Bold openings often reveal the core issue: diabetic foot ulcers are a preventable crisis that leads to amputations, and a coordinated approach can change that trajectory. Podimetrics has released a Provider Insights Report designed to help healthcare systems curb DFUs and their devastating consequences by turning prevention into a proactive, system-wide discipline. The report compiles insights from leading podiatry experts who gathered at the APMA Annual Meeting in July to confront the substantial burden of DFUs. Their discussions emphasize prevention best practices, with remote temperature monitoring (RTM) highlighted as a key tool. The document offers concrete, actionable recommendations aimed at standardizing care, integrating technology, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem.
Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and the associated amputations pose a heavy burden on patients and the U.S. healthcare system. Statistics underscore the scope: one in four people with diabetes will experience a DFU in their lifetime, and about one third of diabetes-related expenditures go toward lower-extremity complications. DFUs are the leading cause of amputations, yet as much as 75% of these ulcers could be preventable. This underscores the urgency for comprehensive prevention strategies.
“Preventing diabetic foot ulcers isn’t only a clinical challenge; it’s a public health imperative,” stated Gary Rothenberg, DPM, who chaired the expert panel and serves as Medical Affairs Director at Podimetrics. “Our report equips the healthcare system with practical steps to prevent these complications and avoid life-changing amputations.”
Key recommendations in the report target providers, payors, and patients, outlining strategies to catalyze prevention programs and policies for DFUs:
- Develop interdisciplinary, patient-centered care plans that ensure equitable access to preventive services.
- Elevate public, clinician, and policymaker awareness to shift prevention from a reactive stance to a proactive one.
- Leverage remote temperature monitoring (RTM) for early intervention, especially for high-risk individuals with a history of foot ulcers, neuropathy, or peripheral artery disease.
Panel members stressed RTM’s crucial role in prevention, noting that it helps keep diabetic foot care at the forefront for patients. RTM can boost adherence and provide essential data to clinicians between in-person visits. Rebecca Burmeister, Chief of Podiatry for the Iowa City VA Region and a panelist, remarked that RTM has already prevented many ulcers and increases patient engagement beyond scheduled appointments.
The panel also agreed that a successful RTM program should be evaluated using a blend of outcomes: lower ulcer recurrence, reduced healthcare utilization, and improvements in quality of life for patients, caregiver confidence, technology acceptance, and workflow efficiency.
A central theme of the report is awareness. It serves as a practical, evidence-based guide to help clinicians manage diabetes across the spectrum to prevent lower-extremity complications. The full report can be downloaded from the Podimetrics website.
About Podimetrics
Podimetrics delivers a virtual care solution that combines advanced remote monitoring with personalized support to reduce complications, lower costs, and improve outcomes for people with complex diabetes. The program centers on diabetic foot health and addresses broader health challenges faced by individuals with diabetes. At its core is the SmartMat™, a scientifically validated technology that integrates clinical intelligence with real-time monitoring to detect complications before they arise. By enabling timely, targeted interventions, Podimetrics aims to drive preventive care for payors, providers, and patients, saving lives and limbs.
References cited in the report include:
1. Armstrong et al., N Engl J Med, 2017
2. Armstrong et al., J Foot Ankle Res, 2020
3. Hicks et al., Ann Vasc Surg, 2016
4. Bus et al., Diabetes Metab Res Rev, 2021
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