Teledermatology: During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic led to disruptive changes that catalyzed teledermatology adoption and implementation to unprecedented scales. In an effort to reduce COVID-19 transmission risk while maintaining continuity of care, public and private payers waived restrictions on covered telehealth services on a temporary basis that greatly improved public access to telehealth. Dermatology practices across the nation rapidly mobilized resources to conduct teledermatology visits and meet the high demand for virtual care. Evidence demonstrates that teledermatology improved access to effective and efficient care during the COVID-19 pandemic and was met with high patient and clinician satisfaction. Teledermatology proved a critical lifeline in delivering care during the COVID-19 pandemic, and moving forward, it is positioned to continue playing a prominent role in patient care. Future growth of teledermatology will depend on policies regulating its practice in the long-term and the continuation of sustainable reimbursement systems.