There are two types of teledermatology. One is real time streaming that has a set appointment where the patient and physician conduct a visit through a live video stream. The other type is called asynchronous teledermatology where the patient presents information for the physician to review and issue a report at a later time. This type is called “store and forward”. CheckMySpot utilizes an asynchronous teledermatology format for its patient users.

CheckMySpot supports the premise that there is no substitute for a live in person clinic visit. However, in many cases it takes several weeks and even months to be seen in clinic. Many conditions can be easily screened utilizing asynchronous teledermatology thereby reducing the cost and extent of disease by facilitating an earlier diagnosis.

Asynchronous teledermatology is convenient for both patient and physician. Patient users can quickly present skin lesion information at their convenience without an appointment. It also allows the patient user to reference the report in the future to determine if the lesion has changed over time. It further provides a cost efficient method to screen disease and expedite appointments for diagnosis and treatment.

Asynchronous teledermatology services are currently not covered by Medicare or most insurance companies. The trend for coverage is increasing and it is anticipated that within a few years it may be a widely covered service.

A patient user can submit their spot for review 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

You will need to download our app from the Apple or Google stores to submit your spot for review. You will receive a written Case Summary Report issued by a CheckMySpot provider within 24 to 48 hours. When you sign in to your account on the app, you will be able to view, download and print this report from the app. If you consent, this report will also be sent to the email address on record when it is issued.

Dermatologists are extensively trained in making diagnoses based on the visual appearance of the skin, including spots. As such, dermatology is a field that uniquely lends itself to the use of high-quality photographs. In fact, all board certified CheckMySpot dermatologists pass a rigorous examination in which they are tested on photographic recognition of diseases including all forms of skin cancer. Your CheckMySpot provider will review your high-quality photograph looking for features that differentiate benign, non-worrisome spots from those features seen in skin cancer.

Yes, but how does my provider know what my spot might be just by looking?

It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Imagine when you pick up a family member from the airport or bus station. You will drive by dozens of people standing on the curb with their suitcase, but you always recognize and stop right by your loved one. However, if you sent somebody else with only a description of your loved one, they’d pause at people and probably resort to asking them if they were your family members! That is exactly how it is with CheckMySpot providers when they evaluate a spot. They are experienced and have seen thousands of skin lesions. This experience allows them to distinguish subtle features of benign and cancerous skin spots.

It is very important to focus on the history, appearance and location of one lesion to avoid any confusion of exactly which lesion was evaluated in the event a referral is recommended.

The quality of the evaluation is directly dependent on the quality of the photograph. Correct lighting, framing and focus all are crucial in presenting the best digital image. Nearly all smartphone cameras possess the HD pixel quality and include auto metering and autofocus which are all required for an adequate photograph. CheckMySpot has created a simple “How To” instructional video to assist you in submitting a proper photograph.

Yes. As our name indicates, we are a service designed to screen single spots for skin cancer to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment. This is a much-needed service because early detection matters in improving outcomes. Inflammatory conditions such as rashes, acne, psoriasis, etc. all require a thorough in person clinic examination. Treatments also require in person clinic examinations to insure safety, efficacy and response.

CheckMySpot providers have met the highest standards of education and training in dermatology. They are board certified and have many years of experience diagnosing skin cancers.

Yes, if you schedule this appointment yourself. There are many federal and state regulations that prevent “self-referral”. The CheckMySpot service is simply a screening visit focused on triaging your spot of concern. CheckMySpot encourages all users to follow the American Academy of Dermatology guidelines that recommend having a complete in person skin exam by a certified dermatology care provider at least once a year.

Our team of certified screeners provides their services at various locations during various times of the day. Coordination of a phone conversation is not feasible.

The Case Summary Report provided for your screening contains all the pertinent information of the spot of concern. CheckMySpot will have staff available to respond to your questions or concerns regarding the information presented on your report. Further questions are best addressed in a traditional in clinic visit in the event our CheckMySpot provider has recommended a referral for further evaluation.

Absolutely! In fact, it is the policy of CheckMySpot to refer all cases that warrant an in clinic exam to the patient’s dermatologist on record. Be sure to specify your dermatologist in our registration process.

No. As our name suggests, CheckMySpot is a screening service to screen photographs of spots for signs of skin cancer because early detection matters to improve outcomes.

Our referral sites are independent board certified dermatologists. As such, CheckMySpot is not involved with each practice’s scheduling procedures. CheckMySpot does monitor appointment wait times for our referrals. Should you encounter difficulty obtaining a timely appointment with our referral site please let us know. Our goal is to provide a valuable service to both you and our referral sites by getting potential skin cancers appropriately treated as quickly as possible.

All spots, even those that have appeared benign for years, can change shape, size or color at a later time. Rarely, benign spots can transform into skin cancer.

Your CheckMySpot user account stores all your past Case Summary Reports. You can easily retrieve your archived image located in your user account for comparison. In the event a spot that was previously determined to have a benign appearance has changed, simply follow the same steps to submit a current photograph of the same lesion for a comparative review by our certified CheckMySpot provider.

Many states have regulations limiting the number of times a person can receive teledermatology services for the same problem before being referred for an in clinic exam

CheckMySpot’s screening service fully supports the premise there is no substitute for an in clinic visit. CheckMySpot also supports the American Academy of Dermatology’s recommendation that all persons receive an annual in person complete skin exam by a certified dermatology provider.

CheckMySpot appreciates that occasionally a patient user may remain very concerned about a spot that has been determined to have a benign appearance by our certified CheckMySpot provider team. As such, CheckMySpot will only review the same lesion 4 times. In the event a patient remains concerned, CheckMySpot encourages the patient user to schedule an in clinic appointment with a certified dermatology provider to receive a complete skin exam and have all dermatology concerns completely addressed.

Yes! In fact, CheckMySpot was designed to be useful for all persons, caregivers and professionals concerned about a spot on themselves or others! That includes family members such as parents, spouses, and children.

If at a later date you believe your spot has changed, simply retrieve your archived Summary Case Report and compare the original photo with how your spot looks now. If you would like to have the spot screened, submit a second (current) photo and the team of CheckMySpot providers will evaluate it and determine whether there have been any significant changes that may warrant a referral for an in person examination.

CheckMySpot is a screening service only. Our providers evaluate your photo and information and report one of three outcomes: benign, indeterminate, or worrisome. If the lesion is benign, you don’t need to worry about it unless it changes in the future. If the lesion is indeterminate or worrisome, our administrative team will expedite a referral to either your dermatologist or a dermatologist in your area so that you can obtain the treatment you need.

Diagnostic biopsies require in person visits to a certified dermatologist to perform the procedure. Treatment recommendations and prescriptions for medicines are best served by taking a thorough history, educating the patient for potential side effects and monitoring for therapy also requiring an in clinic visit.

CheckMySpot is a screening service designed to assess a spot’s appearance for features that demonstrate a non-worrisome benign diagnosis or features that demonstrate a worrisome process requiring immediate attention. The Case Summary Report provided for each submission fully describes the CheckMySpot provider’s impression of the appearance.

A definitive diagnosis with a biopsy would likely be required if a user would like to hear more details than provided on the Case Summary Report.

CheckMySpot also fully supports the American Academy of Dermatology’s recommendation that all persons have a complete skin exam annually.

CheckMySpot providers have received the highest level of training and certification in their field. In addition, CheckMySpot providers are selected based on a history of excellent performance.

CheckMySpot is committed to a standard of excellence and thus all providers must successfully complete a Provider examination to assess their training and experience.

CheckMySpot voluntarily participates in a continuous quality improvement program whereby a percentage of all Case Summary Reports are subject to secondary evaluation by a CheckMySpot Supervisor. Only providers that maintain an excellent quality assurance rating are allowed to provide dispositions on our Case Summary Report.

CheckMySpot has unofficially been providing asynchronous teledermatology services to our local area for over 25 years.

CheckMySpot officially incorporated in 2020 at the onset of the Covid-19 crisis to meet the need for “contact-less” screening.

Currently, we are only offering this service in Alabama. As we grow, we plan on expanding to surrounding states, especially those that currently participate in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact.

CheckMySpot is designed to expand in a manner compliant with all federal and state regulations. As the demand grows, we are planning to enlist providers licensed in all states.

With your consent, CheckMySpot will forward your Case Summary Report to either your dermatologist, or the dermatologist at the referral site nearest you. CheckMySpot will also send any information needed for the referral practice to contact you to make an appointment. All of this information is sent via HIPAA compliant servers in accordance with the CheckMySpot privacy policy. Safeguarding private health information is of the utmost importance to CheckMySpot.

CheckMySpot will refer you either to your current dermatologist or to a board certified dermatologist near you. However, our referral sites are independent board certified dermatologists. As such, CheckMySpot is not involved with each practice’s scheduling procedures. CheckMySpot does monitor appointment wait times for our referrals. Should you encounter difficulty obtaining a timely appointment with our referral site please let us know. Our goal is to provide a valuable service to both you and our referral sites by getting potential skin cancers appropriately treated as quickly as possible.

No. CheckMySpot was designed to take advantage of the advances in cell phone camera technology. The CheckMySpot app works on iOS and Android phones to integrate the camera and uploading of the data and photographs in an easy and convenient manner compliant with teledermatology standards. Nearly all cell phone cameras contain the technical requirements.

Yes. CheckMySpot has a privacy policy in place that is available for your reference on our website. CheckMySpot is dedicated to safeguarding your information and adheres to all HIPAA privacy regulations.

CheckMySpot does not sell your personal information in any manner. Sharing of your personal information is limited to referral sites for your direct care as outlined in our privacy policy.

CheckMySpot utilizes health industry standard security protocols at all points of data transmission to protect user data and privacy. This includes, but is not limited to TLS (1.1 or above) encrypted and HIPAA compliant storage

CheckMySpot employs multiple steps to insure that the photographs submitted by users clearly indicate what lesion needs to be evaluated and where that lesion is located on the body. For more information, see the “How To” instructional video outlining how to take proper photographs. We are confident that, if these instructions are closely followed, there should be no confusion in identifying the correct spot for evaluation.

CheckMySpot utilizes health industry standard security protocols at all points of data transmission to safeguard user data and privacy. This includes, but is not limited to TLS (1.1 or above) encrypted and HIPAA compliant storage.

All patient user data is stored on an Microsoft Azure HIPAA compliant server. CheckMySpot does not sell your information per our privacy policy available for review on our website.

If you are having difficulty taking a picture of your lesion yourself, ask a friend or a loved one to take the photo for you. Make sure they review the simple “How To” instructional video on how to take a proper photograph before they begin.

Yes. You will be able to review the credentials of all of the CheckMySpot providers on our website.

CheckMySpot providers and their credentials are routinely vetted to verify they continue to demonstrate the highest standard of medical care.

If you realize you have submitted the incorrect lesion, and your Case Summary Report has not yet been sent to you, you may contact our administrative team for further assistance.

Once you are referred to either your dermatologist or a board certified dermatologist in your area, that provider can perform a thorough in-person examination of the lesion in question. CheckMySpot fully supports the premise there is no substitute for an in-person clinic exam. The images you submitted to our CheckMySpot provider are a single representation of that lesion at that time. This certified provider recognized enough worrisome features to recommend an in-clinic appointment. During a user's referral in-person visit, the ultimate diagnosis may not be worrisome. However, the diagnosis will provide the user with peace of mind.

CheckMySpot is designed to provide relief of worry about benign appearing lesions and to expedite clinic visits for those that appear worrisome for skin cancer.

There is always some room for interpretation in diagnosing skin lesions and therefore the referral site dermatologist may arrive at a slightly different diagnosis but will nonetheless be able to advise you and/or administer the treatment you need in a timely manner.

You may re-submit photos until you are able to capture ones that meet the CheckMySpot lesion photo standards. Please reference the “How To” instructional video on how to take proper lesion photos for additional assistance.

You are charged a fee of $70.00 per lesion once you submit your completed spot history and photographs.

CheckMySpot currently accepts most major credit cards.

Board-certification indicates a provider has met the highest standard of experience, testing and continued education in their chosen field. CheckMySpot is committed to utilizing providers that meet and exceed the very high standards of board-certification. For more information on the value of board certification, visit Value of Board Certification | American Board of Medical Specialties