New foot care assistant to be previewed at Diabetic Professional Care Conference
A new diabetic foot care assistant and app will be previewed at the Diabetic Professional Care Conference in London this month.
The Podium will be on show on 14th and 15th November at the Olympia in London – coinciding with World Diabetes Day.
It aims to give people with diabetes more control over their foot health by using thermal imaging technology to allow people with diabetes to capture a daily image and thermal patterns of the soles of their feet. Images can be shared with healthcare professionals which will allow patients to work more closely with doctors and nurses and seek earlier intervention if they have concerns.
The product will launch in 2019 and will be on display in the conference’s innovation zone.
Dr Peter Plassman, Co-CEO and developer of Podium said: “For people with diabetes there can be a loss of sensation in the feet, meaning it is crucial that any complications are detected and treated as early as possible or there is a risk of developing foot ulcers and possible amputation. Once a patient has received an amputation, their quality of life is impacted. More worryingly, life expectancy is 5 years post-amputation on average, with half of patients dying within two years post-operation. The Podium allows people with diabetes and their families to take back control over their foot health and work alongside their healthcare professional to seek much earlier intervention.
“We’re looking forward to demonstrating the system at the Diabetes Professional Care conference and meeting with healthcare professionals to discuss how it could potentially help them to help their patients to manage their condition better.”
In the UK alone, the NHS spends £650m annually on diabetic foot health and amputation, accounting for around 9% of overnight stays of one night or more, with the NHS carrying out 6,000 diabetes related amputations each year.