Developing a skin cancer screening Epic EHR tool to reduce unnecessary skin checks and improve dermatology access

Summary: Abstract Body: USPSTF concluded in 2023 that there is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against routine skin cancer screening for those without a history of skin cancer and suspicious moles. There is also no national consensus on skin cancer screening frequency in patients with a history of skin cancer. Therefore, dermatologists and primary care providers are routinely faced with the dilemma of whether to recommend total body skin examinations and at what interval. Our evidence-based skin cancer Epic screening tool was developed to help dermatologists make decisions regarding the need and frequency of complete skin exams (CSEs) for patients depending on their risk factors. Questions within the screening tool are stratified based on patients’ personal and family history of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer, and other risk factors such as actinic damage, number of nevi, eye and hair color. A user feedback survey utilizing Likert scale, multiple choice, and short answer questions will be distributed to assess ease of use and need for improvements in the screening tool once launched. The goal of implementation is to improve dermatology access and the diversity of patients seen in dermatology clinics without affecting the quality of care. Data collected will assess the impact of this tool on patient access and whether the changing patient demographics better mirror the community served by the clinic. Once optimized, the use of this tool can be broadened to primary care providers to aid in determining which patients should be referred for routine skin cancer screenings and which can be seen as needed for specific complaints. Additionally, physicians may exhibit more confidence in determining an appropriate time between complete skin exams and thus enhance treatment outcomes in their patients. Tsvetomira Z. Peykova¹, Gabriella Paquette², Tracey Otto², Rita Khodosh² 1. Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States. 2. Dermatology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States. Clinical Research: Epidemiology and Observational Research