AI and Virtual Care Are Shaping the Future of Dermatology

Artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual care are rapidly transforming dermatology, offering new ways to improve early detection, expand patient access and increase efficiency.

In a recent discussion with Managed Healthcare Executive, Veronica Rotemberg, M.D., a dermatologist and AI researcher at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, highlighted the potential for AI to enhance melanoma detection.

"Melanoma can be cured if it's caught at an early stage. (It has) a very high cure rate just with surgery alone. So it's a really important goal for the field of dermatology and for the field of AI to address melanoma detection," Rotemberg said, adding that AI models can analyze both specialized dermoscopy images taken in clinics and broader photographic data, including total body images.

This technology allows clinicians to identify high-risk lesions that patients might not notice themselves. Rotemberg also noted that performance varies depending on the quality of images and the populations used to train AI models, highlighting the need for rigorous clinical trials before widespread implementation.

Safety and quality considerations are also crucial, according to Rotemberg. Many AI models are trained on images from higher-risk populations, often with lighter skin, meaning performance could be limited for darker skin tones or pediatric patients.

She noted that clinicians must understand how AI tools perform in their specific clinical setting and that developers should be held accountable for rigorous evaluation.

Looking forward, Rotemberg sees AI supporting day-to-day dermatology practices beyond cancer detection. This includes improving appointment triage, monitoring chronic skin conditions through photographic biomarkers and reducing unnecessary biopsies. She added the broader promise of AI is to streamline workflows, enhance documentation and provide continuous disease monitoring.

Anna Chacon, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist who offers virtual care through Miiskin, discussed the operational advantages of virtual dermatology care.

"(Virtual care) is definitely more efficient because people don't have to drive to an office and go there. It's more cost-effective. There's no overhead, and you're able to see just a wider number of patients," she said.

Chacon also said the scalability of online care platforms allows dermatologists to reach patients in every state where they are licensed, expanding access while maintaining workflow efficiency.

Together, these insights illustrate how AI and virtual care are not only enhancing clinical possibilities but also reshaping how dermatology services are delivered. Both experts stressed that while the potential is enormous, rigorous testing, thoughtful implementation and ongoing evaluation are critical to ensure these technologies benefit patients safely and effectively.