The number of patients who received care from a dermatologist nearly doubled when DirectDerm’s “virtual dermatology” services were offered. And among those newly enrolled in the Health Plan under the Affordable Care Act, 75 percent of those who received dermatology care, received it virtually – through DirectDerm.
A study in a prestigious medical journal, JAMA Dermatology, appears to confirm something we’ve been talking about for a long time: For people who have little or no access to a dermatologist, DirectDerm’s teledermatology service can make specialized skin care more readily available.
We weren’t involved in the study, but DirectDerm was its focus – specifically, our collaboration with Health Plan of San Joaquin, a California managed care plan that wanted to make it easier for patients covered by Medicaid (known as Medi-Cal in California) to obtain dermatologic care.
According to independent researchers at RAND Corporation and Harvard Medical School’s Department of Health, this goal was reached: The number of patients who received care from a dermatologist nearly doubled when DirectDerm’s “virtual dermatology” services were offered. And among those newly enrolled in the Health Plan under the Affordable Care Act, 75 percent of those who received dermatology care, received it virtually – through DirectDerm.
It’s not uncommon for patients covered by Medicaid to have little access to dermatologists, but there are many other factors that can put specialized care out of reach. Because of a national shortage of dermatologists, patients in urban areas may have to wait two months or more to be seen; wait lists in rural regions often start at six months.
Anyone with an itchy rash, painful sore or worrisome spot or mole knows this is far too long to scratch, experiment with lotions and creams, and wonder and worry.
You can access DirectDerm from virtually anywhere at any time. Within 48 hours and often less, you receive a diagnosis and treatment recommendations, which may include over-the-counter medications, prescription drugs or both. And we work with local primary care physicians and dermatologists as part of a full network of care.
We’re always here for your skin health,
David Wong, MD, PhD, CEO
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