At Kaiser, selfies save time, speed care

Most social networkers try to put their best face forward when posting selfies, but now they can share snaps of their rashes, infected wounds and ugly injuries for diagnosis by a doctor.

The new Kaiser Permanente program allows members to send digital images through a secured email server to get a preliminary evaluation instead of heading to a clinic or emergency room. It’s ideal for getting advice on whether a cut requires stitches, a child has pink eye or that funny-looking mole needs a closer look, for example.

The process helps both patients and physicians by saving time and expediting treatment, said Dr. Hyewon Jun, an internal medicine physician at Kaiser’s Mapunapuna location. "We can better deal with more serious issues that require a face-to-face visit," she said.

Jun has been an advocate for using technology to enhance patient care via Kaiser’s website.

A pilot program on Maui and the Big Island that launched early in the year focused on dermatology cases. Tiare Martin, 37, of Wailuku said she took a photo of a mole that appeared between her toes and got a consultation with a dermatologist. It turned out to be cancerous and Martin had it removed right away.

"It normally takes quite a while, even months, to get an appointment with a dermatologist," she said. "After the doctor looked at the photo, they got me in the next day. It made me a high priority and helped me move through the process more smoothly.

"When you’re dealing with something like this, a minute seems like forever."

The process, including her surgical procedure, took less than a month.

"And now I know what to look for," she said.

Knowing she can now do the same in contacting a pediatrician when she has questions about her children’s health gives her peace of mind, Martin said.

The medical selfies become a part of the patient’s medical record and can also be used to seek a second opinion.

"These new programs are revolutionary. Some things can wait and some things are urgent," Jun said.

"It also works for the mom who is worried about her child’s high fever in the middle of the night. If a mom thinks that she found chicken pox, she can send an image. She doesn’t need to rush to the emergency room.

"And selfies help avoid the patient coming inside the clinic and exposing others to a contagious disease."

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