A Systematic Review of the Use of Telemedicine in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Dermatology

Conclusions: Telemedicine holds special promise in increasing the efficiency of postoperative care for microsurgical procedures, improving care coordination and management of burn wounds, facilitating interprofessional collaboration across time and space, eliminating a significant number of unnecessary referrals, and connecting patients located far from major medical centers with professional expertise without impinging on—and in some cases improving—the quality or accuracy of care provided. Teledermatology consultation was found to be safe and has a comparable or superior efficacy to the traditional in-patient consultation. The system was consistently rated as convenient and easy to use by patients, referring physicians, and consulting dermatologists. Teledermatology has also been used as an educational tool for patients. A significant number of studies detailed strategies to improve the current state of teledermatology, either by implementing new programs or improving technologies. Telemedicine use is widespread among plastic surgeons and is enabling the spread of expertise beyond major medical centers. Further research is needed to conclusively demonstrate benefit in routine clinical care.
Source: Annals of Plastic Surgery - Category: Cosmetic Surgery Tags: Review Article Source Type: research