BACKGROUND: As a product of electronic health, teledermatology is a cost-effective means of improving access to care, facilitating specialist consultations, and supporting patient self-management. Even so, use of traditional teledermatology services is limited by infrastructure and costs in the form of digital cameras, computers, and Internet access. METHODS: Considering the significant improvement in smartphone camera resolution and the rapidly increasing number of physicians using smartphones, we explored the use of smartphones as reliable, effective clinical tools in store-and-forward teledermatology. We describe the technical specifications of modern smartphone cameras, the widespread use of smartphones by physicians, and the advantages of smartphones over traditional camera and Internet teledermatology, and we propose recommendations as to how mobile teledermatology may be more effectively used in modern dermatologic practice.
BACKGROUND: As a product of electronic health, teledermatology is a cost-effective means of improving access to care, facilitating specialist consultations, and supporting patient self-management. Even so, use of traditional teledermatology services is limited by infrastructure and costs in the form of digital cameras, computers, and Internet access. METHODS: Considering the significant improvement in smartphone camera resolution and the rapidly increasing number of physicians using smartphones, we explored the use of smartphones as reliable, effective clinical tools in store-and-forward teledermatology. We describe the technical specifications of modern smartphone cameras, the widespread use of smartphones by physicians, and the advantages of smartphones over traditional camera and Internet teledermatology, and we propose recommendations as to how mobile teledermatology may be more effectively used in modern dermatologic practice.