Patient engagement is a crucial component of an optimized skin healthcare plan. Only one of the ways this can be supported is through equipping patients with the tools to help them take skin imaging into their own hands. This article reviews the experience of three patients using a mobile dermoscope (MoleScope) alongside the associated teledermoscopy app for their skin imaging needs.

What is MoleScope?
MoleScope is a mobile dermatoscope that allows users to capture medical-grade quality images. In addition to offering a mobile dermoscope for medical professionals, the MoleScope (Original) was created to provide patients with an affordable, easy-to-use, and portable solution for taking pictures of their skin. 

Priced at $99 USD, this MoleScope is a non-polarized dermoscope that comes with additional imaging plates and hand sanitizer (as the liquid media to be applied to the skin for reduced glare). Paired with a free associated app under the same name, patients gain access to:

• 3d Body Mapping track their spots on their personal 3D Body Map
• Consultation: receive private feedback from an expert without long wait times via teledermatology services (if available in their area)
• Skin Check Guide: perform guided ABCD checks
• Monthly Reminders: set skin self check up reminders

A Family’s Experience Using MoleScope
Walter, Lynn, and Nicholas purchased their first MoleScope device in December of 2017 to encourage better skin health. Studies demonstrate that ~70 of skin cancer cases are first discovered by the patient or their loved one.¹ Since the family was born with a type II skin type (fair skin, burns easily) and a large number of moles, they decided that MoleScope would be a good investment for their ongoing health.

Imaging
“I’d never thought about taking images of my skin with my phone before. It’s such a new concept to me. I don’t have much experience with apps, but my son helped me get started which helped a lot. It was pretty easy to get started, which was nice for me.” -Lynn

Engagement
“I quite like this device because it lets me know what’s going on with my skin. I like knowing what my doctor knows, and this tool helps me make sure I feel confident about my health and any next steps i have to take if determined necessary at any point in time.” -Walter

“Honestly, I was just helping my parents get started with it because [they] don’t have any experience with phones. When I put the MoleScope on [the phone] i decided to test one of my moles that i always wondered about and thought it looked pretty neat. I decided to give it a try since my parents loved it, and i actually ended up having a mole removed to be on the safe side so that’s pretty surprising and awesome for me. -Nick

Results
After seeing the measurable impact a mobile dermoscope can have for the skin health and ongoing mental well-being of patients, it is equally important to see how patient eTriage affects the medical professional’s experience. Only some potential benefits of this changed dynamic include:

• Increased patient engagement
• Greater knowledge about skin cancer early detection
• Faster feedback times

In turn, this leads to a streamlined communication channel for doctors, reduced unnecessary in-clinic visits, and a greater opportunity for patients to detect skin cancer in its early stages.  Additionally, by providing patients with a teledermoscopy portal, medical professionals are able to ensure that their patients remain engaged, educated, and informed about their skin health plan.  

-The MetaOptima Team

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