Impact of Dermoscopy Training for Primary Care Practitioners on Number Needed to Biopsy to Detect Melanoma
Elizabeth V. Seiverling, Madeline A. Prentiss, Kathryn J. Stevens, Henry Stoddard, Peggy Cyr, Hadjh Ahrns
Abstract
Introduction: The incidence of melanoma is on the rise. In trained hands, dermoscopy aids in the differentiation of melanoma from benign skin growths, including melanocytic nevi. This study evaluated the impact of dermoscopy training for primary care practitioners (PCPs) on the number of nevi needed to biopsy (NNB) to detect a melanoma. Methods: We conducted an educational intervention that included a foundational dermoscopy training workshop and subsequent monthly telementoring video conferences. We performed a retrospective observational study to evaluate the impact of this intervention on the number of nevi needed to biopsy to detect a melanoma. Results: The number of nevi biopsied to detect one melanoma decreased from 34.3 to 11.3 following the training intervention. Conclusion: Dermoscopy training for primary care practitioners resulted in a significant reduction in the NNB to detect melanoma.