The dermatologist and managed care.

Because of the economic concerns of the managed care industry, a study was undertaken to demonstrate the economical treatment of cutaneous tumors by dermatologic specialists. The biopsy reports of 300 consecutive tumors were obtained from a suburban medical center pathology department. The diagnostic accuracy and place of treatment of dermatologists and nondermatologists who treated these tumors were compared. This comparison demonstrates a substantial cost saving to third-party carriers, with clear superiority by dermatologists in dealing with this problem.