Research conducted by Kaiser Permanente also found once-daily remote temperature monitoring with Podimetrics decreased overall resource utilization
SOMERVILLE, Mass., October 14, 2020 — Podimetrics, a virtual care management company with the leading solution to help prevent costly and deadly diabetic amputations, today announced results from its latest study of patients at high risk of developing diabetic foot complications, which saw major amputations completely eliminated and all-cause hospital admissions drop by 52 percent. The research was published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, a journal published in partnership with the American Diabetes Association.
The researchers examined the impact of once-daily foot temperature monitoring with Podimetrics for patients with recently healed diabetic foot ulcers and found that for every three study participants using Podimetrics over the year-long study, one hospital admission was avoided. They also noted a 40-percent reduction in emergency department visits, and more than 25-percent reduction in outpatient visits. These findings demonstrate that the use of foot temperature monitoring for population health management represents a significant opportunity to reduce costs and improve health outcomes by avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations and healthcare utilization.
“Diabetic amputations are some of the most devastating and costliest complications afflicting people with diabetes. They have plagued some of our most vulnerable members and continue to cost the US health care system billions of dollars,” said Timothy Swartz, DPM, a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon and a chief of Podiatry with the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group. “It’s a gamechanger to dramatically reduce these complications and do so in a way that lets our patients go about their lives and, more recently, remain home and safe from COVID-19.”
Podimetrics remotely monitors the temperature of patients’ feet every day through their cellular-connected SmartMat™ that seamlessly sends the data captured to Podimetrics’ care management team, catching early warning signs of diabetic foot complications weeks before they usually present clinically. By detecting any developing issues early on, simple interventions, such as walking less, can prevent more serious complications.
The research was conducted across four outpatient centers within Kaiser Permanente’s Mid-Atlantic States Region. Seventy-seven eligible participants were provided the Podimetrics SmartMat™ for once-daily remote foot temperature monitoring and were followed for one year. The researchers evaluated diabetic foot-related outcomes and associated resource utilization for each participant during three distinct and non-overlapping phases: the two years before study participation, the one year during the foot temperature monitoring intervention, and the period after the intervention ended through the date of the analysis.
This study follows recent research that found once-daily temperature monitoring effectively detects foot ulcers among some of the most vulnerable patients, those with recent wounds and previous amputations.
Early detection of diabetic foot complications is critical given the scale and associated costs. Lower-limb-related problems represent one-third of diabetes expenditures each year in the U.S. At least half of patients who’ve had a diabetic amputation die within five years, and a single lower-limb amputation costs as much as $100,000.
About Podimetrics
Podimetrics is a virtual care management company with the leading solution to help prevent costly and deadly diabetic amputations. On behalf of payers and at-risk providers, including the Veterans Health Administration, we send high-risk patients our FDA-cleared, cellular-connected SmartMat. After placing their feet on the mat for just 20 seconds a day, patients’ data are automatically sent to our care management team, which helps address any concerning findings. By combining cutting-edge technology with best-in-class care management, Podimetrics earns high engagement rates from patients and allows clinicians to achieve unparalleled outcomes saving limbs, lives, and money. Founded in 2011 by a physician and engineers from MIT and Harvard, Podimetrics is headquartered in Somerville, MA and backed by Norwich Ventures, Scientific Health Development, Polaris Partners, and Rock Health. For more information, go to www.podimetrics.com or follow us on Twitter @podimetrics.
About the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group
The Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group (MAPMG) is one of the nation’s premier multi-specialty medical groups and is the largest integrated medical group in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. We aim to continually improve the care experience of our patients and communities by conducting research to address the clinical, health policy, and service questions perplexing physicians, medical programs, and healthcare systems. The National Committee for Quality Assurance’s Diabetes Recognition Program recognized 149 of our physicians, more than any other medical group in Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C., for providing the highest level of diabetes care. Founded in 1980, MAPMG has more than 1,600 Permanente Physicians spanning 50+ subspecialties who are independent from but work exclusively with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc. Together, we serve 750,000 Kaiser Permanente members in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia at 34 area medical centers, plus several community hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. For more information visit us at kp.org/doctor | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube.
