Teledermatology with a Dino-Lite DermaScope ^®

The Dutch health care institution Ksyos Tele Medical Center focuses on research, development and introduction of tele-consultation in the regular health care. Ksyos cooperates with over 3500 doctors and 2000 medical specialists and paramedics in tele-cardiology, tele-dermatology, tele- ophthalmology and tele-pulmonology.

Ksyos is offering the tele-dermatoscopy service since early 2011. Physicians interested in using the this service have the option of using of a Dino-Lite digital dermascope, which is seen as an major incentive for starting tele-dermatoscopy. Physicians currently using the Dino-Lite experience this equipment as versatile and very easy to use. The direct link to the PC is generally seen as one of the most important features. A general practitioner can use a secure web application to send over dermatoscopic images to the dermatologist, including patient data and medical history.

Distance medicine with the Dino-Lite DermaScope ^®

Albert van der Velde is a general practitioner in Haarlem, The Netherlands and has more than 2,200 patients in his practice. He is an early adopter when it comes to technology and has been working with the Dino-Lite DermaScope for quite some time. "Much to my pleasure and that of my patients", says Van der Velde. "The DermaScope is compact and my patients can see on the screen what I see, which involves the patient in the diagnosis. The biggest advantage is of course the speed of working. I send my findings and photos to KSYOS (the teledermatology organisation) and I receive the results the next day. There is a negative and a positive to this. If the result is positive, you can reassure the patient immediately by phone, but if there is something suspicious, the patient will visit the dermatologist the next day instead of having to wait in suspense for several weeks. So either way it is better for the patient."

Increasing expertise

Using the DermaScope does take some getting used to. Van der Velde: "Yes, I had to find a medium between skin and scope and have found water to work best. You need to maneuver the Dino-Lite to achieve optimal viewing, but you get the hang of it quite soon".
For Van der Velde using the Dino-Lite DermaScope also means that he increases his expertise. "I have no ambition to be a dermatologist, but by seeing the images and getting the results back very soon, you learn something every time. You can say that the DermaScope has high added value, and most of all this benefits the patient."