Why was the Diabetes Foot Care Clinical Pathway created?

Diabetes increases the chance of foot ulcers, a complication accounting for 70% of lower limb amputations in Alberta. Research shows that those can be reduced up to 85% by prevention and treatment of foot ulcers. The Diabetes Foot Care Clinical Pathway (the "Pathway") was created to prevent those amputations.

What is the Pathway?

The Pathway consists of five simple but important steps.

1. Screening – Examining patient’s feet (this is called a foot screen)
2. Assessment – Using the foot screen to assess the patient’s risk
3. Referral – Referring the patient to the right provider
4. Treatment – The patient receiving the right treatment
5. Follow-Up – The patient returning for the next preventative foot screen

The steps of the Pathway are supported by a number of tools and guidelines in our Pathway Toolkit.

How was the Pathway developed?

Alberta’s medical experts and patients with diabetes were consulted in creating the Pathway, providing the tools and guidelines to ensure patients received the right care, from the right provider, at the right time. A survey was also used to identify gaps and opportunities to improve diabetic foot care in Alberta, indicating:

• Inconsistency when screening for a diabetic foot problem
• Lack of training and support resources to ensure proper screening
• Uncertainty around patient referral process once a foot problem has been identified

The clinician and survey feedback were used to develop the Diabetic Foot Care Clinical Pathway.