Teledermatology decreases wait times, costs

MDLIVE, a virtual care provider, have partnered with DermatologistOnCall to offer dermatology care around the clock. This partnership will aim to reach patients in need of specialist care and combat long wait times.

Visiting the dermatologist is a process that takes time—32.3 days on average. With many patients not being able to see the dermatologist due to cost, location or access, this partnership hopes to offer MDLIVE users with 24/7 access to care at a low-cost.

“At MDLIVE, we seek to be a trusted healthcare provider and partner – and that requires providing access to a full suite of care services,” said Scott Decker, chief executive officer at MDLIVE. “Dermatology is a specialty area that is dramatically underserved. By partnering with DermatologistOnCall, we are able to provide care to individuals who need it – when they need it – in an area of healthcare that can be greatly served via virtual care.”

Currently there are 13,000 board-certified dermatologists around the U.S., roughly one specialist for every 25,000 patients. This ratio has forced some patients to seek specialized care from primary care physicians, resulting in 43 percent of those patients not being diagnosed properly.

“The partnership with MDLIVE is another important step in closing the gap between today’s lack of access to specialty care and a future of improved access and efficiency that leads to more accurate diagnoses and treatment for patients,” said David Zynn, chief executive officer and president of Iagnosis, the parent company of DermatologistOnCall. “The result is lowered overall costs of care for conditions which go untreated, mistreated or misdiagnosed. Patients get a treatment plan and an e-prescription (if needed) in less than 24 hours compared to the weeks or months they may have to wait for an office appointment with a specialist.”