On diabetic foot, wound healing, amputation prevention, and the merger of consumer tech with medical devices
In 2009, California hospitals collectively documented 7,973 lower-extremity amputations in diabetic adults. Dr. Carl Stevens at Harbor-UCLA decided to ask a question most people in medicine had quietly avoided: where do these patients live? The answer, published five years later in Health Affairs, was the kind of finding that is simultaneously obvious in retrospect and... Continue Reading →
This from our Keck physician page for more info, see Building a Scalable Limb Preservation Program: 4 Steps to Success A Keck Medicine of USC podiatric surgeon outlines actionable steps for optimizing diabetic foot ulcer care. Each year, diabetic foot ulcers affect nearly 18.6 million people globally, contributing to more than 1.6 million amputations annually. These... Continue Reading →
https://youtu.be/Z2xS2iMhmIM Diabetes is a pervasive and challenging condition, affecting millions worldwide. One of the severe complications associated with diabetes is the increased risk of foot ulcers, infections, and in severe cases, amputations. At USC’s Southwestern Academic Limb Salvage Alliance (SALSA), we are continuously exploring innovative solutions to enhance diabetic foot care and reduce these risks.... Continue Reading →
A novel Canadian multidisciplinary acute care pathway for people hospitalised with a diabetic foot ulcer Great work from our Canadian SALSAmigos showing how a novel HotFootLine can be effective in triage and limb preservation. This manuscript describes the implementation and initial evaluation of a novel Canadian acute care pathway for people with a diabetic foot... Continue Reading →
This article from the LA County Department of Health Services via Evan Raff Diabetes-related amputations represent a major preventable health risk for patients living with diabetes and lower extremity limb loss in particular is one of the most devastating events in a patient’s life, with five-year mortality approaching 70% and even higher in the population... Continue Reading →
LA County's Productivity and Quality Commission announced its 34th Annual Productivity and Quality Awards. Rancho Los Amigos, in concert with USC and LAC+USC were acknowledged for their efforts in limb preservation in people with diabetes. The program, which established a "Hot Foot Line" and associated limb preservation service dramatically reduced high-level amputation while also cutting... Continue Reading →
SALSA's "Hot Foot Line" foot hotline constitutes a single point of contact rapid response pager to alert the diabetic foot / Toe and Flow service to urgent needs, systemwide. Here are some more guidelines/pathways to help develop your own "rapid response team". Diabetic Foot Rapid Response Acute Foot Team (DRRAFT) - Seven essential skills Three... Continue Reading →
