Clinical
Resources
Helpful Tools
Resources for Clinicians
We’ve pulled together some of the best resources to help clinicians improve lower extremity health. Whether you’re a primary care physician, a podiatrist, a nurse or a caregiver at a skilled nursing facility, these tools will help you understand how you can help.
Diabetes Care letter to the editor: “The At-Risk Diabetic Foot: Time to Focus on Prevention”
Free Tools: Diabetic Foot Assessment
Performing the Diabetic Foot Assessment on your patients is quick and easy. Download these free tools by clicking on the images below to help guide your exam and educate your patients.
Patient Foot Risk Stratification Handout – This shows your patient what their foot risk stratification score is and provides them with eight useful foot care tips.
Diabetic Foot Assessment Score Sheet – This walks you through each part of the exam so you can note any neurological, dermatological or vascular problems and assign a risk stratification score.
What You Can Do About it
How Clinicians Can Help
The problem of lower extremity amputations may seem too big to solve, but LEAP 2030 was made for big ideas.
HEDIS® Measures
The Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is one of healthcare’s most widely used performance measurement tools. Today, 191 million people are enrolled in insurance plans that report HEDIS® results. That means that HEDIS® measures have a real impact on the care people receive.
Currently, the Comprehensive Diabetes Care HEDIS® measure calls for blood sugar testing, blood pressure control and a retinal eye exam. Because diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in U.S. adults, the eye exam is an essential tool to diagnose diabetic retinal disease early and prevent blindness for diabetic adults around the country.
What is the “HEDIS Pedis™”?
We’re dedicated to establishing what we call the HEDIS Pedis™. We believe an annual diabetic foot assessment should be part of the Comprehensive Diabetes Care HEDIS® measure. The addition of an annual diabetic foot exam would help identify a patient’s risk for developing diabetic-related lower extremity complications. Just like the required retinal eye exam for patients with diabetes, a required foot assessment would prevent life-altering health consequences.
Take a stand for diabetic foot health. Get involved and sign the petition.
Together we are stronger.
Diabetes Care Timeline
There have been many advances in care for diabetic patients and countless scientific studies. But how have these studies impacted the real-life outcomes for those with diabetes? The prevalence of lower extremity amputation hasn’t improved. In fact, it’s only gotten worse.
Use the arrows below to see a brief history of diabetes care and prevention. Click on any of the dates to learn more.
