Beyond the specialty: How AccessDerm helps primary care providers
With just a few minutes a day and a smartphone, dermatologists have the potential to make a significant impact in their community by using the Academy’s volunteer teledermatology platform, AccessDerm. A few weeks ago, Dermatology World Weekly spoke with Cory Simpson, MD, about why he uses AccessDerm, how it works, and why others should get involved. This week we interview Sharon Katzenbach, CRNP, a primary care provider at Puentes de Salud, a charity clinic in Philadelphia, about how AccessDerm helps her treat patients with skin conditions.
DW Weekly: Please describe how you got involved with Access Derm.
Katzenbach: Our consulting dermatology team (Cory Simpson, MD, Jules Lipoff, MD, (Penn faculty) and Peter Chansky, MD, (former Penn Med student, now a derm resident at NYU) offered us the option of telederm consults via AccessDerm and I readily accepted at Puentes de Salud! Our dermatologists are at clinic once per month and they were developing a lengthy waiting list of patients. I became involved in order to meet patient care demands. I am so very appreciative of the opportunity to participate in AccessDerm in order to link patients with expert dermatologic recommendations and improve my own practice.
DWW: What are some benefits to doctors and patients?
Katzenbach: PCPs benefit by having specialist telederm consults with a quick turnaround — we can deliver specialist-driven expert recommendations which best serve patients and also teach us how to manage dermatologic conditions that we otherwise might not be confident in managing.
Patients get ready access to specialists in the context of their existing PCP relationship; they trust the information delivered from a dermatologist via their PCP. AccessDerm is a very efficient way of making sure patient lab work and a trial of treatment are done promptly and then scheduling follow up in-person dermatology care as needed.
DWW: Has your use of Access Derm increased since you began using it?
Katzenbach: Yes, I’m now up to approximately three times a week (which equals once/clinic session).
DWW: Have you seen a difference in the quality of care at Puentes de Salud?
Katzenbach: Absolutely. AccessDerm is an extremely valuable resource and enhances patient care and PCP-dermatologist collaboration. I am grateful that the Puentes community has access to this tool! It relies on the expertise of our dermatologist partners and their willingness to promptly reply with detailed recommendations. Further, AccessDerm provides access to dermatologists to an underserved population who otherwise would not have the opportunity to receive specialty care. This is an effective means of addressing health disparity and optimizing patient outcomes.
DWW: How is volunteering vital to this endeavor?
Katzenbach: This service relies on the expertise and availability of our dermatology volunteers! Having ready access to dermatology clinicians who work in an academic medical setting is a gift that relies on their volunteerism. Volunteering their expertise via telederm services makes for optimal patient care and outcomes and strengthens PCP practice. Thanks to our dermatologist volunteers, we are able to provide excellent up to date, evidence-based clinical care to our patients and continuing education to our primary care providers.
Learn more about how you can volunteer to use AccessDerm.
Sharon Katzenbach, CRNP, completed the Family Nurse Practitioner Program at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the Puentes de Salud, she worked in primary care in South Philadelphia and the Penn Emergency Department. She has also taught seminar courses at Penn Nursing and precepts masters nursing students. At Puentes, Katzenbach sees primary care patients and maintains her focus on education, as a preceptor and director of the Puentes Residency Program.
