Telemedicine, the use of telecommunication and information technology to provide clinical health care from a distance, has become an increasing role in basic medical care internationally. Telemedicine is particularly suitable for skin diseases. In order to improve the use of evidence-based telemedicine, the Swiss patients' preferences regarding teledermatology versus face-to-face consultations and the patients' and physicians' determinants of acceptance for teledermatology are investigated in this study. Dermatology patients are asked to complete a newly-created 21-items-survey; Swiss dermatologists, other physicians and medical staff on telemedicine will complete a similar newly-created, 23-items-questionnaire. A descriptive statistical analysis (e.g. gender, age, place of residence (city or country), waiting time) will be performed.
This study is to investigate the current use and intention to use of teledermatology in Swiss dermatology patients, dermatologists, other physicians and medical staff.