As reported by the BBC news, a new phone application is helping to speed up treatment for skin cancer patients
Close to 230 practices in Merseyside and Cheshire have begun using an app to capture clinical images of moles and lesions.
The technology is intended to reduce the NHS waiting-list backlog and Dr Stephanie Gallard believes it is working.
Dr Gallard said the referral process was “now faster and more accurate” and that patients were receiving “the right care, first time around”.
The device, known as dermatoscope, is compatible with a smartphone and connected to an app.
GPs can capture images of moles and other skin lesions in a data-compliant manner, which can be attached to referrals or advice and guidance requests through the Cinapsis SmartReferrals app.
A secondary-care specialist is then able to review the case and suggest the next steps for the patient with the information updated on the patient’s record.
According to the Cinapsis platform, approximately 7,000 unnecessary referrals are made every year, costing more than £1m.
A two-year trial of the technology found 49% of cases submitted were successfully managed by Cinapsis with advice and guidance alone.
Consultant dermatologist at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Richard Azurdia, believes the technology will save time, which he “can put towards helping patients and reducing care backlogs”.
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