It’s the unfortunate truth that many people around the world are living with diabetes and suffer from complications associated with it. Over 400 million people in regions across the globe have a diabetic diagnosis, and this is the cause of roughly 1.5 million deaths each year.
Arguably one of the most painful and difficult to treat side effects of diabetes is something called diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). These start as open sores that often appear on the bottom of the feet that, if not treated quickly, can turn into ulcers.
For some people, these ulcers can get so bad that amputation is the only way to remove them and prevent new ones from forming in the future. There is a relatively high mortality rate amongst patients who do need to go through amputation and a high rate of depression amongst patients with DFUs alone.
There is currently no widely accepted preventative treatment for these painful ulcers, but recently, temperature monitoring is proving to be a viable option.
What Is Temperature Monitoring?
To understand how it can help prevent DFUs, it is important to first understand what temperature monitoring is and how it works.
Temperature monitoring involves measuring the temperature of an object or person and recording it over time. Using any type of thermometer or data logging device, it is easy to scan the heat radiating from the desired object and record it digitally for future reference.
There are many types of these devices that can record the temperatures of our bodies, software, and important equipment used in healthcare settings. As shared by Dickson Data, temperature mapping and monitors can improve the quality of care for patients and can also save money by reducing room for error in operations and procedures!
Much more simple than their use in high-pressure settings like a work environment or operation room, patients can have their temperature recorded to see how it fluctuates.
Now, with so many high-tech devices on the market, the temperature can be monitored remotely on a patient’s own time and recorded to see if there are any increases or changes. Data can be shared with the doctor and will notify them if anything is abnormal.
Solving Early Detection of Foot Ulcers
Recent studies have shown just how effective temperature monitoring is for detecting future DFUs before they can even be seen. They start under the skin where they cannot be spotted by the naked eye, making it a challenge to treat them before they progress to the point of amputation.
Temperature monitoring can record the heat patterns on the foot to see if any area is warmer than others. If the temperature is above a certain reading, it is likely associated with inflammation before there is a visible sign of it on the foot.
Especially for people who are prone to DFUs, an even slightly higher than normal reading will raise a red flag that the doctor should take action quickly.
This advancement in the understanding of how temperature monitoring works is vital for diabetic patients, who often suffer from nerve damage and cannot feel slight pain. Even though a patient may not feel the pain of a DFU right away, the thermometer used will detect a potential ulcer at the earliest stage and treat it before it can become an open wound.
Data from these devices is easy to log with the right systems. Logging temperature data can keep yourself or a loved one safe, helping get treatment quickly that is much more effective and much less of a risk.
Cost Savings for Patients
As with any health diagnosis that requires extensive treatment, diabetes comes with a high price tag. Diabetes was the third-highest healthcare cost in the US in 2016 because of the ongoing treatment it requires.
Collectively, Americans spend more than $176 billion annually on diabetes care and treatment, with an average of $2,300 each month spent on DFU treatment alone. These numbers are high and often infeasible for struggling patients to pay.
If temperature monitoring can be implemented as a viable treatment option for DFUs, that would make a HUGE dent in the currently extensive costs. Patients would be able to receive much less intensive treatments much more quickly, with less time needed for recovery.
Invasive surgeries can cost quite a bit more than a basic treatment, saving those who suffer from constant DFUs thousands in care costs.
Cost-Effective for Hospitals
Not only would temperature monitoring save money for patients — it would also save money for hospitals and healthcare facilities. It takes money to keep them running, and DFUs are a large hit to the annual cost of patient care.
Running equipment, paying staff, and simply caring for the patient during recovery are all costs associated with having to treat DFU, and it is especially more intense for a procedure on an ulcer.
Temperature monitoring can help catch them sooner, avoiding intense procedures and treatments that cost quite a lot for facilities. With these potential savings, facilities would have more resources to allot to other areas that provide care and other patients they need to care for.
Any medical advancement is a step in the right direction when it comes to efficiency and cost-effectiveness in hospitals and care facilities.
Improved Quality of Life
Patients who use temperature monitoring to prevent DFUs are much more likely to see an improvement in their quality of life.
A quicker diagnosis means getting treatment quicker with less of a chance for potentially life-threatening ulcers. In addition, less invasive procedures would mean less time to heal and more time doing what you love.
Catching a DFU before it can break through the skin will keep patients from experiencing the pain of an open wound on the bottom of their foot. Thus, they will experience less of a chance for depression, since they won’t be in pain or laid up in recovery and can enjoy more of life.
The goal is always to improve healthcare to improve the quality of life for every patient. Having a device that would assure easy remote temperature monitoring for diabetic patients is just one step in the right direction.
While more research is needed before temperature monitoring can become a widespread preventative measure for DFU, current findings are positive. Hopefully, soon, diabetic patients can monitor their own temperature to help stop the pain of DFUs much quicker.
This post has been sponsored by Digital Authority Partners
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