The Value of Care Provided by Podiatrists:
Providing Savings to Patients and to the U.S. Health-care Delivery System
Podiatrists Prevent and Treat Complications from Diabetes
According to the CDC, nearly 26 million Americans live with diabetes. Diabetes is the leading
cause of non-traumatic lower-limb amputation; however, amputations can be prevented. A
recent study published in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association (JAPMA)
compared health and risk factors for those who had seen a podiatrist for care to those who had
not and concluded that increased utilization of care by podiatrists in patients with diabetes could
result in significant direct health-care savings.
Podiatrists receive the education, training, and experience necessary to provide quality foot and
ankle care to patients, and at the same time present cost-containment solutions to our health-care
delivery and financing systems.
Access to a Podiatrist Can Lead to Savings for U.S. Health-care Delivery Systems
According to the study published in JAPMA:
 Among patients with commercial insurance, a savings of $19,686 per patient with
diabetes can be realized over a three year period if there is at least one visit to a podiatrist
in the year preceding an ulceration. Diabetic ulcerations are the primary factor leading to
lower extremity amputations.
 Among Medicare-eligible patients, a savings of $4,271 per patient with diabetes can be
realized over a three year period if there is at least one visit to a podiatrist in the year
preceding an ulceration.
 Conservatively projected, these per-patient numbers support an estimated $10.5 billion in
savings over three years if every at-risk patient sees a podiatrist at least one time in a year
preceding their ulceration.
Care by Podiatrists Offers a Positive Return on Investment
According to the same study published in JAPMA:
 Among patients with commercial insurance, each $1 invested in care by a podiatrist result
in $27 to $51 of savings.
 Among Medicare eligible patients, each $1 invested in care by podiatrists result in $9 to
$13 of savings.
For More Information:
JAPMA Study:www.apma.org/trstudy Tags: podiatrist, health care cost, diabetes