The TC TELEDERMATOLOGY HEALTH TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY is a member-funded society (nonprofit) in British Columbia, Canada.
Dermatology is one of the only specialties that can transmit its objective findings with high quality photographs means there is the possibility for useful and efficient ways of getting dermatology help. There is a crisis in wait times for Dermatology in the province, and we believe teledermatology can help. But it's not necessary to put out entire faith in for-profit enterprises or bureaucratic solutions.
One of the main advantages of teledermatology is its ability to expand access to care for patients living in underserved or remote areas such as most of British Columbia. These patients have limited access to dermatologists due to a shortage of providers in their region or because of transportation challenges due to weather, distance, and many other factors. Teledermatology allows these patients (or their family doctors) to receive rapid information from a dermatologist without the need to travel long distances.
More importantly, current teledermatology implementations focus entirely on outpatients. This service aims to increase the efficiency and speed of responses so that urgent care and ERs (for which visits are up to 25% skin issues) can benefit from rapid dermatology advice.
The formal purposes of the Society in our Constitution are: 1) To promote, implement, and facilitate safe, effective, and appropriate teledermatology services within British Columbia, and 2) To research, evaluate, and accelerate the adoption of translational health technologies which have a high chance of being immediately valuable to the patients and health care providers of British Columbia.
Dermatologists can act as advisory members or participate in clinical services. Our core philosophy is that teledermatology is a component of, not a replacement for clinical services, and that teledermatology should act in a hub-and-spoke model where local dermatologists participate in both local virtual services and in-person services for the greatest system efficiency.
To join, or for more information, please email: info@tctdhealthtech.org or contact Dr. Champagne's clinic at 236-218-2330.