LB1065 Review of admissions to an inpatient dermatology service in a large, academic hospital setting

Background: Dermatologic diseases account for over 650,000 hospital admissions annually, but in most, Dermatologists serve as consultants, as opposed to admitting physicians, even for severe dermatoses. Common dermatologic diseases are often misdiagnosed when admitted to general medicine services. We describe the demographics, diagnostic, and management trends of patients admitted to a dermatology inpatient service to analyze dermatology inpatient care of patients with dermatologic conditions. Methods: A retrospective chart review of admissions to the dermatology inpatient service at University of Miami Hospital, a large, metropolitan, academic hospital in Miami, Florida, from June 2014 to June 2017 was performed. Patient demographics, admission data, diagnoses and management were analyzed. Results: A total of 322 admissions were reviewed (n=322; 182 women). Ages ranged from 19 to 92 years-old (median: 65-years-old). Patients were mostly Non-Hispanic Caucasian (n=174), Hispanic Caucasian (n=96) and Black (n=34). Mean admission length was 3.2 days. The most common diagnoses were cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (n=120), psoriasis (n=36), dermatomyositis (n=28), and bacterial infections (n=16). The most commonly used treatments were photopheresis (n=120) and systemic steroids (n=65). Conclusion: In this study, we describe characteristics of patients admitted and managed by a large, academic dermatology inpatient service. The data collected demonstrate a variety of dermatoses that required hospital admission for management, as well as treatment options commonly used by dermatologists in the inpatient setting. An inpatient dermatology service may be a vital component in hospitals to ensure optimal diagnosis and management for patients with dermatologic conditions.