In this last event, the new therapeutic and diagnostic alternatives available for atopic dermatitis, hidradenitis suppurativa and psoriasis were presented.
By: Maria Camila Sanchez
Mayo 01, 2024
This Saturday, April 27, the third meeting of medical assistants and dermatological and plastic office staff of the Foundation took place. An event dedicated to education on the most important topics around dermatology specifically for that staff.
Now, in terms of advances and news regarding the treatment of dermatological diseases, Medicine and Public Health Magazine spoke with Dr. Luis Ortiz Espinosa, dermatologist and President of the Foundation Furst who explained that one of the objectives of the foundation is to keep its workers at the forefront of new management.
“We bring, not only to the doctors, but also to the staff who work with us, all the details of how the conditions and their treatments are evolving so that they can also be spokespersons for the patient to know the possibilities they have for treatment.”
See the full program here.
Facilitate timely diagnosis
And in this last event, the new therapeutic alternatives available for atopic dermatitis, hidradenitis suppurativa, and psoriasis.
“Specifically the biological ones, we talked about their use, what they are as such and the new alternatives because new medications continue to come out that are more targeted and more specialized for these conditions.”
On the other hand, the specialist mentioned that another of the relevant topics addressed was early diagnosis and prevention of cancer, especially melanoma and currently available immunological treatments.
“It is no longer just the surgical and chemotherapy part, but also the treatment that has to do with the immunology of these tumors,” he noted. “There are many advances not only in the treatment but also in the diagnosis of these conditions, also using genetic testing or artificial intelligence.
Treatment accessibility
It is important to keep in mind that one of the main challenges faced by the population diagnosed with any of the previously mentioned dermatological diseases is the lack of access to treatment of the same, and it is a reality that involves the policies and requirements of medical plans and the pharmaceutical sector.
For this reason, one of the conferences at this event was focused on how the health professional can benefit the patient in this aspect.
“We want to make it as accessible as possible, and that takes time. We have to use our office staff to get, sometimes hours, approval for these medications. We understand the point of health plans and pharmacies that it has to be indicated, that there are some steps to follow and that they are extremely expensive.
However, before making a decision regarding the treatment to follow, a series of protocols are carried out from the offices to guarantee the safety of the medication and a high percentage of effectiveness.
“They are medications that have to be prescribed properly, and you have to have laboratories before this. You have to have a follow-up to see if it is helping you or not, so certainly a lot of emphasis was placed on the humanitarian role that we have in the offices to try to ensure that these patients, in any way, can have access to their medications. Whether through their medical plans, through foundations, and through programs that the pharmaceutical companies themselves have to help these people who need treatment medicine, they can get it.
Commitment to patients
The foundation Furst, since its creation, has based its ethics on three fundamental objectives. The first is service to the people; The second is to educate doctors and office staff; the third, promote research and assist in the education of dermatologists.
“Any person who works with the foundation can belong to the foundation, such as rheumatologists, infectious disease specialists, plastic surgeons, and people from the community.