Patients will soon be able to consult a dermatologist via their GP thanks to a new tele expertise measure approved last week by the Insurance Committee, Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke announced on Friday.
Under the scheme, a GP treating a patient with a skin condition will be able, twice a year, to request advice from a dermatologist by sending clinical observations and photographs. The specialist will be required to respond within three working days.
Based on that advice, the GP can then decide on a course of treatment or determine whether the patient needs a face-to-face consultation.
Dermatologists will be paid for providing the remote expertise, while patients will not have to pay any co-payment.
An annual budget of €274,000 has been allocated to fund the measure within doctors’ fee budgets. According to Vandenbroucke, the use of the system will be closely monitored in the coming years.
"This tele expertise should ,above all allow patients to obtain appropriate care more quickly, while reducing pressure on dermatologists," the minister said. "It also encourages collaboration between doctors around a patient."
