Resource use within a multidisciplinary foot team clinic
No Thumbnail Available
Authors
Liew, Huiling
Bates, Maureen
Vas, Prashanth
Rashid, Hisham
Kavarthapu, Venu
Edmonds, Michael
Manu, Chris
Check for full-text access
Issue Date
2022
Type
Article
Language
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The establishment of multidisciplinary foot team clinics reduces the risk of amputation, but little is known about its resource requirement. This study evaluates the service's resource use for first visit attendees to an established multidisciplinary foot team clinic. METHOD: A retrospective evaluation was performed for new referrals to the clinic over six months, including demographics, resource use and clinical outcome. Data were extracted electronically with retrospective review of electronic clinical notes. RESULTS: A total of 240 first visit attendees were analysed. Mean age was 64±15years, 63% were male, 72% had type 2 diabetes, 16% had type 1 diabetes, 15% had a previous amputation, and 40% had a previous ulceration. Common presentations were ulcers (62%), osteomyelitis (11%), Charcot foot (19%), foot ischaemia (17%), post-surgical wounds (13%), and osteomyelitis (11%). At first attendance, 79% of patients required specialist services including diabetologist (45%), joint vascular review (23%), joint orthopaedics services (8%), dermatologist (2%), and orthotics services (1%). A total of 4% of patients had complex debridement, 0.4% total nail excision, 0.8% pus drainage, 3% cast-related procedures, and 1% vacuum-assisted dressing. Of the patients, 4% were admitted to hospital, 38% had vascular duplex investigations, 7% had a deep vein thrombosis scan, 16% had magnetic resonance imagine (MRI), and 5% had a bone scan. CONCLUSION: A functional multidisciplinary foot team clinic requires significant resources-both clinical and administrative-for prompt investigations and revascularisation to sustain low amputation rates. Regular appraisal of resource use helps with clinic and pathway planning.
Description
Citation
Publisher
License
Journal
Journal of Wound Care
Volume
31
Issue
2