A Multi-Faceted Digital Health Solution for Monitoring and Managing Diabetic Foot Ulcer Risk: A Case Series

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Digital Health
• Diabetology

Background:

• Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) are a severe diabetes complication with significant management challenges.
• Existing guidelines for diabetic foot care face barriers in implementation.
• Digital health solutions offer a promising approach to DFU prevention and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of multi-faceted digital health solutions in preventing diabetic foot ulcers.
• To assess the role of multimodal sensing and remote patient monitoring in DFU care.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study involving patients with a history of diabetic plantar foot ulcers.
• Utilized custom sensory insoles to track plantar pressure, temperature, step count, and adherence.
• Implemented patient-facing biofeedback for plantar offloading and remote patient monitoring (RPM) for concerning data trends.

Main Results:

• Continuous plantar pressure monitoring empowered patients and providers with data for managing offloading treatments.
• Case series highlighted the potential of digital health in identifying and managing pre-ulcerative lesions.

Conclusions:

• Multi-faceted digital health solutions reinforce integrated foot care guidelines.
• Multimodal sensing and RPM enhance DFU management by enabling personalized treatments and improving patient engagement.
• Digital health tools are key to improving patient adherence to diabetic foot care plans.