The American Academy of Dermatology has developed an up-to-date national Burden of Skin Disease Report on the impact of skin disease on patients and on the US population. In this second of 3 manuscripts, data are presented on specific health care dimensions that contribute to the overall burden of skin disease. Through the use of data derived from medical claims in 2013 for 24 skin disease categories, these results indicate that skin disease health care is delivered most frequently to the aging US population, who are afflicted with more skin diseases than other age groups. Furthermore, the overall cost of skin disease is highest within the commercially insured population, and skin disease treatment primarily occurs in the outpatient setting. Dermatologists provided approximately 30% of office visit care and performed nearly 50% of cutaneous surgeries. These findings serve as a critical foundation for future discussions on the clinical importance of skin disease and the value of dermatologic care across the population.
Keywords: burden of skin disease; burden of skin disease report; claims-based prevalence; dermatology; direct cost; economic driver; health care economics; indirect cost; inpatient cost; insurer cost; medical cost; office visit cost; outpatient cost; over-the-counter drug cost; prescription drug cost; skin health care provider; surgery; workforce.
Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.