Latin American recommendations for the practice of teledermatology

Abstract

Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), including Teledermatology, have become more relevant during the current Covid-19 pandemic, becoming a strategic instrument for health care due to the restrictions that affect face-To-face care. Material and methods: For better use of Teledermatology, the Sociedad Mexicana de Dermatología y el Colegio Ibero-Latinoamericano de Dermatología (CILAD) issue these guidelines. Three scenarios are determined for the performance of Teledermatology: The sending of medical records, real-Time consultation, and online referral. Results: Teledermatology consultations must be the result of a selection of patients and have to be carried out on private video communication platforms and resources to resolve remote communication problems. Conclusion: The discourse structure and presentation of the participants in this communication modality must be taken into account, resorting to educational tutorials on the use of ICTs and structuring medical digital records. In the video consultation, the patient should be instructed, in the way they appear before the camera, how to handle it, and how to send materials. Specifications are provided for metadata tagging, storage, retrieval, and transmission of images, adapting them to the clinical nature of remote communication.