What is a Dermatologist?
To begin with, everything dermatologic relates to the skin in health and disease. Your skin is the largest - and most visible - single organ in your body, providing your tissues, bones and organs with a natural suit of armor. Your skin is also a window to your overall health, as well as the first part of your body to show the noticeable signs of aging and sun damage.
A dermatologist is a physician who is trained to evaluate and manage patients with benign and malignant disorders of the skin, hair, nails and adjacent mucous membranes. A dermatologist has had additional training and experience in the following:
- The diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers, melanomas, moles, and other tumors of the skin.
- The management of contact dermatitis and other inflammatory skin disorders.
- The recognition of the skin manifestations of systemic and infectious diseases, dermatopathology, surgical techniques used in dermatology.
- Dermatologists also manage cosmetic disorders of the skin, including hair loss, scars, and the skin changes associated with aging.
What is a Dermatopathologist?
A dermatopathologist is expert in the microscopic diagnosis of diseases of the skin, including infectious, immunologic, degenerative, and neoplastic diseases. This entails the examination and interpretation of specially prepared tissue sections, cellular scrapings, and smears of skin lesions by means of light microscopy, electron microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy.
What is a Dermatologic Surgeon?
A Dermatologic surgeon deals with the diagnosis and treatment of medically necessary and cosmetic conditions of the skin, hair, nails, veins, mucous membranes and adjacent tissues by various surgical, reconstructive, cosmetic and non-surgical methods. The purpose of dermatologic surgery is to repair and/or improve the function and cosmetic appearance of skin tissue. Examples of dermatologic surgery procedures include anti-aging treatments, injectable and implantable soft tissue fillers, correction of acne scarring, chemical peeling, tumescent liposuction, vein therapy, hair restoration, laser surgery, skin cancer treatment, and reconstructive flaps and grafts.
What is Cosmetic Dermatology?
Cosmetic dermatology treats the skin, hair, or nails, using a treatment that is meant to improve a patient's appearance rather than treat a disease.
What does HIPAA mean?
HIPAA is the acronym for Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act, which was passed by Congress in 1996 and is effective as of April 14, 2003.
What happens if I don’t sign this acknowledgement form?
We will provide you timely care and treatment whether or not you sign the form. If you choose not to sign the form, we will note your choice on the bottom of the acknowledgement form.
Is my signature just acknowledging receipt of this notice?
Yes. By signing this acknowledgement form we then can show the Department of Health & Human Services that we are complying with one of the major HIPAA rules to make sure we give every patient the opportunity to have our Notice.
Will I have to sign a form if I see the doctor in the hospital?
No. There is an agreement between the hospital and the physician where you will not have to sign the acknowledgement form for the doctor if you see him/her in the hospital.
What happens after I sign this acknowledgement form?
The form becomes part of your medical record.
Why can’t a husband or wife or parent of a child over 18 call for my lab results, or to talk to the doctor about treatment? What if the patient would like them to get my info, what can I do?
Those persons mentioned above cannot obtain any information about the patient due the HIPAA requirements. HIPAA is protecting the privacy of the patient. You may however sign a form called the Authorization to Use or Disclose stating that you give permission to the person to have access to your protected health information.
