PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Independence Blue Cross is taking a big step toward the prevention of foot amputations for its diabetic customers.
Independence recently partnered with Podimetrics, a virtual care management company aimed at thwarting diabetic amputations, to “remotely monitor Independence fully insured commercial members who have diabetes and a history of a diabetic foot ulcer with the use of the cellular-connected SmartMat,” read a release.
Diabetes can cause nerve damage and poor circulation, which can lead to foot ulcers and, too often, amputation. The SmartMat monitors and measures at-risk patients’ feet every day and can detect problems ahead of time.
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“A member who has had a foot ulcer will get the mat and they stand on the mat for 20 seconds a day. That helps monitor for temperature changes and signs of inflammation on the foot. By doing that, they can detect 97% of diabetic foot ulcers over five weeks prior to clinical presentation,” explained Dr. Rodrigo Cerdá, vice president of Clinical Care Transformation.
If the numbers change, treatment begins.
“There’s the kind of therapeutic shoes you can wear. There’s something you can do to make sure that the area is clean and well taken care of, and that often can reduce the formation of ulcers,” he said.
According to Cerdá, the use of the SmartMat has reduced amputations by 71%, hospitalizations by 52%, and emergency room visits by 40%.
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Obviously, this protects patients, but it also saves them money. Independence also estimated that amputations cost the health care system up to $100,000 per amputation.
Diabetic amputations also have a five-year mortality rate of 62%, and they disproportionately affect communities of color, according to Independence — three times more likely among African-Americans.
“Our collaboration will positively impact our members’ mental and physical health and will help lower health care costs by preventing hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and outpatient or physician office visits,” Cerdá said.
