Background Dermatologic care was halted because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, prompting us to study the usefulness of direct-to-patient teledermatology via a mobile application. We aimed to evaluate the service as a tool for avoiding face-to-face consultations, describe the main conditions diagnosed, and assess levels of patient and physician satisfaction. Material and method Prospective descriptive study of new patients who met the inclusion criteria. Descriptive statistics for all variables were analyzed with SPSS. Results Of the 1,497 patients who agreed to participate in the study, 25% (n = 374) sent an image to a consultant dermatologist through the mobile application. Sixty-four patients (17%) were discharged directly and referred to primary care for follow-up. A face-to-face consultation was avoided for at least 3 months in 85% of patients (n = 318); 87.1% (n = 325) received a diagnosis and the dermatologist's level of confidence in this diagnosis was 7 or higher in 77.5% of cases (n = 290). The quality of the images sent was considered sufficient in 52.1% of cases. Patients rated their satisfaction with a score of 4.5 out of 5. Eleven of the 16 dermatologists rated their satisfaction as good overall. The most common conditions were inflammatory and melanocytic lesions. The main diagnoses were nevi, acne, and eczema. Discussion Direct-to-patient store-and-forward teledermatology is an effective means of evaluating new patients. Both clinicians and patients expressed high levels of satisfaction with the service. Systems enabling the addition of digital images to patient records are necessary to ensure the efficiency of teledermatology.
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Background The incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is increasing in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant reductions in access to health care services, including STI testing and treatment, leading to underreporting of STI cases and a need for alternatives to clinic-based testing. Moreover, concerns around confidentiality, accessibility, and stigma continue to limit access to clinic-based STI testing, particularly for high-priority populations. IWantTheKit (IWTK) is a web-based platform that mails free, confidential, self-administered sample collection kits for testing for gonorrhea, chlamydia (both genital and extragenital sites), and vaginal trichomonas. Individuals visiting the IWTK website may select genital, pharyngeal, and rectal samples for chlamydia and gonorrhea testing. Vaginal samples are tested for trichomoniasis. Self-collected samples are processed in a College of American Pathologists–accredited laboratory, and results are posted to an individual’s secure digital account. Objective This study aimed to (1) describe users’ experience with the IWTK service through analysis of routine data and (2) optimize retention among current users and expand reach among high-priority populations by responding to user needs through programmatic and functional changes to the IWTK service. Methods Free-text entries were submitted by IWTK users via a confidential “Contact Us” page on the IWTK website from May 17, 2021, to January 31, 2022. All entries were deidentified prior to analysis. Two independent analysts coded these entries using a predefined codebook developed inductively for thematic analysis. Results A total of 254 free-text entries were analyzed after removing duplicates and nonsensical entries. Themes emerged regarding the functionality of the website and personal experiences using IWTK’s services. Users’ submissions included requests related to order status, address changes, replacement of old kits, clinical information (eg, treatment options and symptom reports), and reported risk behaviors. Conclusions This analysis demonstrates how routine data can be used to propose potential programmatic improvements. IWTK implemented innovations on the website based on the study results to improve users’ experience, including a tracking system for orders, address verification for each order, a physical drop box, additional textual information, direct linkage to care navigation, and printable results. Web-based, mail-order STI testing programs can leverage user feedback to optimize implementation and retention among current users and potentially expand reach among high-priority populations. This analysis is supported by other data that demonstrate how comprehensive support and follow-up care for individuals testing positive are critical components of any self-testing service. Additional formal assessments of the IWTK user experience and efforts to optimize posttesting linkage to care may be needed.
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