MDAlgorithms, an Israeli developer of mobile health apps, has developed MDacne, a new dermatology app for tracking and treating skin conditions.
Unlike other online dermatology services that charge patients a fee to schedule a visit online with a dermatologist, the MDacne app uses enable consumers to take and upload photos of their skin problem and create a personalized 30-day treatment plan based on an assessment of related clinical data stored in the company’s database of skincare conditions.
“Prior apps only exchanged patient data with doctors,” says MDAlgorithms CEO Oded Harth. “This app provides the stepping stone to everybody looking for a solution for skin disorders and our app places the patient in the center and allows for self-treatment.”
After downloading the app, a consumer begins the diagnosis process by snapping a photo of her skin with her smartphone and fills out an accompanying online questionnaire. She uploads the photo via the app to an MDAcne database that uses artificial intelligence and image analysis technology to determine the type and severity of the patient’s acne.
Once the image analysis is complete, a personalized treatment plan is delivered back to the patient via the app. As the treatment plan progresses, the patient is reminded to snap a photo of her skin every five days for further analysis. After each skin analysis, patients are informed of their progress. The software algorithms used to analyze each patient’s skin condition were developed with input from dermatologists, Harth says.
“The unique thing about MDAcne is that the application analyses the user’s skin by itself and automatically builds a treatment plan using artificial intelligence,” Harth says. “Most dermatologists use four grades to determine the severity of acne, we use 10 grades based on such factors as age of the patient and skin type.”
With the app, users can also view video tutorials for acne treatment on topics such as how to wash their face, what foods to eat to prevent acne and how to properly apply acne cream. In addition, consumers can post questions about acne to a message board and receive a response from an MDAcne dermatologist in about 72 hours or sooner.
While the app is free to download, consumers are charged a weekly, monthly or annual subscription fee for accessing premium content, such as the educational videos. The annual fee is $50, weekly fees are $1.99 and monthly fees are $6.99. The MDacne app has been downloaded by 25,000 users, the company says.
While the MDacne app is not intended to be a replacement for a dermatologist, it is likely to have strong appeal among teens and young adults who might not take the time or make the effort to see an actual dermatologist, says Dr. Ben Gerber, a researcher who tracks mobile healthcare issues for the Institute for Health Research and Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
“The app holds promise in empowering people to manage themselves,” Gerber says. “One advantage of this app is that it tailors the message to the individual as opposed to generic health information available on the web.”
Many doctors are split on the accuracy and quality of any form of online dermatology, including apps and telehealth visits.
In a May the online edition of the JAMA Dermatology reported the results of a survey of 16 web sites that offer telehealth services for dermatology. The study “suggests that incorrect diagnoses were made, treatment recommendations sometimes contradicted guidelines, and prescriptions frequently lacked disclosure about possible adverse effects and pregnancy risks,” according to the JAMA.
[Source:-Internet Health]
