Reminder Phone Calls Increase Total Body Skin Examination Compliance After Surgery in the Veterans Affairs Population: A Single Center Study

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is one of the largest health care systems in the United States. In the VHA population, skin cancers are among the most prevalent conditions, owing to demographics of this population, including age, race, occupational risk, and low awareness of skin cancers. Screening with a total body skin examination (TBSE) is important in reducing morbidity and mortality associated with cutaneous malignancies. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend TBSEs every 6 months for the first 5 years after diagnosis in patients with a history of keratinocyte carcinomas and every 3 months for the first 2 years in patients with a history of melanoma. In this study, we attempted to increase on-time follow-up rates for TBSEs in an urban veteran population that had recently underwent surgical treatment of a cutaneous malignancy using a system of reminder phone calls.