DER Reference Model Version 1.0.0
ecqm.measure

CMS123v7 - Diabetes: Foot Exam

Rationale:

Diabetes: Foot Exam. As the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., diabetes kills approximately 79,500 people a year (CDC Health 2017). Diabetes is a long lasting disease marked by high blood glucose levels, resulting from the body's inability to produce or use insulin properly (CDC About Diabetes 2017). People with diabetes are at increased risk of serious health complications including vision loss, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputation of toes, feet or legs, and premature death. (CDC At a Glance 2016). In 2012, diabetes cost the U.S. an estimated $245 billion: $176 billion in direct medical costs and $69 billion in reduced productivity. This is a 41 percent increase from the estimated $174 billion spent on diabetes in 2007 (ADA Economic 2013). Diabetes reduces the blood flow to the extremities of the body such as the legs and feet, which make it harder for the body to heal from injuries to those parts of the body. Patients with diabetes are at higher risks of developing serious problems with their feet, toes, and legs which can lead to difficulty walking or even amputation (CDC Living with Diabetes, 2015). According to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2010 approximately 73,000 adults with diabetes had a leg or foot amputated. Furthermore, amputations in adults with diabetes accounts for 60 percent of amputation of legs and feet, not related to an injury (CDC Living with Diabetes, 2015). Adults 45 years and older with diabetes are 10 times more likely to have an amputation of their leg or foot compared to adults without diabetes (CDC Living with Diabetes, 2015).