Low Cost Community Lesion Imaging Clinics for Suspected Skin Cancer are Safe and Effective: A Retrospective Observational Cohort study

Tele-triage is increasingly used to address the current skin cancer capacity crisis, with limited data regarding efficacy and safety. We set up a network of low cost community lesion imaging clinics (CLIC's) utilising healthcare assistants and readily available equipment. Retrospective casenote review was performed to record teletriage outcomes, ultimate diagnoses, misdiagnosis of index lesions and re-presentation with incidental skin cancers. 1398 patients attended a CLIC in January-May 2024. 544 were added to a daycase list, 475 triaged to urgent face to face appointment, 342 discharged, 18 offered routine follow up and 19 referred directly to another specialty. Of the cohort discharged, 3 patients had a change in diagnosis from benign to malignant (missed skin cancer rate 0.7%). Six patients had further incidental skin cancers diagnosed. This study supports implementation of low cost CLIC's as an alternative to traditionalface-to-face review for patients referred with suspected skin cancer.