Practice Guidelines for Teledermatology in Australia: 2025 Update

In 2020, [the Australasian College of Dermatologists] released its first teledermatology practice guidelines for Australia, with a commitment to regular updates. This article presents the revised guidelines, aimed at educating dermatologists on the benefits and limitations of telehealth, while promoting safer, higher-quality patient care. The updated guidelines harmonise with the Medical Board of Australia’s 2023 telehealth guidelines. They address the growing use of telephone consultations-boosted by Medicare subsidies introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest guidelines provide recommendations on the appropriate choice of modality (telephone versus video) for teleconsultation. They also include updated guidance on clinical image acquisition. The guidelines are divided into two parts: (1) core recommendations and (2) supporting notes for practical application. Topics covered include teledermatology modalities, patient selection and consent, imaging standards, quality and safety, privacy and security, communication, and documentation, including image retention.