Why Do Patients in the United States Seek Care from Dermatologists?

Introduction While the diagnoses made at visits to the dermatologist are well characterized, the reasons patients visit the dermatologists are not well described. Understanding why patients present to dermatologists could be helpful in identifying patients’ unmet needs and developing outreach programs to improve patients’ access to care. The purpose of this study is to characterize the reasons why US patients sought medical attention from dermatologists. Methods We evaluated the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) between 2007 and 2018, the most recent years available, to characterize the most common reasons patients visit the dermatologist. Results Sixty-four thousand records were identified in the NAMCS estimating 1.55 billion visits to the dermatologist in the US during the study period. The most common reasons for visits were skin examination (7.8%), skin lesion (7.5%), and discoloration/abnormal pigmentation (7.3%). For patients ≤ 18 years, the most common reasons for visits were acne (28%), warts (7.7%), and skin rash (6.4%). For patients 19–65 years and ≥ 66 years, skin examinations (7.7%) and skin lesions (10%) were the most common reasons for visits to dermatologists, respectively. Conclusion By identifying the most common reasons for visits to the dermatologist, we can improve our understanding of a patient’s needs and appropriate health outreach resources to improve patients’ access to care. Plain Language Summary Skin conditions affect 1.9 billion people globally. While we understand the most common diagnoses made at a dermatology visit, the reasons why patients visit the dermatologist have not been evaluated. We utilized an annual survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), to identify the most common reasons patients visited the dermatologist between the years 2007 and 2018, the most recent years of the survey available. The most common reasons for visits were skin examination, skin lesion, and discoloration/abnormal pigmentation. For patients ≤ 18 years, the most common reasons for visits were acne, warts, and skin rash. For patients 19–65 years and ≥ 66 years, skin examinations and skin lesions were the most common reasons for visits to dermatologists, respectively. By identifying the most common reasons for visit to the dermatologist, we can better understand a patient’s needs and improve a patient’s ability to access care for skin conditions.