Assessment of the Impact of Teledermatology Using Discrete Event Simulation

Evolution of technology and the complexity of the medical system have contributed to the increasing interest in telemedicine. The purpose of this paper is to present a discrete event simulation model of the teledermatology process using the tool TelDerm witch is a store-and forward tool linking health professionals with dermatologists for e-referrals. The logic of the simulation describes the process from the detection of the dermatological problem to its resolution. The scenarios reflect different changes in the flow in order to quantify the impact of telemedicine on the healthcare system. Several key performance indicators measure medical and administrative workload variations for all human resources involved. In addition, we assess the impact on the patients journey through the process.