Considerations for Dermatologic Patient Care during COVID-19 (original) (raw)
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Perspectives on the recommendations for skin cancer management during the COVID-19 pandemic
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2020
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Impact of COVID-19 on dermatologic surgery: experience of a Midwestern academic practice
Archives of Dermatological Research
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted clinical practice everywhere. The aim of this study was to quantify the specific impact of COVID-19 on skin cancer treatment at an academic dermatologic surgery practice. We conducted a retrospective chart review to compare metrics such as patient visits, histological upgrading, and Mohs stages per tumor between 60-day periods immediately before and after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Out of 1138 total encounters, decreases of 58% in total in-person visits and 38% in Mohs surgeries performed were observed following declaration of the pandemic. More squamous cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCC/SCCIS) and less basal cell carcinoma (BCC) tumors were treated post-declaration compared to pre-declaration. There was a significantly higher histological upgrade rate for total tumors, as well as for the BCC subgroup, but not the SCC/SCCIS subgroup. While the overall number of dermatologic surgeries decreased after declaration of the pandemic, the higher histological upgrade rate reflects an appropriate triage of higher risk skin cancers. These findings may be useful both to assess the effectiveness of protocols for COVID-19 and to prepare for future resource-limited scenarios.
The International Dermoscopy Society (IDS) conducted an online survey to investigate the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak on the daily practice of dermatologists working with skin cancer patients, to collect data regarding the frequency of skin manifestations noticed by the members, and to obtain information about the use of teledermatology during the pandemic. Methods: All IDS members were asked to fill in a questionnaire, sent by email. A questionnaire available in English was sent to all IDS members (≈16.0000 members) by email. The questionnaire was anonymous, with a compiling time of less than 5 minutes. The survey was open for 30 days (from April 24, 2020 to May 24, 2020) and it could only be filled out once.
Evaluation of dermatology consultations in the era of COVID‐19
Dermatologic Therapy, 2020
Background: It has been reported that dermatology practices may be a vector for SARS-CoV-2 transmission and elective cases should be postponed during the pandemic period. In this context, studies on the change of patient profile in Dermatology outpatient clinic have been conducted. However, there was no study in the literature about dermatology consultations during the pandemic period. Methods: 147 Dermatology consultation cases in the era of COVID-19 pandemic between 11 March 2020 and 4 May 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. Results: 24 patients (16.3%) had suspicion and signs of COVID during consultation (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.). 9 (37.5%) of these patients also had accompanying COVID-19 skin lesions (2 urticarial lesions, 2 livedo and necrosis, 2 maculopapular eruption, 2 vesicular rashes, 1 pseudo-chilblain). The number of cases that were suspected to have COVID-19 was statistically significantly higher in consultations requested by the emergency department and intensive care unit, while there were no suspected cases in outpatient clinic consultations (p=0.001). 2 (1.4%) of these patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 confirmed by PCR within 2 weeks. Conclusions: We acknowledge that daily practice changes frequently during this period, but still our study provides a perspective to other dermatology clinics in terms of the requested dermatology consultations during the pandemic.
How will the COVID-19 Pandemic Change Dermatology Services over the next Five Years
Canadian Institute for Knowledge Development (CIKD), 2021
The advent of COVID-19 has radically transformed conventional affairs in numerous facets of life across the world. The reverberation of such alterations has presented a myriad of challenges to dermatology services worldwide. Dermatology services have attempted to suppress the dissemination of COVID-19 by reducing in-person consultations and nonessential procedures. Teledermatology has been utilised to mediate patient triage to ensure patients are promptly referred to the appropriate service. Additionally, a plethora of cutaneous sequelae of COVID-19 have been identified and exhibit considerable heterogeneity in skin inflammatory findings compared to viral infections with known cutaneous effects. There has been a longstanding demand to efficiently capitalise on limited expertise allied to dermatology services. The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated the urgent need to extend the dermatological competence of several primary care clinicians. Ultimately, the developing COVID-19 pandemic may provide the impetus to revolutionise dermatology services in the next five years to transcend current challenges in clinical practice.
The Multifaceted Engagement of the Dermatologist in the Covid-19 Pandemic
SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine
Dermatologists worldwide are engaged in the struggle against Covid-19. They limited their daily activity to priority cases, intending to reduce the exposure of patients in the waiting room. Teledermatology was recommended as an efficient alternative to assure patients' needs and safety. At the same time, dermatologists had to manage the skin injuries of frontline healthcare workers; to characterize the cutaneous manifestations of Covid-19; to assess the optimal treatment of patients with skin diseases, especially those taking immunomodulating and immunosuppressant molecules; and finally to promote balanced precautions in healthy persons. Keywords Teledermatology. Dermatitis. Covid-19. Cutaneous manifestations Confronted with the severity of the epidemic, the medical community is joining forces to halt the spread of the virus and the dermatologists worldwide are engaged in the struggle. They are committed during this health crisis to assist their frontline colleagues in their battle in hospitals, and to reduce their activity without compromising the safety of their patients. This article is part of the Topical Collection on Covid-19
Reflections of COVID-19 on Dermatology Practice
Journal of the Dermatology Nurses' Association, 2020
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck the United States in early 2020, few healthcare workers were prepared for what lay ahead. Dermatology nurses, medical assistants, and nurse practitioners experienced rapid changes in the way they conducted their daily practice. This article discusses many of those changes and explores the challenges these healthcare workers faced and continue to face. Almost every aspect of how dermatologic care was delivered prepandemic was affected. Some dermatology nurses, medical assistants, and nurse practitioners were redeployed to COVID-19 testing tents and inpatient hospital units or were asked to perform tasks to help support other healthcare workers. This article explores how clinical practice, dermatology staff, patient care, and education were affected. These changes forced dermatology healthcare workers to be brave, accept risks, and ultimately grow from these experiences.
The danger of neglecting melanoma during the COVID-19 pandemic
Journal of Dermatological Treatment
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, planned medical and surgical activities are being postponed. For the dermatology community, this interruption to the healthcare system can lead to delays in the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma. Neglecting melanoma during this crisis can result in increased mortality, morbidity and healthcare costs. With the COVID-19 pandemic evolving and no clear solutions in sight, it is time for the prospective evaluation of teledermatology. However, dermatologists should be cautious and continue seeing patients with pigmented lesions in person due to the necessity of early surgical intervention.