Follow MedCity News on TWITTER, LINKEDIN, FACEBOOK AND GOOGLE+ for even more content on innovation in healthcare.
iDoc24 has expanded the focus of its teledermatology platform to include children’s skin problems with its iOS mobile health app that responds to parents’ concerns over rashes or an unusual skin problem with their children and infants.
First Derm users send photos of affected areas of skin to a licensed dermatologist through the app. The images are reviewed and assessed within 24 hours of submission. Although dermatologists offer some guidance, the information is not intended to be used instead of an appointment with a dermatologist. The app also has a skin book and a tool to help locate the nearest pediatrician, dermatologist and pharmacy based on the user’s location, according to a company statement. iDoc24 claims that users don’t need to register and that any information that would identify them (such as a name and personal details) are scrubbed.
Dermatology apps have primarily focused on adults and teens. iDoc24’s initial app, also called iDoc24, was only available in Europe. Another app, STD Triage, focuses on helping patients overcome the embarrassment associated with STDs. Users transmit images of the problem area through the app, which is embedded through a secure SLL connection on its server. To view the response to their case, users need the case number and the app.
Its latest tool is free but charges users $40 for each assessment, but in the first three months of the launch the FirstDerm app sessions cost $15.
Alexander Borve, iDoc24 CEO, said in a statement: “In a time where more and more mothers are using Google search, WebMD and community health portals as a first step in diagnosis for their families, we wanted to provide a more reliable and effective resource to help give peace of mind, and in many cases a guidance on, ‘what to do next,’ when that unexpected rash appears.”
The company claims it walks the line between a doctor’s visit and an Internet search. Although the company responds to queries with general information with a possible diagnosis and suggestions for self-treatment when appropriate, it’s not trying to create a physician-patient relationship. The company also claims that it’s not a diagnosis or a treatment plan,and users should consult their own physicians for that information. But will the FDA see it that way? It will be interesting to see whether the FDA takes a greater interest in companies that take this approach. Among the companies active in the teledermatology sector are DermatologistsOnCall, DermLink, and NoviMedicine.
