Skin deep
Rick Newton, head of Newton Consulting, oversaw his company’s development of a mobile app for Iagnosis.
Dr. Mark Seraly said Iagnosis’ new app points toward faster, more convenient care for patients and doctors.
A Washington County business partnership has gone mobile.
Iagnosis Inc., a dermatology practice in Peters Township, recently launched a mobile app developed by Newton Consulting LLC, of Claysville.
The free, full-service app is for smartphones. It is available for iOS and Android platforms at Apple Store and Google Play.
With the app, a person with a skin, hair or nails issue can simply photograph the affected area with the phone, upload the image and send it to Iagnosis. The patient and Dr. Mark Seraly then can direct message each other on diagnosis, treatment and advice.
Searaly said the new app is “a great companion tool for patients who use” his online site, DermatologistOnCall, which Newton helped to launch last fall.
“We saw very quickly after we developed the web-based platform that we needed a new tool for patients to connect with us,” said Seraly, chief executive officer and founder of Iagnosis, at 220 E. McMurray Road.
“This app can send a message securely and quickly to doctors. It saves a lot of time for doctors too. My goal in consumer health care is to reduce the steps and the intimidation of technology.”
Use of this app is convenient and quick, and circumvents the hassle of a patient scheduling a face-to-face appointment – which, in dermatology, is commonly months ahead.
“It seems that everyone in the world has a phone with a camera,” said Scott Focer, chief operating officer for Iagnosis. “This app is easy to use and you can send from your smartphone from anywhere. You can do it all (take a photo, upload and send) in 15 minutes.”
Phil Kossler, application development practice leader at Newton, heads a team of 15 who develop computer applications. He said work on the Iagnosis app began last winter.
“It went fairly well,” Kossler said. “The turnaround time was appropriate for the size of the application.
“We’re very happy with the results, and I think the client is very happy.”
Newton, a business strategy and information technology consulting firm, and Iagnosis have been working together for about two years. Rick Newton is founder and president of the company that bears his name.
The consulting firm helped to develop DermatologistOnCall, where a patient can set up a private, secure account, fill out a consultation that includes a description of the condition and a medical history, and submit two to nine photos of the problem area. He or she will receive a treatment plan within three business days. Prescriptions, if needed, are sent electronically to the patient’s pharmacy.
Health insurance does not cover the online process, which costs a patient $69.
Seraly, 48, a Peters resident, is well versed in e-treatment, having served patients online for seven years. He regards it as an extremely reliable resource.
“Eighty to 85 percent of common skin diseases can be treated online,” Seraly said during an interview last fall. “We essentially bring the medical office to where the patients are. A patient can get care when and where he or she needs it.”
And speaking of speed and convenience … In an hour, Seraly said, he can “see” 20 patients online compared with about three to five in his office.
He has 12 people on his DermatologistOnCall team in Peters. Seraly also has set up a network of dermatologists to be available to patients. Eventually, he’d like it to be expansive and extend to other states. Six are in the network now, all from Western Pennsylvania, and eight other dermatologists have signed up to join.
The complexion of Iagnosis’ practice has improved on several fronts – most recently by its affiliation with Newton.
“Newton Consulting has been a great partner,” Seraly said. “We’ve worked with them for two years.”
Their relationship, it appears, is destined to last.