Hadar Lev-Tov, MD

A diagnostic delay of seven to ten years leaves patients carrying myths of poor hygiene and infection. Dr. Lev-Tov argues that naming the disease is itself an intervention.

Diagnosing HS is simpler than many clinicians assume. A three-part framework and one screening question help clinicians recognize the disease early, so awareness rather than technique becomes the real challenge.

A teenager's first abscess can start a years-long cycle of misdiagnosis, shame, and fragmented care. Dr. Lev-Tov traces how untreated HS derails lives and strains both families and the healthcare system.

HS is far more common than most clinicians realize, and its origins are multifactorial. Understanding genetic, mechanical, microbial, and hormonal contributors gives clinicians a practical foundation for designing treatment plans.

Panelists discuss the critical role of effective follow-up and multidisciplinary care in managing hidradenitis suppurativa, emphasizing ongoing patient education, coordinated referrals, and personalized treatment plans to improve adherence and long-term outcomes.

Panelists discuss the importance of clear communication, financial support, and leveraging telehealth and peer networks to improve equitable access and adherence to specialized care and treatment for underserved patients with hidradenitis suppurativa.

Panelists discuss the challenges of biologic access in hidradenitis suppurativa due to utilization management policies like step therapy, emphasizing the need for patient education, strategic planning, and leveraging resources—including clinical trials—to improve timely treatment and outcomes.

Panelists discuss the anticipated 2026 updates to the American Academy of Dermatology guidelines for hidradenitis suppurativa, highlighting efforts to unify treatment protocols, support biologic access, and accommodate emerging therapies within a rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape.

Panelists discuss the critical importance of early biologic therapy initiation in hidradenitis suppurativa to prevent irreversible tissue damage, reduce disease burden, and overcome socioeconomic and systemic barriers that delay timely treatment and worsen patient outcomes.

Panelists discuss the challenges and evolving landscape of step therapy protocols in hidradenitis suppurativa treatment, emphasizing the impact on patient adherence, the potential benefits of earlier biologic use, and the need for advocacy to improve access and outcomes.

Panelists discuss key factors influencing biologic selection for hidradenitis suppurativa, including efficacy, safety, comorbidities, and insurance challenges, highlighting the importance of a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to optimize treatment and navigate practical barriers.

Panelists discuss the timely initiation of biologic therapy in moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa, emphasizing individualized treatment decisions based on disease impact and quality of life, alongside the potential for improved outcomes and cost-effectiveness through early, aggressive management.

Hadar Avihai Lev-Tov, MD, argues that integrating dermatologists into multidisciplinary health care teams is crucial for providing comprehensive patient care.

Panelists discuss the importance of coordinated, personalized treatment strategies for hidradenitis suppurativa, highlighting early use of pharmacologic therapies—including biologics—and ongoing assessment to balance clinical effectiveness, patient quality of life, and financial considerations.

Panelists discuss optimizing hidradenitis suppurativa management through early intervention, personalized treatment based on disease severity, and multidisciplinary coordination led by dermatologists to improve patient outcomes and reduce disease burden.

Hadar Avihai Lev-Tov, MD, advocates for a holistic approach to wound care, emphasizing that chronic ulcers often signal underlying systemic health issues requiring a comprehensive patient assessment to achieve effective and potentially life-saving treatment.

Hadar Avihai Lev-Tov, MD, asserts that advancements in teledermatology and artificial intelligence (AI)–powered diagnostic tools are crucial for improving health care efficiency and patient access within managed care.

Panelists discuss the significant disparities in hidradenitis suppurativa diagnosis and care, emphasizing the impact of race, gender, geography, and socioeconomic status, and highlighting the need for culturally competent education, expanded access, and community engagement to promote earlier intervention and equitable outcomes.

Panelists discuss the vital role of multidisciplinary collaboration, provider education, and technology integration in improving early diagnosis and comprehensive management of hidradenitis suppurativa, highlighting how coordinated efforts across specialties—including pharmacists—can reduce delays, enhance equity, and optimize patient outcomes.

Panelists discuss the drivers and consequences of delayed diagnosis in hidradenitis suppurativa, emphasizing the need for provider education, clinical decision support, and multidisciplinary collaboration to promote earlier recognition and more effective, coordinated care.

Panelists discuss the challenges of timely diagnosis and comprehensive management of hidradenitis suppurativa, emphasizing the need for early recognition, multidisciplinary care, and empathy-centered approaches to address the physical, emotional, and social burden of the disease.

Panelist discusses how patient advocacy groups act as critical bridges between patients, researchers, and health care providers, ultimately improving recognition, treatment, and quality of life for individuals affected by hidradenitis suppurativa.

Panelist discusses how rapid access clinics could revolutionize HS patient care by providing swift, comprehensive diagnostic pathways, integrating multidisciplinary expertise, and enabling early intervention. Strategies for equitable access include telemedicine, mobile diagnostic units, community health worker training, sliding-scale pricing, and partnerships with local health care providers to overcome geographical and economic barriers in underserved regions.

Panelist discusses how delayed medical diagnosis causes significant economic burden through increased treatment costs, prolonged health care interventions, reduced patient productivity, and higher health care system expenses. Economic mitigation strategies include implementing early screening programs, improving diagnostic technologies, enhancing medical training, and developing robust health care infrastructure that prioritizes timely patient assessment and intervention.

Panelist discusses how social determinants of health create significant diagnostic barriers for hidradenitis suppurativa through systemic inequities, limited health care access, and provider knowledge gaps. Health systems can mitigate these challenges through targeted educational, technological, and culturally responsive interventions.

Panelist discusses how the misalignment between Hurley stages and patient burden in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) creates diagnostic and treatment challenges. Current Hurley staging inadequately captures the full patient experience, potentially leading to suboptimal treatment approaches. Standardized clinical training and assessment tools that incorporate both objective staging and subjective patient-reported outcomes could help bridge this gap, enabling more personalized and comprehensive HS management.

Panelist discusses how hidradenitis suppurativa’s early detection is challenging due to misdiagnosis, patient stigma, and limited awareness. Improved physician education, proactive screening, and strategic use of claims data can help identify undiagnosed cases earlier, enabling more timely intervention and management.