Inpatient Teledermatology Improves Diagnostic Accuracy and Management of Leg Ulcers in Hospitalized Patients

Excerpt

Leg ulcers have been one of the most common reasons for inpatient dermatology admission and are associated with significant admission duration and cost [1]. The use of dermatology inpatient management has led to improvement in quality of life among leg ulcer patients [2]. Furthermore, with a prevalence of 1% and multifactorial causes, leg ulcer diagnosis benefits from specialist review [3]. The development of inpatient asynchronous teledermatology during the coronavirus pandemic presents a unique opportunity to optimally manage these patients while reducing healthcare costs. In fact, few studies have evaluated the impact of teledermatology on inpatient dermatologic management, especially in hospitals with no on-staff dermatologist [4]. This study evaluates diagnostic concordance and teledermatology impact on leg ulcer diagnosis, work-up, and management between referring hospitalist and inpatient teledermatology teams at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). …