ABMSP Diplomates Take Innovative Approach to Limb Preservation and Salvage
With diabetes now the leading cause of non-traumatic limb amputations in the United States, the need for intervention is critical. The American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry (ABMSP) has paved the way in board certification in: foot and ankle surgery, primary care, prevention and treatment of diabetic foot wounds and diabetic footwear—and now in the emerging field of limb preservation and salvage. ABMSP is proud to announce that physicians who are board certified in this field are creating innovative advances toward a new, total-lifestyle approach to limb preservation and salvage and the treatment and prevention of diabetic foot disease.
With diabetes now the leading cause of non-traumatic limb amputations in the United States, the need for intervention is critical. The American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry (ABMSP) has paved the way in board certification in: foot and ankle surgery, primary care, prevention and treatment of diabetic foot wounds and diabetic footwear—and now in the emerging field of limb preservation and salvage. ABMSP is proud to announce that physicians who are board certified in this field are creating innovative advances toward a new, total-lifestyle approach to limb preservation and salvage and the treatment and prevention of diabetic foot disease.
For instance, Kenneth B. Rehm, DPM, on staff at the esteemed University of California San Diego and Medical Director of the Diabetic Foot & Wound Treatment Center in San Marcos, California as well as one of the founders of the American College of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry and the ABMSP’s Limb Preservation and Salvage certification, has developed a new limb preservation and salvage program. The new program features a multi-disciplinary team to integrate all treatment plans for a patient. The program also calls for navigation by a nurse “concierge” throughout the various spheres of healthcare delivery, including the hospital, the home, the skilled nursing facility, and the outpatient setting. Guided by the tenet of “measure twice, cut once,” along with the principles of personal training, motivation, and leadership that are used in sports and physical fitness domains, Rehm’s program holds the all-too-common patient noncompliance and insurance denials at bay. The nurse “concierge” becomes “part of the family,” giving patients an approachable partner they can trust in their healthcare decisions and problem-solving.
Patients who have a supportive social structure do much better at prevention and healing. “This is a total-prevention-at-every-step model,” Rehm said. “I see far too often that there’s denial and oversight when it comes to the diabetic foot. Who says the foot is not attached to the rest of the body? We need whole-body, educated prevention techniques in order to head off progression of diabetic foot disease.”
An all-inclusive, global approach, Rehm explained, will help prevent amputations and save lives. “This is limb preservation and salvage,” he said emphatically. Dr. Rehm’s program, The CDL Alliance, works with hospitals, clinics, physicians, and patients to adopt these life-saving concepts. When these models of care are implemented, patients sail through the system with critical assistance in education, appointment coordination, decision-making, and transportation. They ask more questions and receive true coordination of care. There are two benefits, Rehm said: first, all decisions are made by a specialized team of experts; and second, the development of an outside support system holds the patient accountable and provides the guidance the patient needs to follow effective treatments and—more importantly—to adopt effective prevention techniques.
In fitness and sports, Rehm said, the notion of trainers and coaches is commonplace. “Now, why don’t we use this principal of coaching the way we do in sports and in the gym in our healthcare system?” he asked. “Why can’t we have a personal trainer for health? The nurse concierge and coaching team is exactly that. When we institute this kind of support and attention, we save limbs.”
ABMSP certification delivers built-in support of this model. A significant portion of the ABMSP certification examination for Limb Preservation and Salvage centers on coordination of care aspects, including: the biomechanics of an amputated foot; orthotic/prosthetic/shoe considerations; care of skin and nails; nutrition; exercise; psychosocial needs; postoperative and wound care; and coordination of referrals, counseling, and education.
Rehm is Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors of the ABMSP. He holds ABMSP Primary Care Certification, ABMSP Foot and Ankle Certification, and ABMSP Diabetic Foot Wound & Foot Wear Certification; he is also ABMSP Board Eligible Limb Preservation and Salvage. He has worked to implement parts of the CDL Alliance approach in podiatric office and hospital venues around the country, including at the prestigious University of California San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center. He credits his certification from ABMSP with helping him secure this important partnership. Along with other ABMSP certified podiatrists, Rehm is leading the way in the emerging field of limb preservation and salvage.
About ABMSP
The American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry was originally organized by podiatrists for the purpose of granting board certification to office-based and ambulatory foot surgeons. Incorporated in 1986 as the American Institute of Foot Medicine (AIFM), the name was changed in 1992 to better reflect its mission. The Board now offers certification to qualified podiatrists in all areas of podiatric practice: Primary Care in Podiatric Medicine; Foot and Ankle Surgery; Prevention and Treatment of Diabetic Foot Wounds and Foot Wear; and Limb Preservation and Salvage. The California Board of Podiatric Medicine has authorized diplomates of the American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry to advertise their certification from the Board in the State of California. Also, the Board’s certification examinations have been approved for reimbursement by the VA as an educational benefit for eligible veterans. The American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry is the only podiatric certification program accredited by URAC (formerly the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission) and by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) under the ISO International Standards ANSI/ISO/IEC/17024:2003 for Accreditation for Bodies Operating Certification of Persons. For more information, visit www.abmsp.org.
Joan Campbell, Executive Director
212-356-0693
jcampbell@ptcny.com
Bonnie S Hayflick
PR Contact
904-679-5060
bonniepr@bellsouth.net
About ABMSP
The American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry was organized by podiatrists for the purpose of granting board certification to office-based or ambulatory surgeons. Incorporated in 1986 as the American Institute of Foot Medicine (AIFM), the name was changed in 1992 to better reflect its mission. The Board now offers certification to qualified podiatrists in four areas of practice: Primary Care in Podiatric Medicine; Foot and Ankle Surgery; Prevention and Treatment of Diabetic Foot Wounds; and Limb Preservation and Salvage. The California Board of Podiatric Medicine has authorized diplomates of the American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry to advertise their certification from the Board in the State of California. Also, the Board’s certification examinations have been approved for reimbursement by the VA as an educational benefit for eligible veterans. The American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry is the only podiatric certification program accredited by the URAC and by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) under the ISO International Standards ANSI/ISO/IEC/17024:2003 for Accreditation for Bodies Operating Certification of Persons. For more information, visit www.abmsp.org.
