Patient Satisfaction in Teledermatology: an Updated Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Teledermatology continues to gain popularity across the world. It is crucial that dermatologists understand patient experience and satisfaction to effectively incorporate this practice into patient care. This article provides an updated review of recent findings on patient satisfaction in teledermatology. RECENT FINDINGS: Over the last 2 years, there has been an increase in studies on the patient experience of live-video teledermatology, while previous studies largely focused on store-and-forward teledermatology. This reflects the expansion of live-video teledermatology since the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients are generally very satisfied with both store-and-forward and live-video teledermatology, valuing its accessibility, quality of care, and patient-provider relationship. Decreased patient satisfaction is linked to technical difficulties, privacy concerns, lack of procedure availability, and thorough physical exams. However, teledermatology experiences are not equal across demographic groups. Access to technical support, digital literacy, age, social economic status, and type of dermatological conditions have all been found to affect patient experience. SUMMARY: Studies show high levels of patient satisfaction in teledermatology but limitations exist. Future efforts to improve teledermatology experiences will require reducing barriers among demographics, improving patient education, investment in technology, and collaboration among all parties involved.