The Primary Care health centers of the Lanzarote Health Area, attached to the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, are reinforcing dermatological care with the implementation of dermatoscopy in Family and Community Medicine consultations.
From July 2024 to date, around 1,300 patients have been treated in the health centers that already have this service: Teguise, Valterra, Titerroy and Playa Honda. The implementation of these consultations has been possible thanks to the provision, by the Canarian Health Service (SCS), of new polarized and hybrid dermatoscopes with cameras for Primary Care centers.
Dermatoscopy is a non-invasive and highly accurate diagnostic tool that allows family doctors to examine skin lesions. In case of suspected malignancy, they can send images directly to the Dermatology service of the Doctor José Molina Orosa University Hospital, which allows prioritizing their assessment.
The implementation of this advanced technique in Primary Care improves the resolution capacity, speeds up clinical decision-making and is a key element in the early detection of skin cancer.
More resolution capacity in health centers
Since the beginning of this initiative, the Valterra Health Center has treated 559 patients; the Teguise Health Center, 498; the Titerroy Health Center, 213; and the Playa Honda clinic, which recently began its activity, has already treated 17 patients. In addition to diagnosis, these consultations allow for minor therapeutic interventions.
This improvement in care has been possible thanks to the specific training in dermatoscopy received by family doctors, in collaboration with specialists from the Molina Orosa Hospital. Currently, these professionals share a weekly clinical session to jointly assess cases, monitor progress and study new suspicious lesions.
The head of the Dermatology Service of the Molina Orosa, Enric Piqué, highlights that this initiative "allows to speed up referrals and address preferential cases early, significantly improving patient care".
A further step in the +AP Strategy of the Canary Islands
This action is part of the +AP Strategy of the Canarian Health Service, which promotes the modernization of Primary Care through the use of innovative technologies aimed at improving early diagnosis and prevention of diseases with high impact on the population.
The importance of detecting skin cancer in time
Skin cancer, both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer, represents a significant public health problem. According to the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV), its incidence in Spain has increased by around 40% in the last four years, with more than 78,000 new cases annually. It is estimated that, by 2040, melanoma will be the second most incident tumor globally, and the first among men.
The main cause of this disease is excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation, especially from sun exposure without protection. Therefore, it is essential to adopt preventive measures such as regular use of sunscreen, appropriate clothing and avoiding the sun during peak hours. In the Canary Islands, where solar radiation is especially high, these recommendations should be extreme.