Demand for outpatient dermatology services has increased in recent years, driven largely by Ireland’s ageing population, the rising incidence of skin cancer, and improvements in the treatments and technologies available for the management of chronic skin conditions. The increased demand has contributed to long outpatient waiting lists, with strategies needed to improve access.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) Model of Care for Dermatology has a goal to increase capacity for dermatologists to engage in effective triage of referrals to secondary/tertiary care. Teledermatology-supported referral management has the potential to improve the timely delivery of appropriate dermatology care and to manage demand for specialist dermatology services.
Teledermatology-supported referral management involves a dermatologist using images, videos, or live interactive video in addition to the clinical information provided as part of the referral from primary care to:
- Make an initial management decision, which may include:
- referral to in-person consultation
- redirecting to other specialities
- direct booking for a procedure
- provision of advice and guidance to the GP to support continued management of the patient in primary care.
- Prioritise patients identified to require in-person consultation or a procedure.
The HSE requested that HIQA complete a health technology assessment (HTA) of teledermatology to support the management of primary care referrals to dermatology services. The protocol document outlines the evidence synthesis approach that HIQA’s evaluation team will use to complete this piece of work.
More details can be found in the following press release.