Developing a national Digital Dermatology Pathway
Dermatology is one of the busiest outpatient specialities, with over 2,000 diagnosable conditions.
The Digital Dermatology Image Capture Referral Pathway has been developed in collaboration with ANIA (Accelerated National Innovation Adoption) and its NHS Scotland partners along with specialist input from Dermatology and Primary Care.
Watch our video below to find out more about this work.
What is the Digital Dermatology Pathway?
Case studies show that the inclusion of quality images as part of the referral to secondary care provides enhanced patient journeys and outcomes.
The future dermatology pathway will include capturing a series of triage-quality digital images of a patient’s skin concern at the point of referral within primary care.
These images are then securely transferred, as part of the patient referral, to dermatology services.
The use of digital images as part of the referral enables, where clinically appropriate, senior dermatology decision-makers to triage, diagnose and assess skin conditions without the patient being physically present.
What happens after a referral has been triaged?
Once a dermatologist has reviewed the images and referral, patients may be:
- Discharged from the dermatology service with advice on how to treat their skin concern.
- Directed to a more suitable service for their skin concern, i.e. acne clinic.
- Offered a face-to-face outpatient appointment at a dermatology clinic.
What is the benefit of image capture at the point of referral?
The use of triage-quality images as standard practice will provide all dermatologists with the ability to carry out robust referral triage that will:
- enable clinicians to make a decision on whether s require a face-to-face appointment,
- ensure that the most urgent cases can be prioritised,
- reduce waiting times for specialist treatment, and
- provide quicker reassurance and advice for those who do not require a face-to-face appointment.
The introduction of image capture at the point of referral using digital technologies can improve productivity whilst still providing the same level of access to high-quality care, clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Is patient data safe?
Patient data is shared securely between primary care practitioner(s) and specialist dermatology services in line with General Data Protection Regulations.
Images of patient’s skin concerns will never be stored on mobile phone devices in primary care.
Implementing the Digital Dermatology Pathway
The ANIA partners are currently planning for the rollout of the new dermatology pathway.
They will be working closely with Health Boards to ensure the pathway complies with the unique needs of each region.
Clinical leadership will be key to navigating the complexities of implementing the Digital Dermatology Pathway across both primary and secondary care.
PhotoSAF, provided by Consultant Connect and developed by ANIA and its NHS Scotland partners, will provide a ‘pass-through’ image capture solution that will support referrals created in Primary Care to be sent to Secondary Care.
The application will not retain any images or data on the user's device, making this an IG-compliant and clinically-safe process.
The application will offer CHI look-up and SCI Gateway integration plus many other benefits.
Consultant Connect
Consultant Connect is a highly experienced telemedicine provider that has worked with over half of the NHS across England, Scotland and Wales to develop successful healthcare applications and solutions.
This programme of work is a collaborative project with the supplier, ANIA and its NHS Scotland partners, supported by clinical leads, digital and technical expertise and a multidisciplinary project team to implement the application through NHS Scotland's territorial Health Boards.
The Programme Team will seek regular input from the Dermatology Specialty Delivery Group.
Keep up to date
Regular updates on the progress of the Digital Dermatology Pathway will be shared here and on our CfSD social media channels.
If you would like any additional information on Digital Dermatology, please contact us.