EVMS dermatologist honored as Patient Care Hero
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recently recognized Abby Van Voorhees, Chair and Professor of Dermatology, as a Patient Care Hero for her leadership at the EVMS Rapid Access Clinic.
The clinic gives patients an opportunity to walk in without an appointment each weekday to see a dermatologist for an immediate concern like a rash or new or changing mole.
Norfolk resident Kate Gleason walked into the clinic with a rash, which a dermatologist examined and biopsied. She was diagnosed with eczema and prescribed topical and oral treatments, and with continued treatment remains symptom-free.
Gleason had recently moved to the area. “I didn’t have a local dermatologist. The Eastern Virginia Medical School Dermatology practice allows anyone with a skin condition to walk in and be seen immediately,” Gleason says. “If the clinic hadn’t offered walk-in appointments, I might have gone to a convenient care clinic, where I don’t think I would have gotten the same level of care and expertise.”
“Patients with a new or changing skin condition are often worried, uncomfortable and in pain,” Dr. Van Voorhees says. “By offering walk-in visits every day, our team can quickly diagnosis and treat skin conditions so patients can be symptom free and return to their day-to-day routines.”
The AAD created the Patient Care Heroes program to recognize physicians who transform patients’ lives by utilizing their expertise and collaborating with other physicians to treat serious skin disease.