Canterbury delivers 1400 ‘virtual consults’ for dermatology

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Canterbury delivers 1400 ‘virtual consults’ for dermatology

Monday, 12 July 2021

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A Christchurch Hospital dermatologist provided 1400 ‘virtual consultations’ for new patient referrals between July 2020 and May of this year, meaning those needing in-person care are seen much faster.

Caroline Mahon is providing specialist advice to GPs for patients with skin conditions who do not meet the threshold for a specialist consultation.

All referrals from general practitioners for new dermatology consultations go through Health Pathways. GPs submit referrals via the Electronic Request Management System, attaching photos of the person’s condition.

For those who are not prioritised to be seen by a specialist in hospital, their GP does their best to manage them in the community.

Mahon has been reviewing these declined patients, checking the photos, and emailing GPs with an extensive written plan of care.

She provided 887 of these virtual consults from May 2019 - May 2020 and 1400 from July 2020 to May 2021.

She says doctors working in primary care have contributed to the increase in numbers.

“The vast improvement in the quality of clinical photographs and the clinical information accompanying e-referrals to dermatology over the last 12 months, has really facilitated a huge growth in the rapid provision of written or telephone advice to referrers,” she says.

“This means we see and treat those needing in-person specialist assessment much faster than 12 months ago, and at the same time, rapidly help GPs manage those who can be cared for in the community.”

Service manager Dave Nicholl says there has been a lot of positive feedback from GPs about the high quality and detail of Mahon’s treatment plan letters.

“She is really maximising her precious time to continue to provide this service to GPs,” he says.

“We don’t know how lucky we are to have her.”