Impact Case SkinVision

#HealthTech

SkinVision

SkinVision is an AI-powered mobile app that classifies skin spots in skin cancer risk categories with the same accuracy as an expert-level dermatologist. SkinVision’s mission is to save people from skin cancer, with the ultimate goal of saving 250,000 lives by 2028.
Pictures of moles will prompt an early doctor visit if needed or mitigates a doctor visit if not needed. The company offers this as a B2C proposition and through large-scale contracts with health insurers. SkinVision’s service results in an increase in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and reduces the number of unnecessary deaths through earlier detection of skin cancer, while also providing peace of mind for users who do not have high-risk spots. The company’s service also decreases waiting lists for a time­-sensitive disease with growing incidence and reduces total healthcare costs.

Theory of Change

SkinVision helps individuals identify spots with high risk of skin cancer anywhere, at any place, anytime and thereby aims to increase quality-adjusted life years and reduce the number of unnecessary deaths through earlier detection of skin cancer, and provide peace of mind for users without high risk spots.

Problem

Worldwide:

  • Each year 60,000 people die from skin cancer: many can be prevented through early detection
  • 1 in 3 of all diagnosed cancers is skin cancer
  • 1 in 5 people get a form of skin cancer
  • 2,000,000 – 3,000,000 non-melanoma skin cancers are diagnosed each year
  • 87,000 melanoma skin cancers are diagnosed each year

Output

In 2023 there were 622,000 users that actively used SkinVision’s service.

Outcome

On a patient level there are better outcomes as skin cancers are detected at an earlier stage and low risk spots that do not require follow-up are identified as such. On a health system level there is earlier detection and treatment of skin cancer and avoidance of unnecessary dermatologist visits.

Benificiaries

Users of the app (better health), Doctors (only spend time with the patients that really need it), and society as a whole.

Additionality

SkinVision is unique in putting a sophisticated machine learning algorithm in the hands of lay people without the need for any additional hardware, with accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) on par with expert dermatologists and far above the current standard of care for pre-screening.

Systemic potential

Accelerate adoption of digital health tools by showing that current healthcare pathways can be enhanced with patient-driven technology.

Rubio Impact Target

  • #The number of skin assessments.

Risks

(1) False negatives increase the risk of a serious case not going to a doctor on time, and (2) false positives raise the alarm although all is well: both risks are mitigated through SkinVision’s own dermatologist team (Human In The Loop) checking in all edge cases.

SDG Alignment

We relate SkinVision’s impact to SDG 3: Good health and wellbeing.