By Candice Bucknor, Manager, Clinical Services

Each year, over 6.7 million Americans suffer from chronic wounds, a number that continues to grow due to rising rates of diabetes, obesity, and vascular disease. Shockingly, 85% of diabetes-related amputations are preventable with proper wound care—yet many patients never receive the early intervention they need. For marginalized and underserved communities, access to preventive care and advanced wound treatments remains out of reach, leading to unnecessary suffering and life-altering complications.

Early detection can be the difference between a fully healed wound and a costly, painful, and preventable amputation. Conditions like diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) disproportionately impact low-income, rural, and minority populations, where limited healthcare access leads to severe complications and higher amputation rates. The result? More hospitalizations, increased healthcare costs, and lower quality of life.

Equitable access to advanced wound care is not just a medical necessity—it’s a matter of health equity. By prioritizing early intervention, expanding access, and leveraging new technologies, we can ensure no patient is left behind.

Barriers Preventing Access to Early Wound Care

Access to advanced wound care is not equal for all patients. Many face systemic barriers that delay treatment, increase complications, and lead to preventable suffering. Without intervention, these challenges contribute to rising healthcare costs and poor health outcomes.

• Geographic Challenges: In rural and low-income areas, specialized wound care facilities are scarce, requiring patients to travel long distances for care. Even in urban centers, clinics are often overcrowded, leading to long wait times and delayed treatment.
• Financial Barriers: Many advanced wound treatments—such as bioengineered skin substitutes and hyperbaric oxygen therapy—are expensive, and without proper coverage, patients may have to rely on less effective treatments.
• Social Determinants of Health (SDoH): Income, education, housing stability, and transportation access all influence a person’s ability to receive care. Patients struggling with food insecurity or unstable housing may find it difficult to maintain proper wound hygiene, access nutritious food, or attend follow-up appointments.

Without addressing these barriers, patients continue to experience preventable complications, leading to higher medical costs and worse health outcomes.

The True Cost of Delayed Wound Care

When early detection tools and advanced wound care treatments are out of reach, the consequences extend beyond individual patients—they impact the entire healthcare system.

Untreated wounds can escalate into infections, hospitalizations, or sepsis, leading to complex and costly interventions. For diabetic patients, delayed care dramatically increases the risk of preventable amputations, permanently affecting mobility and quality of life.

The financial burden is staggering. Medicare and Medicaid spend billions annually on preventable diabetes-related amputations. Chronic wounds also drive up healthcare costs through frequent emergency room visits, prolonged hospital stays, and expensive procedures such as skin grafts. Beyond hospital bills, untreated wounds lead to lost productivity, increased disability claims, and financial hardship for both patients and their families.

Investing in preventive care is far more cost-effective than crisis management. Early detection and timely intervention not only save lives but also reduce long-term healthcare costs, benefiting both patients and the healthcare system.

The Power of Early Detection in Wound Care

Early detection is one of the most effective ways to prevent serious wound complications. When healthcare providers identify wounds in their early stages, they can intervene before infections, hospitalizations, or amputations occur.

Advancements in wound care technology have made early detection more effective than ever. Imaging tools and diagnostic devices allow for the early identification of poor circulation, infection risks, and tissue damage before symptoms worsen. These innovations improve healing rates and significantly lower treatment costs.

Access to cutting-edge treatments such as bioengineered skin substitutes, specialized dressings, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy can further accelerate healing. However, many of these therapies remain out of reach due to financial and geographic barriers. Ensuring the widespread availability of these treatments is key to closing the wound care gap.

Coordinated care is also essential. Patients receive faster, more effective treatment when primary care providers, wound care specialists, and home health teams work together. Unfortunately, many patients do not have access to this level of integrated care. 

Advancing Health Equity Through Early Detection

Closing the gap in wound care requires making early detection tools and treatments more accessible, particularly for high-risk patients.

• Expanding Insurance Coverage: Increasing coverage for remote wound monitoring, diagnostic imaging, and early-stage treatments will allow more patients—especially in rural and underserved areas—to receive timely assessments before complications arise.
• Strengthening Community-Based Care: Integrating wound screenings into routine care at community health centers ensures that high-risk patients receive proactive assessments. Mobile health units and outreach programs can bring wound care services directly to underserved areas, reducing reliance on emergency care.
• Leveraging Proactive Monitoring Solutions: Remote patient monitoring (RPM): like those used in the Podimetrics SmartMat™ Program, can identify high-risk patients before complications arise, enabling early intervention that prevents hospitalizations and amputations.

The Path Forward: Investing in Preventive Wound Care

Achieving health equity in wound care means ensuring every patient—regardless of income or location—has access to early detection and advanced treatments. Investing in early intervention, expanding coverage, and improving access to innovative wound care solutions can prevent unnecessary suffering, reduce costs, and improve public health.

At Podimetrics, we are committed to closing the gap in wound care by helping healthcare providers, payors, and community organizations identify high-risk patients and implement proactive treatment strategies. Visit our payors page to learn more about how early detection and intervention can improve outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

By expanding access, removing barriers, and investing in innovative solutions, we can ensure no patient is left behind. Together, we can create a future where advanced wound care is accessible.