Supporting Virtual Dermatology Consultation in the Setting of COVID-19

While telemedicine has been utilized with more frequency over the past two decades, there remained significant barriers to its broad implementation. The COVID-19 global pandemic served as a stimulus for rapid expansion and implementation of telemedicine services across medical institutions worldwide in order to maximize patient care delivery, minimize exposure risk among healthcare providers and patients alike, and avoid overcrowding of patient care facilities. In this experience report, we highlight the teledermatology initiatives executed by the Dermatology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, with particular emphasis on image ingestion and potential for future automation and improvement.

Automated summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the implementation and rapid expansion of telemedicine services worldwide to improve patient care efficiency and reduce risks, with a focus on image ingestion and potential for future automation and improvement in the teledermatology initiatives at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.