide are pledging to reduce racial bias in healthcare.
Explore the map above to see where people are pledging.
Project IMPACT and its collaborators remain committed to reducing bias and disparities in medical knowledge by improving diagnosis in skin of color around the globe.
Efforts are underway to enhance access to technology and medical resources in remote areas.
take the pledgeKey Research
Healthcare
Disparities
Skin Cancer in
People of Color
Racial and ethnic disparities in melanoma awareness: A cross-sectional survey
Representation
in Education
Digital Resources
VisualDx is an award-winning application designed to enhance diagnostic accuracy, aid therapeutic decisions, and improve patient safety. Features include the world’s best medical image library to make timely clinical decisions. See the video on how to use our Skin of Color feature.
Contact us to see how other educational programs are using VisualDx to supplement their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
Resources for Patients
Aysa
A mobile app by VisualDx that uses artificial intelligence to give personalized guidance for your skin based on your photo submission.
Skinsight
Patient website by VisualDx dedicated to providing medical information on conditions affecting skin, nails, and hair.
Skin of Color Society
Articles and videos to educate on skin diseases that impact people of color.
Educational Partner Resources
Spotlight Series
A deeper dive on industry leaders who are making an impact, the skin conditions that affect people of color, the latest health equity research, and more.
IMPACT Leaders
Skin of Color Conditions
Mentorship Opportunities
Impact Leader: Claudia Hernandez, MD
We’re shining the ProjectIMPACT Spotlight on Claudia Hernandez, MD, an individual who is making a positive impact in healthcare by reducing racial bias in medicine. Dr. Hernandez is interviewed by Kayla Clark, a student at the University of Illinois College of Medicine and a VisualDx Student Advisory Board member.
Read BlogUpcoming Partner Events
AAD Summer Meeting
August 5-8, 2021 | Tampa, FL
Take part in expert-led sessions covering the latest in dermatology. Whether you’re looking for hands-on experience, clinical and practice management trends, or late-breaking research?—the Summer Meeting has you covered.
NEJM Catalyst: Technology & Data in 2030
September 09, 2021 | Virtual
Technology such as AI/machine learning and virtual models of care is rapidly changing health care delivery, but it cannot be a panacea. Improved clinical care and population health will depend on accurate data collection and better analysis. Our speakers include Dana Safran, ScD, Senior Vice President of Value Based Care and Population Health at Well Health; and Bob Kocher, MD, Partner at Venrock.
AAD Diversity Champion Workshop
October 28, 2021 | Chicago
Join other dermatology faculty champions to discuss dermatology diversity outreach programs and initiatives, exchange ideas, and share success stories.
Association of Dermatology Professors Annual Meeting
October 29-30, 2021 | Chicago
The APD Annual Meeting is a two-day CME activity providing sessions that focus on problems and solutions related to success in academic dermatology. This meeting serves as the central gathering place for sharing experiences and ideas, common interests and concerns, developing common solutions, and learning from one another. Plenary sessions were designed for all attendees. Breakout and concurrent specialty tracks were designed for specific sections.
AMWA: Sex and Gender Health Education Summit
November 12-14, 2021 | Virtual
Sign up for announcements of the 2021 Sex and Gender Health Education Summit to be held virtually November 12-14, 2021.
Join the Project IMPACT Community
Improving health equity is a goal that will take a collaborative and dedicated effort. There are many ways to be part of #ProjectIMPACT and help make a difference. Join us and feel free to share your ideas, feedback, and how you’d like to get involved.
Take the Pledge
“I’m taking the #ProjectIMPACT pledge because I am committed to reducing bias and improving dermatologic care for people of color. https://www.visualdx.com/projectimpact/”
From the community:
“I pledge to promote health equity and increase the 3% in #dermatology by supporting the pipeline of talented and passionate UIM students with #mentorship. As been done by @SusanTaylorMD @HarrisTryonLab @hairwithdrmare @CorySimpsonMD and countless others #ProjectIMPACT.”
–University of Rochester physician
“I take the #ProjectIMPACT pledge because improving healthcare outcomes for skin of color patients is a privilege and a duty. As medical students/residents/physicians, the humblest part of our work is being servants for the under-served human beings in our communities.”
–The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston medical student
Project IMPACT In the News
Medical News Today: Visual Representation of Darker Skin is Key
(JULY 30, 2021) Medical News Today spoke with Dr. Nada Elbuluk, VisualDx director of clinical impact and a dermatologist specializing in skin of color, about education, trust, and the underrepresentation of People of Color in research.
- 2019 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; December 2020. AHRQ Pub. No. 20(21)-0045-EF.
- Nelson B. How dermatology is failing melanoma patients with skin of color: Unanswered questions on risk and eye-opening disparities in outcomes are weighing heavily on melanoma patients with darker skin. In this article, part 1 of a 2-part series, we explore the deadly consequences of racism and inequality in cancer care. Cancer Cytopathol. 2020 Jan;128(1):7-8. doi: 10.1002/cncy.22229. PMID: 31905269.
- White S, Ojugbele O. Addressing racial disparities in medical education: Commentary on the Curriculum Inventory Report: Coverage of racial disparity in medicine education content in accredited U.S. medical schools, academic year 2017-2018. Curriculum in Context. 2019:6(2):1-6.
- Alvarado SM, Feng H. Representation of dark skin images of common dermatologic conditions in educational resources: a cross-sectional analysis. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020 Jun 18:S0190-9622(20)31138-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2020.06.041. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32565205.