Teledermatology platforms are making in-roads in South India to provide better skin and hair care to people in Tier-II cities and rural areas.
Published Jun 29, 2023 | 3:00 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 29, 2023 | 3:00 PM
Clinikally is a teledermatology platform that employs AI technology. (Supplied)
After the Covid-19 pandemic, teleconsultation has emerged as a game-changer, bridging the gap between patients and doctors even in Tier-II cities across the country. While key specialties like Cardiology, Neurology, Orthopaedics, Pulmonology, Gastroenterology take precedence in the teleconsultation world, Tier-II cities and rural areas are seeing a rise in another specialty.
Historically, an area of healthcare that Tier-II cities and rural areas of India have trouble accessing in dermatology, as good skin care doctors are seemingly hard to find. But now, there are newer online platforms popping up that are promising to virtually connect dermatologists with patients, irrespective of which tier they live in.
Arjun Soin, Director of Clinikally. (LinkedIn)
Speaking to South First, Arjun Soin, Director of Clinikally, one such dermatology platform that has emerged as a comprehensive solution offering effective products, consultations, and personalised care, says, “People did not prioritise skin and hair care during the pandemic, barring chronic conditions like eczema, melanoma, and psoriasis.”
With just one dermatologist for every 1.5 lakh people in India, Soin explains, “This gap is what led to a huge spike and adoption in teledermatology.”
To fill this gap, Clinikally has leveraged the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to provide accessible and personalised care to patients across India.
While several government schemes, including eSanjeevani in Karnataka, Kerala, and Telangana, have introduced dermatology as part of their teleconsultation services even in primary health centres, AI has no role to play in these schemes.
“By analysing a user’s previous purchases, prescription history, and demographic information, Clinikally’s rule-based AI system generates product recommendations tailored to each individual’s unique needs. This personalised approach ensures that patients receive the most suitable treatment options,” explains Soin.
Taking their AI capabilities even further, Clinikally is currently experimenting with a GPT4 (Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4) plugin to empower physicians to generate personalised treatment plans for patients within minutes.
Recognising the time-consuming process of customising plans for telehealth patients, Clinikally aims to utilise AI to instantly suggest products and generate treatment plans.
This innovative concept enables physicians to access a wide range of available product options, simplifying the treatment process and enhancing patient outcomes.
One of Clinikally’s notable endeavours includes the development of a comprehensive database comprising skin and hair profiles extracted from telemedicine prescriptions. This invaluable resource serves as the foundation for building an AI model that delivers automated treatment recommendations.
The pandemic-induced surge in teledermatology highlighted the pressing need for accessible and convenient dermatological services.
Arjun Soin explains that Clinikally’s online consultation service was established to address these issues, offering a solution to long wait-times, geographical constraints, and limited accessibility faced by patients.
By connecting patients with top dermatologists across India, Clinikally’s telemedicine platform democratises access to expert care, transcending physical boundaries.
Soin adds that on Clinikally’s platform, the response from Tier-II cities, especially in Karnataka and Telangana, has been extremely good.
Clinikally’s telemedicine process is designed to be user-friendly and inclusive. Users are required to complete a detailed questionnaire covering skin type, medical history, and concerns, optionally supplemented by images. Following the consultation session, physicians generate personalised prescriptions or recommendations, which are seamlessly delivered to the patient via a WhatsApp message.
Teleconsultation picked up during the pandemic. (Creative Commons)
Soin expects this streamlined approach to become the go-to solution for long-term dermatology care and product purchases, ensuring a comprehensive and unwavering service for dermatology patients throughout India.
Soin says that Clinikally claims to uphold the highest standards of quality and efficacy when curating its product offerings. All products available on the platform are strictly curated and, in many cases, formulated by doctors.
These rigorously tested products undergo a meticulous selection process, ensuring clinical results and long-term efficacy.
Clinikally’s offline operations encompass partnerships with nearly 200 dermatologists who distribute a private-labeled, patent-protected product line, catering to specific concerns such as melasma, under-eye issues, and male pattern balding.
Looking ahead, Arjun Soin envisions Clinikally becoming an indispensable component of dermatology care, both online and offline.
The platform plans to continue building its hybrid model and eventually integrate physical clinic referrals for its online user base. By doing this, Clinikally aims at guiding patients towards meaningful physical interventions, including treatments, lasers, and diagnostics that cannot be entirely facilitated online.
While platforms like Clinikally are continuously working towards addressing the concerns in teledermatology, dermatologists have their concerns.
Dermatology is a speciality that requires physical clinic visits. (Commons)
“There are several challenges,” notes Dr Bhawuk Dhir of the Department of Dermatology at Dr RML Hospital in New Delhi.
“I myself have worked on a teleconsultation basis during the Covid pandemic and faced quite a few issues. It is important in dermatology to touch and see the skin in person. Mobile phones used by each user is different and images are often not clear,” he explains.
“There are several limitations and concerns when we trust a device for skin analysis. We will need to see the patient in person for proper diagnosis,” Dr Dhir adds.
He says that the primary concern is the limitation in conducting a physical examination. Dermatologists heavily rely on visual cues and tactile feedback when examining skin condition.
“While images and videos can provide valuable information, they may not capture all the nuances required for an accurate diagnosis. Certain conditions may require a biopsy or further diagnostic tests that cannot be performed remotely, leading to potential limitations in the evaluation process,” he says.
However, Arjun Soin says that the vastness of the derma market, coupled with the average patient disposition, typically means that users will often request budget-specific prescriptions. A related challenge (read: future opportunity) comes from the fact that users will sometimes want a blend of telehealth and physical clinic visits.
“At Clinikally, we have detailed telemedicine specs for our consulting doctors, as well as a plethora of curated product options — a mix of over-the-counter and Rx — that can be appropriately configured to whatever extent clinically possible. Furthermore, we are also experimenting with a physical referral flow with our private-label partner doctors. This creates even more substantive grounds for robust collaborations with physicians,” explains Soin.
There are a plethora of products available on the website. (clinikally.com)
He adds, “The platform clearly ensures that after the teleconsultation, if the diagnosis requires a specialist consultation or a physical visit for further diagnosis, we will refer the patient to the dermatologist who will be partnered with Clinikally or even advise them to see a doctor in their local area.”
Meanwhile, dermatologists from Karnataka also point out that teledermatology relies on a stable internet connection and poor internet connectivity in remote areas may still be a concern.
However, despite the limitations and challenges, Dr Soumya Sachdeva, Consultant Dermatologist at Max Super Speciality Hospital, says, “Telemedicine is a reliable tool in case of patients who are unable to visit the doctor or where the availability of dermatologists are low in the immediate neighbourhood. It was a wonderful tool during the pandemic. And it’s not just for patients. Sometimes, an expert opinion may be required by a physician who is caring for a patient where no other dermatology specialist is available. In that case, telemedicine is helpful to reach a diagnosis and provide early cure to the patient. If platforms can address some of these valid challenges, teledermatology can be a success.”
