Teledermatology: Examples of Consultative and Direct-to-Consumer Platforms in Action

Limited access to dermatologic care has been a long-standing problem, and the field of teledermatology is playing a critical role in tackling the issue. Dr. Consuelo V. David discusses the 3 basic forms of teledermatology: store-and-forward (S&F), live interactive, and a hybrid of both. Store-and-forward programs are further divided into 2 subcategories: consultative and referral teledermatology and direct-to-consumer teledermatology. She describes how consultative and referral teledermatology has been adopted in California to successfully improve access to dermatologic care in underserved populations. She also evaluates direct-to-consumer teledermatology. Teledermatology will continue to change, but it certainly is not going away.