Patient and practitioner satisfaction with tele-dermatology including Australia’s indigenous population: A systematic review of the literature

BACKGROUND Australia's health disparity, combined with evolving technologies, has evoked increasing interest and funding in health services that could address inequities. One such emerging service is tele-medicine. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this report is to discuss and evaluate the current literature regarding patient and practitioner satisfaction with tele-medicine, and more specifically tele-dermatology. METHODS We searched for literature relevant to tele-dermatology use among Australia's indigenous population. We synthesized the literature in our report and identified elements of tele-dermatology not yet researched. RESULTS Most significantly, all available research is currently based on descriptive studies and there is no validated tool to assess the efficacy of tele-dermatology. LIMITATIONS No published research currently exists on the use of tele-dermatology among Australia's indigenous population. CONCLUSION A review of the literature shows that tele-dermatology is considered a valuable service, particularly to patients living in rural areas who might not otherwise have access to specialist care.