DermaShare
Introduction:
Storing, organization and sharing of digital photographic images is becoming integral to the teaching and learning in dermatology. DermaShare was designed to address these needs and enhance the use of digital images for teaching in dermatology. It is an internet server and software suite built upon an interface similar to that of conventional internet photograph-sharing sites. DermaShare allows for rapid and secure uploading, storage, and retrieval of dermatology patient images and associated clinical data by its users, regardless of their location.
To improve dermatology education, DermaShare was created to bridge residents, students, and faculty across these geographically, culturally, and technologically divergent institutions.
Research Objectives:
Residents and faculty of the Department of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School face the challenge of coordinating teaching and patient care across seven different teaching hospitals. We conducted a prospective, longitudinal survey study among members of the department of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School. Our study examined attitudes and existing image storage methods by residents and faculty of these images before and after the introduction of DermaShare. We also surveyed participants regarding their experiences with having a secure internet server, such as DermaShare.
Study Overview:
DermaShare facilitates “just-in-time” teaching of residents and students from attending physicians who may not be immediately available on-site at any hour of the day. Information technology is transforming how medical education and patient care are delivered. DermaShare is an innovative tool exemplifying how information technology may be effectively applied to medical education, and as a result may improve the teaching and learning, particularly of dermatology.
In the near future, we seek to integrate the use of high-resolution camera phones to wirelessly and instantaneously transmit images to DermaShare, and to create an open framework where world-class clinical cases from other academic institutions can be shared for teaching of medical students and physicians worldwide.