Teledermatology

The Department of Dermatology provides Board-certified dermatologists for the Teledermatology section of the Fairview-University of Minnesota Telemedicine Network (FUMTN).  Through this team network, specialized dermatology consultations are provided to rural communities in the State of Minnesota.  With a hub at Fairview-University Medical Center in Minneapolis and care delivery sites in six (6) member institutions throughout the state patients can receive dermatology consultation at their local medical facility.

The affiliated institutions are located in Hibbing, Wadena, Crosby, Aitkin, and Red Wing, Minnesota, and the Ne-Ia-Shing clinic on Mille Lacs Reservation near Onamia, Minnesota.   FUMTN operations are funded by network members, patient fees, and a major grant from the federal Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, a division of the U.S. Public Health Service. 

The teledermatology team includes the local primary care provider who refers the patient, the teledermatology nurse at the local facility, FUMTN Network telemedicine coordinators and the Department of Dermatology dermatologist. Prospective patients who require dermatology consultations are referred by their primary care provider to respective teledermatology local centers listed below.  Once the patient arrives at the network location, the local teledermatology nurse provides an explanation of the consultation procedure and obtains demographic and historical information. Through real-time television transmission the patient in their local facility and the dermatologist at Fairview-University Medical Center have live face-to-face conversations.  Special television and digital cameras can be used to obtain visual images of the patient’s skin problem. The dermatologists who participate in Teledermatology consultations include Drs. Kimberly Bojhanen, John Fenyk, Irving Katz, and Peter Lee.  After the dermatologist performs the consultation, a report is generated that is transmitted to the referring source.  The nurse at the local facility carries out prescription orders and arranges for further consultations and laboratory studies. 

FUMTN Network Members