CHICAGO (PRWEB)
July 26, 2022
SkinIO, an AI-driven, virtual skin screening platform, was used in a real-world study by Stanford School of Medicine’s Department of Dermatology with results just published in the Skin Health and Disease Journal. The purpose of the study was to pilot a new model of dermatologic care to overcome barriers for senior living communities during the COVID‐19 pandemic, including increased vulnerability to the virus, long quarantines for clinic visits, and difficulties with telemedicine adoption. All of which made elderly patients’ adherence to their annual in-person skin exams impossible.
“Elderly patients are at high risk of developing skin cancers and rely on skin screening exams for early skin cancer detection and treatment,” said Kyoko Crawford, Chief Executive Officer of SkinIO. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was unrealistic and unsafe for nursing home patients to leave quarantine for an in-person skin exam. So SkinIO safely brought full-body skin exams to them.”
Over the course of the 8-month study, non-physician clinical staff who tested negative for COVID-19 used the SkinIO mobile app-based system, installed on iPads, to do full-body photography of residents from the Sequoias Portola Valley Senior Living Retirement Community who opted into the study. SkinIO’s AI-driven deep learning analyzed patient images in real time and flagged suspicious outlier lesions for close-up dermoscopic photos. A dermatologist reviewed each patient’s photos remotely, then reviewed the photos with each patient and provided recommendations via a video visit.
Of the 27 nursing home residents who participated, 3 skin cancers were identified, 11 were scheduled for a follow-up visit, and 4 started home treatment.
“We were very excited by the patients’ reaction to the experience. 88% of patients reported that they were satisfied with the program, with 77% likely to recommend the program to others. 92% of patients agreed that the photographs were representative of their skin. And in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, 100% of patients felt the process was safer or comparable to an in-person visit,” said Kavita Sarin, MD, PhD, associate professor of dermatology at the Stanford School of Medicine.
In addition to overall appreciation for the virtual program, more than a third of patients reported that they would prefer to see dermatologist in-person after the pandemic, further underscoring the opportunity for SkinIO to drive traffic and uptake for dermatologists on follow-up.
“We developed SkinIO with a mission to broaden access to lifesaving dermatology for both underserved and vulnerable populations,” said Crawford. “This study is an incredibly fulfilling example of the promise of SkinIO technology in action.”
The manuscript of the study is available here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ski2.141
ABOUT SkinIO
SkinIO is a HIPAA-compliant, AI-driven, virtual skin cancer screening platform that allows anyone, anywhere to perform a skin exam in just 10 minutes using their smartphone. SkinIO images are reviewed remotely by expert dermatologists, users receive their results by email in just a few days, and they are connected to care if they require in-person follow-up. For more information, visit skinio.com.
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