New executive and board additions support Podimetrics’ focus on powering a new era of prevention for patients living with complex diabetes

SOMERVILLE, Mass., Dec. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Podimetrics, creator of the FDA-cleared SmartMat™ and integrated clinical and patient support services that can help save the limbs and lives of complex patients living with diabetes, today announced two new additions to their executive team and a new board member. Sid Rao joins Podimetrics as chief information officer (CIO); Dr. Gary Rothenberg joins as director of medical affairs; and Sukanya Soderland joins Podimetrics’ board of directors.

Podimetrics’ new CIO, Sid Rao, is a proven progressive technology leader with nearly 20 years of experience. As a senior leader and strategic consultant, Sid has worked across the healthcare and life sciences industries, including time spent with leading organizations such as AstraZeneca, Baptist Health, Biogen, DentaQuest, and Sunovion Pharmaceuticals. As chief information officer, Sid will lead Podimetrics’ strategic and transformational IT efforts, including innovation specific to infrastructure, information security, data engineering and analytics, enterprise applications, and software engineering.

Gary Rothenberg, DPM, CDCES, CWS, joins Podimetrics as director of medical affairs. A practicing board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Rothenberg has more than 20 years of experience that includes time spent in academia, research, and clinical practice. Today, he serves as an associate professor of internal medicine in the division of metabolism, endocrinology, and diabetes at the University of Michigan — and also as the director of fellowship training in lower extremity complication prevention at the University of Michigan. 

“Together, our team at Podimetrics has touched thousands of patient lives with our preventive care SmartMat, saving countless limbs and improving the quality of life for those dealing with serious, life-altering complications brought on by diabetes,” said Jon Bloom, M.D., CEO and co-founder of Podimetrics. “Adding Sid and Gary to our executive team, and Sukanya to our board, will only further set us up for success in our mission to bring preventive care into the homes of patients living with advanced diabetes.”

Sukanya Soderland, Podimetrics’ latest board of directors member, is the senior vice president and chief strategy officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA). BCBSMA is the largest private health plan in Massachusetts and one of the largest independent, not-for-profit Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in the country — serving nearly three million members and 20,000 employers. Prior to her time at BCBSMA, Sukanya served as a senior partner in Oliver Wyman’s Health and Life Sciences and Digital, Technology, Analytics, and Operations practices. She also co-founded the Oliver Wyman Health Innovation Center. Sukanya is an impact-focused leader with deep knowledge of the healthcare ecosystem and specific expertise in innovation, analytics, and digital transformation. Like Podimetrics, she has long been committed to improving issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in healthcare.

“At a time when the healthcare industry is grappling with how best to embrace value-based care and prioritize preventive care, Podimetrics stands as a prime example of how digital health technologies paired with personalized care services can have a transformative impact — saving limbs and lives, while also reducing high costs of care associated with diabetes,” said Soderland. “Podimetrics is a mission-driven organization committed to driving impactful change for those patients who are living with diabetes and most likely to be left to fend for themselves. It’s an honor to join their board, and to actively support Podimetrics’ mission to prevent costly, life-threatening diabetic amputations.”

Building on the company’s mission, Podimetrics most recently spearheaded a first-of-its-kind report on the state of well-being for patients living with type 2 diabetes in America: Overwhelmed and Underserved: Patient Perspectives on Diabetes in 2022. This report builds on Podimetrics’ three-year initiative — The Amputation Prevention Alliance — which was recently launched in collaboration with the American Diabetes Association. The Alliance aims to address the fact that racial and ethnic minority communities continue to face disproportionately high rates of amputations and amputation-related mortality resulting from advanced diabetes.

About Podimetrics

Podimetrics is the creator of the FDA-cleared SmartMat™ and integrated clinical and patient support services that can help save the limbs and lives of complex patients living with diabetes. Through partnerships with regional and national health plans and at-risk providers, such as the Veterans Health Administration, Podimetrics has helped prevent amputations associated with complex diabetes. By combining cutting-edge technology with best-in-class clinical and patient support services, Podimetrics earns high engagement rates from patients and allows clinicians to save limbs, lives, and money — all while keeping vulnerable populations healthy in their own homes. For more information, visit Podimetrics.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.