The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health has taken a significant stride in diabetic foot ulcer treatment with the recent initiation of the Footworks Offloading Pilot Program.
The new program aims to make diabetic foot ulcer treatment more accessible and affordable for patients in need.
Nurse and Primary Care Lead for the program, Patrick Shields, who specializes in advanced orthopedics, played a pivotal role in bringing this innovative program to fruition in Saskatchewan.
For the last year I've been working with the Ministry of Health to push forward the pilot program so it's available for diabetics and after about a year we finally got approval to go ahead,” he stated.
The Footworks Offloading Pilot Program currently operates at Footworks in Swift Current, making it the sole clinic in the province to offer the total contact cast treatment.
Prior to the program's initiation, this treatment was available at the clinic but came at a significant cost and was often inaccessible to many individuals due to a lack of insurance coverage.
Shields expressed his dedication to making this vital treatment accessible to all those in need, including high-risk populations and low-income individuals.
“Unfortunately, insurance doesn't cover it, so I really wanted to push forward that it was something that should be made available for these kinds of treatments because they usually affect high-risk populations and low-income individuals, but it should be made available to everyone,” he stated. “With the great help of Everett Hindley and the Ministry of Health, they have agreed that for the next two years, we'll open this program to anyone in the province that's as afflicted with the diabetic foot ulcer.”
To be part of the program, patients must be medically referred by their physicians. While individuals can reach out to the clinic for information, a physician's referral is essential to join the program.
Shields emphasized that the treatment's success lies in close collaboration between the patient, the clinic, and the referring physician, ensuring effective tracking, data collection, and personalized care.
The Offloading Pilot Program officially commenced approximately three weeks ago.