Experiences of Iranian dermatologists with teledermatology before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross- sectional study

Teledermatology serves as an effective tool for addressing the challenges associated with managing patients who have various skin disorders. During the COVID-19 era, the significance of teledermatology has become even more pronounced due to the social restrictions. This study was designed to evaluate the experiences of Iranian dermatologists with teledermatology before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. In this cross-sectional study, an online questionnaire was distributed to Iranian dermatologists. The questionnaire included basic demographic information, questions related to communication facilities, types of diseases, diagnosis accuracy, and doctors’ satisfaction with teledermatology. A total of 313 dermatologists completed the questionnaire. The mean age of the participants was 43.56 ± 9.86 years, with 55% identifying as female. Prior to the pandemic, 38.9% of the dermatologists reported that they did not use teledermatology, while 54.5% utilized it fewer than 15 times per month before the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, 27.1% of the respondents “completely agreed” that the COVID-19 pandemic led them to use teledermatology, and 23.2% mentioned “agree” with this idea. Most of the doctors (45.5%) estimated that the relative accuracy of diagnoses made via teledermatology was approximately 50-70%. The mean satisfaction score among dermatologists was 22.82 ± 6.42, indicating a moderate level of satisfaction. Furthermore, the majority of dermatologists expressed a preference for in-person visits following the pandemic. Teledermatology seems to be a useful method in exceptional circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it does have limitations, including the inability to conduct a thorough physical examination. Consequently, in-person visits have become preferable for dermatologists after the COVID-19 pandemic.