Justine R Seivright1, Alyssa Thompson2, Iltefat Hamzavi3, Michelle A Lowes4, Martina Porter5, Vivian Y Shi6, Jennifer L Hsiao7. 1. David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA. 2. College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA. 3. Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA. 4. The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA. 5. Department of Dermatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 6. Department of Dermatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. 7. Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a complex disease that is optimally managed with specialized care. Data on HS specialty clinics (HSSCs) are lacking. METHODS: HSSCs in the USA were identified on the HS Foundation website and analyzed for geographic location and clinic director demographics. RESULTS: We identified 29 HSSCs in 16 states, an increase from 22 in 2019. Thirty-four states currently lack a HSSC; the Mountain West and East South Central regions of the USA are particularly affected. Among HSSC directors, the majority (93.3%) are dermatologists, with slightly more women (53.3%) than men (46.7%). Most (86.7%) have an academic affiliation, and the majority (60%) graduated from residency <10 years ago. All directors are involved in research, and over half of HSSCs serve as HS clinical trial sites. CONCLUSIONS: The number of HSSCs in the USA has been growing, yet there remains a dearth in certain regions. Given that HS is a disease with high unmet need and a rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape, we encourage the establishment of more HSSCs to improve access to specialized care.
BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a complex disease that is optimally managed with specialized care. Data on HS specialty clinics (HSSCs) are lacking. METHODS: HSSCs in the USA were identified on the HS Foundation website and analyzed for geographic location and clinic director demographics. RESULTS: We identified 29 HSSCs in 16 states, an increase from 22 in 2019. Thirty-four states currently lack a HSSC; the Mountain West and East South Central regions of the USA are particularly affected. Among HSSC directors, the majority (93.3%) are dermatologists, with slightly more women (53.3%) than men (46.7%). Most (86.7%) have an academic affiliation, and the majority (60%) graduated from residency <10 years ago. All directors are involved in research, and over half of HSSCs serve as HS clinical trial sites. CONCLUSIONS: The number of HSSCs in the USA has been growing, yet there remains a dearth in certain regions. Given that HS is a disease with high unmet need and a rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape, we encourage the establishment of more HSSCs to improve access to specialized care.
Authors: Amit Garg; Erica Neuren; Denny Cha; Joslyn S Kirby; John R Ingram; Gregor B E Jemec; Solveig Esmann; Linnea Thorlacius; Bente Villumsen; Véronique Del Marmol; Aude Nassif; Maia Delage; Thrasyvoulos Tzellos; Dagfinn Moseng; Øystein Grimstad; Haley Naik; Robert Micheletti; Sandra Guilbault; Angie Parks Miller; Iltefat Hamzavi; Hessel van der Zee; Errol Prens; Naomi Kappe; Christine Ardon; Brian Kirby; Rosalind Hughes; Christos C Zouboulis; Georgios Nikolakis; Falk G Bechara; Lukasz Matusiak; Jacek Szepietowski; Amelia Glowaczewska; Saxon D Smith; Noah Goldfarb; Steven Daveluy; Christina Avgoustou; Evangelos Giamarellos-Bourboulis; Steven Cohen; Yssra Soliman; Elena Gonzalez Brant; Oleg Akilov; Christopher Sayed; Jerry Tan; Afsaneh Alavi; Michelle A Lowes; José Carlos Pascual; Hassan Riad; Shani Fisher; Arnon Cohen; So Yeon Paek; Barry Resnik; Qiang Ju; Lanqi Wang; Andrew Strunk Journal: J Am Acad Dermatol Date: 2019-07-03 Impact factor: 11.527