Teledermatology Improves Outcomes and Reduces Costs | AAD 2025
A reduction in emergency room visits is just one of the ways teledermatology has improved patient outcomes and reduced costs, according to Elizabeth K. Jones, M.D., an associate dermatology professor at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
“I think the most obvious answer is the individual patient cost savings,” Elizabeth K. Jones, M.D., FAAD, an associate dermatology professor at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, said in a video interview conducted at the American Academy of Dermatology 2025, held in Orlando. “This is both the direct costs of care, but also the indirect costs. You're reducing their travel time, their travel expenses and their time away from work.”
Jones went on to highlight a study done by the University of Pennsylvania published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology in 2019.
“Penn did a study in an underserved community in Philadelphia and [patients] were able to access a store-and-forward form of teledermatology that was used in triage,” Jones said. [Researchers] found that they could reduce the need for face-to-face care for these patients by 27% and the need for even emergency department visits by 3%.”
Although teledermatology has its benefits, Jones explained that it may not be the best fit for every visit.
“I think most dermatologists agree that telehealth is not a means of providing a full body skin exam for a patient,” Jones said. “Genital issues, for privacy issues, are probably best seen in person. Also, if the complaint is of something that you think is going to be malignant, it's probably best to see that patient in the office and perform a biopsy, so that you're not duplicating visits for the same issue.”
Jones spoke at two sessions at the 2025 American Academy of Dermatology Meeting, held from March 7 – 11 in Orlando.
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