A Primary Care Intervention to Improve Melanoma Detection and Management.

StudyJournal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM· Jan 2026

A Primary Care Intervention to Improve Melanoma Detection and Management.

Alexandra Verdieck, Elizabeth Berry, Heather Holderness … Sue Flocke

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Family MedicineStudyDiagnosisQ1IF 1.6

Melanoma training was associated with fewer in-person dermatology referrals from primary care clinicians

A Primary Care Intervention to Improve Melanoma Detection and Management.

Alexandra Verdieck … Sue Flocke

Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine · Jan 2026 · Q1 in Family Medicine

Background

The incidence of cutaneous melanoma is increasing while access to dermatology care remains limited.

Methods

We conducted a mixed-methods pilot feasibility study in two Pacific Northwest primary care clinics caring for underserved populations.

n = 15

16.9

Results

16.9

vs. 11.4 per 1000 visits

fewer patients sent to in-person dermatology after training

n = 15

More results

Clinicians exposed to the training (n=15) had significant gains in overall knowledge, with primary improvement in lesion identification and biopsy literacy.

General skin check referrals decreased for the exposed group and increased for the comparison group, (p<0.01).

More results

Lesion-specific e-consults increased more in the intervention group but did not reach significance (p=0.05).

Biopsy rates did not differ significantly.

“

Conclusion · 1 of 2

Melanoma education increased the specificity of primary care clinicians' e-consults without increasing in-person dermatology referrals or unnecessary biopsies.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

While this intervention has promise for improving skin cancer care in primary care, efforts are needed to increase clinician engagement in this education.

A Primary Care Intervention to Improve Melanoma Detection and Management.

A Primary Care Intervention to Improve Melanoma Detection and Management.

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