Unlocking Dermatology Insights: Going Beyond Codes with Real-World Clinical Data
The dermatology space is experiencing a powerful convergence: innovative therapies are reshaping treatment, while real-world data is finally catching up to the complexity of these diseases. Truly understanding conditions like atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, vitiligo, hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), and alopecia areata requires more than structured claims and diagnosis codes.
What’s often missing from traditional data sources is clinical nuance – the real-world details captured in physician notes, pathology reports, and procedural histories. That’s where the next wave of insight is coming from.
What’s Inside the Clinical Record?
AI is transforming the way we extract meaning from unstructured health data. For dermatologic conditions, this means pulling forward:
- Precise disease location (e.g., scalp, extremities, facial involvement)
- Severity markers and % body surface area (BSA)
- Documented symptoms such as itch, pain, or bleeding
- Patterns of steroid use and tapering/cycling
- Procedures and biopsies, linked directly to diagnosis or treatment escalation
- Pathology findings tied to inflammation, cellular markers, or co-diagnoses
These elements – buried in clinical notes, dermatology consults, and pathology PDFs – enable a much richer understanding of patient phenotypes and care pathways.
Why It Matters for New Therapies
Highly effective biologics and JAK inhibitors have changed the game for moderate-to-severe dermatologic disease. But measuring their use and effectiveness in the real world requires context.
By analyzing clinical documentation alongside prescribing data, it’s now possible to identify not just who is receiving advanced therapies like:
- Tremfya, Skyrizi, Stelara
- Rinvoq
- Dupixent
- Litfulo
…but also why they were chosen, when they were initiated (e.g., after topical/systemic failure), and how patients respond or cycle through alternatives.
This unlocks the ability to model real treatment journeys – capturing data on therapy escalation, discontinuation, combination regimens, and adherence patterns over time.
From Volumes to Value
Access to real-world patient volumes is critical – but even more valuable is the ability to segment these populations with clinical precision:
- How many patients have head-and-neck involvement?
- Who meets criteria for moderate-to-severe disease?
- What proportion is cycling on and off steroids?
- How many have undergone biopsies prior to biologic treatment?
These are the questions that drive decisions across clinical development, commercial strategy, and health economics. And they can now be answered with data.