As America sorts through the implications of the lockdown, it has become clear that many dermatology practices will need to adapt to survive. Early detection of skin cancer is a critical concern for dermatologists, and patient volumes are down significantly as Americans prepare for an unusual summer.
Social distancing regulations and an understandable hesitancy among patients to travel for medical care are keeping people out of dermatologists’ offices. Doctors working remotely using photographs alone cannot match the diagnostic accuracy of an in-person consultation. Delayed visits and inadequate tools can lead to delayed or missed diagnoses. Early detection saves lives!
Lazarus AI has developed an AI-based telemedicine application that allows dermatologists to treat patients remotely without compromising diagnostic accuracy.
Patients upload images of potentially symptomatic skin lesions and doctors review them quickly, using the tool’s AI augmentation to improve diagnostic accuracy and earning a fee for each screen performed, potentially continuing treatment for patients who require further care.
Pilot results from the nation’s top hospitals show a significant reduction in the number of skin biopsies needed for malignancy from 2.66 to 1.56. Additionally, dermatologists increased sensitivity to melanomas from 53% to 87% in a recent analysis.
However, the ability of medical practices to simply survive in the on-going COVID-19 pandemic is being severely tested. Lazarus AI’s telemedicine application could be “just what the doctor ordered.”
A June 10, 2020 article in the Boston Business Journal points out the deleterious effects of the pandemic. According to the newspaper, “After seeing steep drops inpatient visits due to coronavirus, approximately a fifth of physician practices in the state say they could consolidate with other practices, sell to a hospital group, or close entirely.”
Lazarus AI is offering remote screenings for melanoma to patients in Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and South Carolina, soon to be nationwide. Lazarus CDS is available for use by board-certified dermatologists.
About Lazarus AI
Lazarus uses patient health data and AI to help dermatologists better screen for skin cancer. The platform is fully HIPAA compliant, runs on both cloud and edge, and has been routinely shown to outperform dermatologists working on their own. Lazarus is the recipient of the AI World 2019 Startup Award.
