The pandemic caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus is challenging health systems worldwide in different ways. The main focus is on the acute care of people suffering from COVID-19. One way to maintain these essential health services in the field of dermatology and at the same time to contribute to a reduction of the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 by “social distancing” could be offered by telemedical services [1]. Telemedicine (e-health) is the use of telecommunication technologies for the exchange of medical information for diagnosis, consultation, therapy and teaching. Dermatology is particularly suitable for telemedical diagnosis and consultation due to its image-based orientation in diagnostics. Two technologies are predominantly used in dermatological telemedicine (teledermatology): Store- -and-Forward (SAF) technology, in which clinical images and additional information are evaluated spatially dispersed with a time delay (asynchronous procedure), and video conferencing, in which dermatological image-based diagnosis and consultation take place synchronously [1]. A teledermatological consultation can be carried out directly for patients, but also in an intra-medical dialogue for physicians of other disciplines (teleconsultation). Besides pure medical aspects, teledermatological practices entail a number of specific legal problems that are especially crucial and relevant in times of the COVID-19 outbreak [2]. Such issues as data privacy, confidentiality and patients' autonomy during teledermatological consultations are of a crucial importance both on the EU and US legislation [2, 3]. One might outline the problems of a general under development of the legal basis concerning teledermatological treatment and a lack of a special regulation of the topic at the EU level [2, 3]. Dermatologists in hospitals and practices were able to compensate at least partially for the restrictions of personal dermatological care of patients with skin diseases under the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic by an extension of teledermatological services (video consultation, SAF teledermatology). Findings from the use of teledermatology during the pandemic should be used to further improve the use of teledermatology, for which the structural framework conditions in the health care system must be created. The use of teledermatological instruments during the COVID-19 pandemic has pointed out the need to develop and concretize the legal basis in the mentioned field.
Teledermatology during the COVID-19 pandemic-medical and legal aspects