The practice of medicine is governed by legislation and regulation at the state and national level. It is crucial, therefore, that dermatologists become and remain involved in the process to advocate for their patients, their practices, and the specialty itself. Maintaining a relationship with one's state and federal senators and representatives is critical for physicians to have a voice in the shaping of health care policy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is widely accepted as the gold standard for skin cancer cure, and properly trained surgeons who carry out this procedure are experts in the science and management of skin cancer. There are many potential pitfalls and challenges that a surgeon may encounter while carrying out MMS, and these can increase the likelihood of tumor recurrence and increased patient morbidity. With precise surgical technique, careful tissue handling, and laboratory processes that safeguard against errors, this procedure can provide excellent cure rates for most skin cancers, including melanoma, while maximizing tissue conservation in a low-cost outpatient clinical setting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe World Health Organization declared the global monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern in July 2022. In response, the American Academy of Dermatology and International League of Dermatological Societies expanded the existing COVID-19 Dermatology Registry to become the "AAD/ILDS Dermatology COVID-19, Monkeypox, and Emerging Infections Registry." The goal of the registry is to rapidly collate cases of monkeypox and other emerging infections and enable prompt dissemination of findings to front-line healthcare workers and other members of the medical community.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dermatology practice cannot be overstated. At its peak, the pandemic resulted in the temporary closure of ambulatory sites as resources were reallocated towards pandemic response efforts. Many outpatient clinics have since reopened and are beginning to experience a semblance of pre-pandemic routine, albeit with restrictions in place.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid, real-world evidence is essential for the development of knowledge and subsequent public health response. In dermatology, provider-facing and patient-facing registries focused on COVID-19 have been important sources of research and new information aimed at guiding optimal patient care. The 7 dermatology registries included in this update now include more than 8000 case reports sourced from physicians and patients from countries all over the world.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHigh-quality dermatology patient registries often require considerable time to develop and produce meaningful data. Development time is influenced by registry complexity and regulatory hurdles that vary significantly nationally and institutionally. The rapid emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic has challenged health services in an unprecedented manner.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cutaneous reactions after messenger RNA (mRNA)-based COVID-19 vaccines have been reported but are not well characterized.
Objective: To evaluate the morphology and timing of cutaneous reactions after mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
Methods: A provider-facing registry-based study collected cases of cutaneous manifestations after COVID-19 vaccination.
The American Academy of Dermatology launched DataDerm in 2016 as the clinical data registry platform of the American Academy of Dermatology. DataDerm is approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as a Qualified Clinical Data Registry for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System. The ultimate purpose of DataDerm is to provide dermatologists with a registry and database that will serve as a vehicle to advance the specialty in the domains of science, discovery, education, quality assessment, quality improvement, advocacy, and practice management.
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