Teledermatology by videoconference: Experience of a pilot project
Background: There is a shortage of medical specialists within the provincial departments of health in South Africa. Telemedicine is a potential way of providing specialist services, at a distance, to rural areas. This study assesses patient and staff satisfaction and issues, technological and operat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2008-06-01
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| Series: | South African Family Practice |
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| Online Access: | https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/877 |
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| author | Maurice Mars Ncosa Dlova |
| author_facet | Maurice Mars Ncosa Dlova |
| author_sort | Maurice Mars |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: There is a shortage of medical specialists within the provincial departments of health in South Africa. Telemedicine is a potential way of providing specialist services, at a distance, to rural areas. This study assesses patient and staff satisfaction and issues, technological and operational, associated with the establishment of a videoconference-based teledermatology service.
Methods: An ISDN-based videoconference link was established between Port Shepstone Hospital and the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine in Durban. Patients with a dermatological problem that would have necessitated transfer to the academic hospital for diagnosis and/or management were entered into a prospective study which evaluated the ability to make a diagnosis and prescribe a management plan by videoconference and the patients' and doctors' satisfaction with the consultations.
Results: A total of 69 patients were seen during 12 videoconferenced consultation sessions. Seventeen patients (24.6%) were subsequently referred to the academic hospital: nine patients were sent because a definitive diagnosis could not be made; and eight patients were transferred for specialist management based on the diagnosis made. The patients' and referring doctors' satisfaction with the consultation was 80.3% and 82.1% respectively, while the dermatologist was satisfied 67.6% of the time. The dermatologist was dissatisfied with ten (14.7%) of the consultations and this was related to difficulties in making a definitive diagnosis. The referring doctors found 59 (85.9%) of the consultations to be of educational value. No problems were noted in diagnosing lesions in dark-skinned patients.
Conclusion: Videoconferenced teledermatology between district hospitals and regional hospitals is possible and can improve services to rural areas. Further studies on widespread implementation and sustainability are warranted. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-41b0e701704843e4a63bb0858a148c7a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2078-6190 2078-6204 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2008-06-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Family Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-41b0e701704843e4a63bb0858a148c7a2025-08-20T03:43:47ZengAOSISSouth African Family Practice2078-61902078-62042008-06-0150310.1080/20786204.2008.10873725888Teledermatology by videoconference: Experience of a pilot projectMaurice Mars0Ncosa Dlova1Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-NatalDepartment of Dermatology, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-NatalBackground: There is a shortage of medical specialists within the provincial departments of health in South Africa. Telemedicine is a potential way of providing specialist services, at a distance, to rural areas. This study assesses patient and staff satisfaction and issues, technological and operational, associated with the establishment of a videoconference-based teledermatology service. Methods: An ISDN-based videoconference link was established between Port Shepstone Hospital and the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine in Durban. Patients with a dermatological problem that would have necessitated transfer to the academic hospital for diagnosis and/or management were entered into a prospective study which evaluated the ability to make a diagnosis and prescribe a management plan by videoconference and the patients' and doctors' satisfaction with the consultations. Results: A total of 69 patients were seen during 12 videoconferenced consultation sessions. Seventeen patients (24.6%) were subsequently referred to the academic hospital: nine patients were sent because a definitive diagnosis could not be made; and eight patients were transferred for specialist management based on the diagnosis made. The patients' and referring doctors' satisfaction with the consultation was 80.3% and 82.1% respectively, while the dermatologist was satisfied 67.6% of the time. The dermatologist was dissatisfied with ten (14.7%) of the consultations and this was related to difficulties in making a definitive diagnosis. The referring doctors found 59 (85.9%) of the consultations to be of educational value. No problems were noted in diagnosing lesions in dark-skinned patients. Conclusion: Videoconferenced teledermatology between district hospitals and regional hospitals is possible and can improve services to rural areas. Further studies on widespread implementation and sustainability are warranted.https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/877teledermatologyvideoconference |
| spellingShingle | Maurice Mars Ncosa Dlova Teledermatology by videoconference: Experience of a pilot project South African Family Practice teledermatology videoconference |
| title | Teledermatology by videoconference: Experience of a pilot project |
| title_full | Teledermatology by videoconference: Experience of a pilot project |
| title_fullStr | Teledermatology by videoconference: Experience of a pilot project |
| title_full_unstemmed | Teledermatology by videoconference: Experience of a pilot project |
| title_short | Teledermatology by videoconference: Experience of a pilot project |
| title_sort | teledermatology by videoconference experience of a pilot project |
| topic | teledermatology videoconference |
| url | https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/877 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mauricemars teledermatologybyvideoconferenceexperienceofapilotproject AT ncosadlova teledermatologybyvideoconferenceexperienceofapilotproject |