We collected and examined 300 dermatologic cases posted on the main feed of the Figure 1 app between June 2023 and August 2023 using Microsoft Excel. The data were organized and totals were calculated for the specialties of the authors and their reasons for posting. This research project did not involve human subjects as defined by US federal regulations under 45 CFR 46.102(f). The study used publicly available data from social media platforms that did not include any personally identifiable information or private data that would require informed consent or institutional review board approval.

Aggregate data for both health care provider training and role (ie, physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or registered nurse) and specialty training were cumulatively added and represented as percentages of the total 300 dermatologic cases.

Of the 300 cases assessed, 292 were presented by nondermatologic health care professionals seeking further assistance in rash and lesion identification. The data we gathered from this app prompted us to consider if primary care physicians (PCPs) and nondermatologic health professionals are receiving adequate education regarding appropriate treatment and criteria for common cutaneous ailments for referral.

In a study conducted by Patro et al [3], the overall agreement between diagnoses made by a PCP and a dermatologist was 56%, with poor diagnostic agreement seen most in psoriasis and eczema. If dermatologists and nondermatologic health professionals can only agree 56% of the time, and only 8 of the 300 cases (2.7%) were posted by a dermatologist, as seen in Figure 1, then there is a concern related to inaccuracies and the spread of misinformation.

Reporting errors among Figure 1 app users should be considered when stating the health care provider role and case presentation. The strengths of this study could be further developed by increasing the sample size and lengthening the time of data collection, and these should be considered in future research.

PCPs are usually a patient’s first contact regarding their health. Thus, PCPs have a unique opportunity to recognize and treat common dermatological diseases, including benign skin lesions, fungal infections, acne, and atopic dermatitis. Knowledge and skills training should be equipped to prepare PCPs for management of certain conditions, such as skin cancer, due to their impact. Additionally, it is important for users to be aware that virtual consultations such as these should not take the place of a formal evaluation by a board-certified dermatologist. However, the larger number of cases that were presented by health care professionals without formal dermatologic training reveals a gap that can be filled by trained dermatologists. Dermatologists can use Figure 1 to aid trained professionals who are not dermatologists by providing knowledge, bridging diagnostic gaps regarding common cutaneous conditions, and preventing the spread of misinformation and misdiagnoses pertaining to the skin.