A recent study finds that remote online visits with dermatologists achieved equivalent clinical outcomes for acne patients. Also, doctors and patients ranked the e-visits as convenient and time-saving and said they could be used as a model for chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
"This study is among the first to examine the clinical effectiveness of online visits between specialists and patients without them needing to communicate simultaneously," said Alice Watson, MD, corporate manager, Center for Connected Health, and the study's lead author. "This data shows that digital images and patient survey responses provide sufficient information for dermatologists to make appropriate treatment decisions. E-visits achieved comparable clinical results, were time-saving for patients and well-received by patients and physicians."
The study, conducted by the Center for Connected Health, a division of Partners HealthCare, was published in the April issue of Archives of Dermatology
