Teledermatology has been shown to be a successful way to bring dermatological care to patients in an efficient and effective manner. Many skin conditions benefit from early treatment and the ability for a doctor to see the condition when the symptoms are active and acute. DermUtopia connects patients to a DermUtopia dermatologist via a HIPAA-compliant, secure phone application. The ClickMedix phone application enables patients to submit medical history and photographs of the concerning area of skin as a virtual consultation. These electronic consultations can be used for all types of skin problems. After submitting the consultation, a DermUtopia dermatologist reviews and examines the patient history and images thoroughly and within 24 to 72 hours responds with a diagnosis and treatment plan.
Three generations of women, Hilda Cabrera-Dintiman, Dr. Brenda Dintiman and Christine Shanahan have worked together to identify that limited access to care for patients is a significant issue that must be overcome in order to improve the state of the medical community. This problem is significantly pronounced in the local Hispanic communities. According to the journal American Family Physician, Latinos comprise nearly 16 percent of the U.S. population, and this proportion is anticipated to increase to 30 percent by 2050. Barriers to care have resulted in striking disparities in quality of health care for these patients. These barriers include language, lack of insurance, different cultural beliefs, and in some cases, illegal immigration status, mistrust and illiteracy.
With the goal of reaching the underserved Hispanic populations, Hilda Cabrera-Dintiman, translated the teledermatology mobile app and consultation to Spanish to increase access to care for these Virginia residents. The launch of DermUtopia during Mothers Day week is in honor of Hilda Cabrera-Dintiman who passed away on March 21, 2013.
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Christine Shanahan at (571) 306-0662.
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