Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Dedicated general practitioner education sessions can improve diagnostic capabilities and may have a positive effect on referral patterns for common skin lesions

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971 -) Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

General practitioners (GPs) require the necessary skills to identify potentially malignant skin lesions and refer patients in an appropriate and timely manner. We examined the impact of a single consultant delivered education session to GP trainees on their diagnosis of common skin lesions.

Methods

A prospective analysis of baseline knowledge was assessed using a photographic questionnaire. A dedicated education session was delivered by a consultant plastic surgeon. Their knowledge was re-assessed after 3 months.

Results

There were 23 participants. Baseline ability to correctly diagnose skin lesions improved significantly at 3 months following dedicated teaching (baseline mean 30.2%, 3-month mean 65.9%, p = 0.001). All trainees recommended that dedicated skin education should be incorporated into GP training curricula.

Conclusion

Dedicated education sessions on skin lesions can improve the diagnostic accuracy of GP trainees, and we suggest that they are incorporated into the GP training curriculum.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Basarab T, Munn SE, Jones RR (1996) Diagnostic accuracy and appropriateness of general practitioner referrals to a dermatology out-patient clinic. Br J Dermatol 135(1):70–73

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. NCCP. National non-melanoma skin cancer GP referral guideline: HSE; 2015 [1:[accessed 18/12/15 2015

  3. NCRI. Cancer in Ireland (2013) Annual report of the National Cancer Registry Cork. In: 2013

    Google Scholar 

  4. Beecher S, O’Leary D, McLaughlin R (2015) Increased risk environment for emergency general surgery in the context of regionalization and specialization. Int J Surg 21:112–114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Burge S (2004) Teaching dermatology. Clin Exp Dermatol 29(2):206–210

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Speelman C, Martin K, Flower S, Simpson T (2010) Skill acquisition in skin cancer detection. Percept Mot Skills 110(1):277–297. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.110.1.277-297 [published Online First: 2010/04/16]

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Badertscher N, Braun RP, Held U, et al. Diagnostic competence of Swiss general practitioners in skin cancer. Swiss medical weekly 2013;143:w13834. doi: https://doi.org/10.4414/smw.2013.13834 [published Online First: 2013/07/31]

  8. Beecher SM, Donlan C, O’Leary DP et al (2015) Clinical and economic benefit of general practitioner integration to a symptomatic breast service. Ir J Med Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-015-1386-2 [published Online First: 2015/11/26]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Salisbury C, Noble A, Horrocks S et al (2005) Evaluation of a general practitioner with special interest service for dermatology: randomised controlled trial. BMJ (Clin Res ed) 331(7530):1441–1446. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.38670.494734.7C [published Online First: 2005/12/08]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Thind CK, Brooker I, Ormerod AD (2011) Teledermatology: a tool for remote supervision of a general practitioner with special interest in dermatology. Clin Exp Dermatol 36(5):489–494. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2230.2011.04073.x [published Online First: 2011/04/22]

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Morton CA, Downie F, Auld S, Smith B, van der Pol M, Baughan P, Wells J, Wootton R (2011) Community photo-triage for skin cancer referrals: an aid to service delivery. Clin Exp Dermatol 36(3):248–254. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2230.2010.03960.x [published Online First: 2010/11/13]

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Hill VA, Wong E, Hart CJ (2000) General practitioner referral guidelines for dermatology: do they improve the quality of referrals? Clin Exp Dermatol 25(5):371–376. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2230.2000.00665.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Thank you to all the GP trainees who kindly participated in this study. We are grateful to their trainer, Dr. Frank O’Leary, for facilitating the education session. The authors would also like to thank Anthony Edwards, the clinical photographer, for performing the photography.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, St. James’s Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland

    Suzanne M. Beecher, Cillian Keogh & Claragh Healy

Authors
  1. Suzanne M. Beecher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Cillian Keogh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Claragh Healy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Suzanne M. Beecher.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The author declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Beecher, S.M., Keogh, C. & Healy, C. Dedicated general practitioner education sessions can improve diagnostic capabilities and may have a positive effect on referral patterns for common skin lesions. Ir J Med Sci 187, 959–963 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-018-1788-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-018-1788-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation