Utilization of the ambulatory dermatology encounter among patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is low in the US, according to a recent study. Furthermore, factors other than insurance status influenced this level of utilization. Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort analysis in an adult population sample of 42,030 patients with HS with either private or public health insurance who were identified by a validated scheme using SNOMED-CT terminology. The primary outcome was a dichotomous variable defined as having at least 1 ambulatory encounter with a dermatologist over a 3-year period. They found:

• Overall, 21.8% of the HS patients had at least 1 ambulatory encounter with a dermatologist.
• This proportion did not significantly vary between patients with private insurance (22%), Medicaid (21.6%), and Medicare (21.7%).