Skin diseases needing medical attention affect more than a quarter of Americans.<sup>3 Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Committee An analysis of the potential impact of health maintenance organizations upon the practice of dermatology (with recommendations) J Am Acad Dermatol 1980 ;  2 : 346-353

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références</sup> Office visits for which the primary complaint is a dermatologic problem constitute 6% to 22% of all patient visits depending on which type of physician is surveyed; when adding secondary dermatologic complaints, this percentage increases significantly.<sup>16 Solomon B.A., Riva Collins J.D., Silverberg N.B., Glass A.T. Quality of care: Issue or oversight in health care reform? J Am Acad Dermatol 1996 ;  34 : 601-607  [cross-ref]

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références</sup> Dermatologists are specialists in the care of skin, hair, nails, and mucosal diseases and are skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous disorders. Dermatologists have been found to be superior in diagnosis and management of skin diseases compared with other physicians.<sup>1 Federman D.G., Concato J., Kirsner R.S. Comparison of dermatologic diagnoses by primary care practitioners and dermatologists Arch Fam Med 1999 ;  8 : 170-172  [cross-ref]

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références, 3 Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Committee An analysis of the potential impact of health maintenance organizations upon the practice of dermatology (with recommendations) J Am Acad Dermatol 1980 ;  2 : 346-353

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références, 14 Ramsay D.L., Weary P.E. Primary care in dermatology: Whose role should it be? J Am Acad Dermatol 1996 ;  35 : 1005-1008  [cross-ref]

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références, 16 Solomon B.A., Riva Collins J.D., Silverberg N.B., Glass A.T. Quality of care: Issue or oversight in health care reform? J Am Acad Dermatol 1996 ;  34 : 601-607  [cross-ref]

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références</sup> When patients have the most severe skin disease, dermatologists often relegate the primary care of such patients to nondermatologists. Inpatient dermatology is a subspecialty of medical dermatology, which is currently in peril in the United States.<sup>17 Swerlick R.A. Declining interest in medical dermatology Arch Dermatol 1998 ;  134 : 1160-1161

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références</sup> For complicated or severe medical dermatologic problems, generalists have assumed a greater role. Physicians other than dermatologists undertake a significant amount of dermatologic care, and the role of the dermatologist for these types of patients may be diminishing. This article studies inpatient dermatology, defines the current situation as it affects the United States, and proposes a plan to prevent the loss of this subspecialty of medical dermatology.