Watch this video if you have been referred by your GP on an Urgent Suspected Skin Cancer pathway
Watch this video if you attended or plan to attend a Community Skin Lesion/Mole imaging appointment
Skin Analytics have developed the first artificial intelligence (AI) as a medical device (AIaMD) used within dermatology called DERM. The medical device complies to strict regulations set by the UKCA (UK Conformity Assessment) to be marked and monitored as a class IIa medical device. This mark enables DERM to perform autonomously, meaning that DERM has been proven to safely discharge patients without a dermatologist.
The device takes a general view and a close up picture of a skin lesion. DERM uses AI to assess the pictures to diagnose and recommend that you are discharged or referred to the dermatology team.
Pressures on dermatology departments have been increasing with a 11% rise in referral rates year on year.
Unfortunately, there are not enough dermatologists to meet this increase in demand and the result is patients having to wait longer to be seen.
Delays in diagnosing and treating any cancer are associated with worse outcomes.
The goal of Skin Analytics is to build a world where no-one dies from skin cancer.
NHS partners are now using DERM to increase capacity within their stretched dermatology departments. Timely assessment leads to earlier detection and treatment.
DERM acts as a screening tool to triage patients and identify patients with benign skin lesions that can be given early reassurance, ensuring that those requiring further assessment by a dermatologist are seen without delay. DERM works alongside dermatologists to help meet demands by delivering fast and safe care.
DERM is only used for lesions that are referred for a potential skin cancer. It can detect lesions that could be cancerous (malignant), pre-cancerous (pre-malignant), or non-cancerous (benign).
If you would like to learn more about the different types of lesions DERM can detect, please click on a link below.
Independent research commissioned by NHS England has shown that DERM performs at a level at least as good as that of face-to-face dermatologist evaluations. That is why the technology is being used to reduce wait times and enable dermatologists to focus on patients with skin cancer.
What does the evidence show?
Since 2020, DERM has safely discharged thousands of patients across the NHS.
DERM has an accuracy for skin cancer of 97%. This means that out of 100 patients DERM correctly identifies skin cancers (melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma) in 97 patients.
When DERM identifies that you don’t have a melanoma, DERM has been correct 99.8% of the time, compared to a dermatologist face-to-face assessment at 98.9%. This means that for every 1000 patients that DERM identifies as not having a melanoma, 999 of patients do not have a melanoma.
We want to provide the best service possible for you, and that’s why we always compare the performance of DERM with how the best dermatologists perform.
DERM is the only Class IIa UKCA marked and Class III CE marked AI as a Medical Device for skin cancer; securing this approval is not a milestone, it is a commitment to continue to perform against the best in class standards agreed by regulatory bodies.
The Class III evaluation is the most rigorous assessment of a medical technology in Europe, typically reserved for critical devices like pacemakers or neurological implants.
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