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A skin cancer initiative that could improve the diagnosis of melanoma by almost 50 per cent - and help reduce New Zealand's high mortality rates in rural areas - is set to be expanded nationwide.
The initiative will help upskill hundreds of Kiwi GPs in the use of specialised diagnostic technology, which could improve early identification of the disease by almost a third.
New Zealand has the world's highest rate of death from skin cancer, with 2700 new registrations annually and one Kiwi dying from this form of cancer every day.
According to the latest figures, New Zealand males living in rural areas have higher skin cancer mortality rates than those in main urban areas.
Diagnosis of the disease can be difficult with New Zealand lacking a sufficient number of dermatologists and health care providers available to check suspicious skin lesions, particularly in rural areas.
Dermoscopy is a relatively new technique used for examining the skin, however, a lack of training standards has meant there is significant variation in the treatment a patient could receive.
The use of a dermoscope allows the lesion to be magnified and viewed under polarised light, helping to identify subtle changes in the mole.
Kiwi doctor Franz Strydom, of the Skin Cancer College Australasia (SCCA), said the organisation had a training and accreditation programme to ensure there was a consistent standard for all health care providers using the technology.
"It's important that we identify skin cancer early as it provides a significantly improved prognosis for the patient, and if caught in the initial stages, we have the ability to treat it with a minor surgical procedure, at a fraction of the cost of treating metastasised cancers.
"We need to ensure there are more consistent standards across the health sector when using a dermatoscope so skin cancer patients have the best chance possible."
Kiwis living in rural areas are often disadvantaged as access to medical assistance can be limited, Strydom said.
"Patients will visit their GP for regular scripts and checkups, but a skin check should be a separate appointment, requiring more training on the part of the clinician and more time spent with the patient."
Along with specialised training in how to use the technology, those health care providers taking part in the accreditation programme should also have access to colleagues to assist them with diagnosis, Strydom said.
"Currently many health care providers attend a short course on skin cancer including basic training with a dermatoscope, but we know with proper training with the device there can be a 49 per cent improvement in a doctor's ability to diagnose a problematic lesion."
Strydom said health care providers taking part in the accreditation programme will also have access to colleagues to assist them with diagnosis.
"Often doctors work in isolation, particularly those in rural areas. The Skin Cancer College programme has created multiple platforms where clinicians can confer with other experts and seek a second opinion on any suspicious lesions they may find.
Although identifying suspicious skin spots and moles was not always "an exact science," ensuring doctors had excellent qualifications and kept their knowledge up-to-date improved patient outcomes, Strydom said.
"Skin cancer continues to be a major health problem in this country; the direct healthcare costs of treating skin cancer are estimated at NZ$123.10 million.
More than hundreds of New Zealand general practitioners had taken part in the training already, Strydom said.
He believed that increasing the number of GPs who were well trained in diagnosing skin cancer and supporting them with adequate government funding would encourage Kiwis to get their skin checked.
Doctors who participated in the Accredited Skin Cancer Doctor programme must complete five exams and submit more than 50 clinical case studies for assessment, Strydom said.
Lynette Hunt, chief executive of the not-for-profit organisation, said it was created to support doctors through high-quality education and connection to their colleagues as they worked to combat skin cancer.
"We wanted to ensure that Kiwis have access to early, accurate and affordable diagnosis to protect against New Zealand's most common cancer.
"We know that this disease is largely preventable and readily treatable in its early stages.
"The key to successful treatment is the ability to identify melanoma before it becomes invasive and to achieve this we need to ensure our doctors have the latest diagnostic and collaboration tools and training available to them," she said.