A new tool to help healthcare professionals deliver more personalised and holistic consultations for eczema patients has been launched in the UK.
The TalkingEczema tool, developed by UK-based Thornton & Ross Dermatology, provides patients with a method through which to communicate both the physical and psychological impact of the condition to their healthcare provider.
Designed to take place within the course of a typical consultation, the guide comprises a 12-statement questionnaire and results graph. Patients complete the questionnaire prior to meeting with their doctor, who transfers the results onto the graph to get a visual snapshot of the patient’s physical and mental wellbeing.
Knowing how eczema is affecting the patient and how motivated or able they are to follow a treatment plan subsequently enables the healthcare provider to plot a course of action with the patient, encouraging more personalised care with better adherence.
Dr Tony Bewly, consultant dermatologist at Whipps Cross University Hospital, Barts and the London NHS Trust and contributor to TalkingEczema, said: “It is well recognised that eczema is very variably managed throughout the healthcare environment.
“Dermatology does not have a high profile in the UK and despite atopic eczema being one of the most common conditions, and one that is increasing in prevalence, most healthcare professionals have received little training which can mean that patients’ needs may go unrecognised.
“The TalkingEczema tool can help fill this training gap by facilitating more targeted and holistic consultations to improve outcomes for eczema patients.”
A pilot programme testing the TalkingEczema tool in primary and secondary care found that 67% of patients said it helped them better communicate their personal experiences with eczema, while 89% said it helped them consider options to improve how they manage their skin. All of the participants said they would recommend the tool to other eczema patients.