Method expands reach of preventive care, reliably detecting 91% of diabetic foot complications
SOMERVILLE, Mass., August 7, 2019 — Podimetrics, a care management company with the leading solution to help prevent costly and deadly diabetic foot ulcers, announced a new method that accurately predicts diabetic foot complications in patients with only one foot available for monitoring due to prior amputation or ongoing treatment of a wound, according to a new study published today. The researchers reported that this new monitoring algorithm predicted 91% of foot ulcers nearly six weeks earlier than would otherwise be possible, enabling inexpensive, targeted, and effective prevention therapies.
This first-of-its-kind, peer-reviewed study was published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, a journal published in partnership with the American Diabetes Association. The research analyzed data from 129 participants with diabetes who used Podimetrics’ SmartMat for once-daily foot temperature monitoring, an effective and recommended preventive practice. While past temperature monitoring devices were cumbersome and difficult to use, Podimetrics’ innovative SmartMat makes it easy for patients to take measurements at home, allowing the Podimetrics care team to remotely manage patient foot health. Whereas foot temperature monitoring previously required comparing temperatures between two feet, preventing its use among amputees with only a single foot, this study presented a new approach using temperature readings from multiple locations on the same foot to identify the inflammation preceding diabetic foot ulcers.
“Podimetrics has already advanced the science and practice of preventing diabetic foot ulcers through its innovative research and evidence-based practice,” said Dr. David Armstrong, a study co-author, Professor of Surgery at the University of Southern California, and founder and co-director of the Southwestern Academic Limb Salvage Alliance. “With this latest study, access is improving, step by step, toward comprehensive care for those at greatest risk for limb-threatening wounds. Remote patient monitoring is finally hitting prime time.”
The new approach allows Podimetrics to help some of the highest-risk patients who were previously underserved due to limitations in how foot temperature monitoring was practiced. According to multiple studies, approximately 50 percent of patients who suffer a lower-extremity amputation will require amputation of the other limb within 5 years, and nearly all of these amputations and reamputations result from chronic, infected diabetic foot ulcers. These patients, and others with only one foot available for monitoring because they are being treated for a wound, can now benefit from Podimetrics’ high-quality preventive care.
“We’ve made tremendous progress toward achieving our goal of helping to eliminate the worst effects of diabetic foot complications, and now we can have an even greater impact by making sure the patients who need prevention most aren’t left behind,” said Dr. Jon Bloom, Podimetrics co-founder and CEO.
Early detection and predicting diabetic foot complications is critical given the scale and costs associated. Lower-limb related problems represent one-third of the $245 billion spent on diabetes each year in the U.S. More than 1 million diabetic foot ulcers are diagnosed annually and they have a devastating effect on patients’ lives, leading to debilitating injuries and amputations, each of which can cost more than $100,000.
The Podimetrics SmartMat is FDA-cleared and has the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Approval. Podimetrics is currently being used by patients across the country. The SmartMats are manufactured in Massachusetts.
About Podimetrics
Podimetrics is a care management company with the leading solution to help prevent diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), one of the most debilitating and costly complications of diabetes. On behalf of payers and at-risk providers, 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 that triages 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, and Rock Health. For more information, go to www.podimetrics.com or follow us on Twitter @podimetrics.
