Excellent Patient Education App for Common Dermatology Conditions
The American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD) has updated and released their dermatology database app. Dermatology DB is based on their newly revised online dermatology database that includes the ability to print and/or email patient handouts.
AOCD brings that information to the point-of-care in a handy patient-oriented app for iOS with an extensive list of dermatology conditions, medications used to treat those conditions, and common dermatology procedures. Each subsection includes detailed but not overwhelming amounts of information with quality photos when appropriate. Finally, the app contains a section on common dermatology terms (no pictures in that section, however).
A similar app from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) called Dermatology A-Z is an authoritative alternative to the AOCD app with some additional features for finding a dermatologist for example. The AAD app is available for both iOS and Android.
Evidence-based medicine
The ACOD Dermatology Database app comes from a reputable source. The app attempts to provide patients comprehensive yet accessible information on a wide variety of dermatology conditions, medications, and procedures. The app does not contain any references or information about the authors of the information contained in the app. However, the website for the database does list the contributors to the online database (and the app).
Who would benefit from this App?
Patients with a variety of dermatology conditions seeking information on diagnosis, medical treatment and/or procedures for dermatology conditions. Providers could also consider prescribing the app to their patients.
Price
o Free
Likes
o Comprehensive list of included conditions, drugs, procedures
o Appropriate level of detail in each section without overwhelming patients
o Information on new drugs for multiple conditions included
Dislikes
o Not many pictures for described conditions (typically just one picture)
o No references or information about the app’s authors
o Not available for Android at this time
Overall
For patients looking for information on dermatology conditions, drugs or procedures, the AOCD Dermatology Database would be a good place to start. The app is designed for patients, but could be prescribed by providers for them. Additionally, the online version of the database has easily printed handouts for patients covering the same information included in the app.
Overall Score
o 4.0 stars.
User Interface
o 4.5 stars.
Divided into diseases, drugs, procedures and terms for ease of use.
Multimedia Usage
o 4.0 stars
The app is filled with numerous quality photos depicting conditions described in the app. One link to the AOCD website.
Price
o 5 stars.
App is free.
Real World Applicability
o 3.5 stars.
The AOCD Dermatology Database app provides up to date, basic information on skin diseases, drugs, and procedures for patient education. The app would be a good first start for patients seeking information on skin conditions from a competent source instead of a simple Google search. However, the app likely does not provide enough information (especially pictures) to satisfy many patients.
Device Used For Review
o iPhone 8 running iOS 12.3.
Available for download for iPhone and iPad. Not available for Android at this time.
Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the official policy of the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government.
