Photograph Quality Rating Scale Study ("PQRS Study")
United States40 participantsStarted 2016-03
Plain-language summary
Advances in smart phone-based photography (both quality and image transmission) offer the potential to greatly improve access to pediatric dermatologists. However, the accuracy of diagnoses reliant on parent-provided photographs has been neither measured nor compared to diagnoses based on in-person examinations. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to assess the concordance between diagnoses based on photographs taken by parents (or legal guardians) and those based on in-person examinations. A secondary aim was to assess the effect of photography instructions on improving this concordance.
Who can participate
Age range
17 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
. Must be a new patient/parent dyad arrived at the main pediatric dermatology clinic
. Patient must be under the age of 18.
. Consenting parent or guardian must be present and able to speak English to participate.
. Patients are either already enrolled in MyCHOP (MyChart) or are willing to enroll during the encounter.
. Parent or legal guardian has a mobile phone with the capability to download the free MyChart app.
. Parents have a data plan that allows them to download the MyChart app (if not already downloaded) and upload pictures, and are willing to accept any potential data charges incurred with these activities.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
The effect of photography instructions on average image quality, as evaluated using a photograph quality rating scale (PQRS)
. Patient has active skin lesion or rash that can be photographed during the clinic visit.
Exclusion criteria
. Patient is over the age of 18.
. Parent or guardian is not present or not able to speak English.
. Parent or guardian is not able to enroll in MyCHOP (MyChart).
. Parent or guardian does not have a mobile phone capable of downloading the MyChart app.
. Photographs are not able to be taken (phone battery dies, phone/app does not work, patient is not cooperative, participant does not have time).
. If there are no active skin lesions to photograph the patient/parent will not be enrolled (e.g. hives that are inactive, hyperhidrosis \[excessive sweating\], itching without a rash, resolved skin lesions \[e.g. warts, molluscum\]).
. Patients presenting for a general full body skin exam will be excluded, as this would require full body photography, which is too time consuming. (Note: this does not include evaluation of one individual mole \[nevus\], which can be included in the study).