Telehealth is here to stay, but it will go through an evolution like all new technology shifts. A new study evaluated performance of teledermatology. The results were mixed. There were incorrect diagnoses and missed diagnoses. Treatment recommendations were not always consistent with guidelines. Prescriptions frequently lacked disclosure about possible adverse effects.  The study was limited because there are not yet large numbers of cases to evaluate. A significant limitation to the study was the authors were unable to assess whether clinicians seeing these patients in traditional in-person encounters would have performed any better.

On balance, telehealth is a good thing. It has the potential to expand access to more patients, and the medical literature is filled with examples of telehealth systems providing quality care. The key is having good providers. A great surgeon using robotic assistance can do every greater surgery. A so so surgeon with a robot will do so so surgery. The same is true of telehealth. Hospitals and health systems offering telehealth services must set high standards for the providers to use the service. Read the full story at Study assesses performance of direct-to-consumer teledermatology services