{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,10]],"date-time":"2026-04-10T11:36:02Z","timestamp":1775820962893,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,14]],"date-time":"2025-06-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1749859200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"National Funds through FCT\u2014Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e aTecnologia, I.P., within CINTESIS, R&amp;D Unit","award":["UIDB\/4255\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/4255\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diagnostics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Medical photography is widely used in dermatology referrals to secondary healthcare, yet concerns exist regarding image quality and data security. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of clinical photographs used in dermatology referrals, to identify discrepancies between specialties\u2019 perceptions, and to determine the general awareness of proper storage and security of clinical photographs. Methods: A 43-question survey, based on previously validated questionnaires, was administered to general and family medicine (GFM) doctors and to dermatologists at an academic referral hospital in Porto, Portugal. The survey assessed demographics, photo-taking habits, perceived photo quality, adequacy of clinical information, and opinions on the role of photography in the referral process. Quantitative statistical methods were used to analyze questionnaire responses. Results: A total of 65 physicians participated (18 dermatologists and 47 GFM doctors). Significant differences were observed between the two groups. While 36.2% of GFMs rated their submitted photos as high- or very-high-quality, none of the dermatologists rated the received photos as high-quality, with 83.3% rating them as average (p = 0.012). Regarding clinical information, 46.8% of GFMs reported consistently sending enough information, while no dermatologists reported always receiving sufficient information (p &lt; 0.001). Most respondents (76.9%) agreed that the quality of photographs is important in diagnosis and treatment. Conclusions: The findings reveal a discrepancy between GFM doctors\u2019 and dermatologists\u2019 perceptions of photograph quality and information sufficiency in dermatology referrals. Standardized guidelines and educational interventions are necessary to improve the quality and consistency of clinical photographs, thereby enhancing communication between healthcare providers and ensuring patient data privacy and security.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics15121518","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,16]],"date-time":"2025-06-16T04:06:24Z","timestamp":1750046784000},"page":"1518","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Medical Photography in Dermatology: Quality and Safety in the Referral Process to Secondary Healthcare"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-4113-7305","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eduarda","family":"Castro Almeida","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto, Alameda Prof Hern\u00e2ni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2656-8935","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o","family":"Rocha-Neves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CINTESIS@RISE, Biomedicine Department\u2014Unity of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto, Alameda Prof Hern\u00e2ni Monteiro, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Ana Filipa","family":"Pedrosa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology and Venereology, ULS S\u00e3o Jo\u00e3o EPE, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2585-200X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jos\u00e9","family":"Paulo Andrade","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CINTESIS@RISE, Biomedicine Department\u2014Unity of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto, Alameda Prof Hern\u00e2ni Monteiro, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.1007\/s11019-014-9580-y","article-title":"The ethics of clinical photography and social media","volume":"18","year":"2015","journal-title":"Med. 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