1. Multidisciplinary diabetic foot care in Sweden - A national survey.
- Author
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Wennberg L, Widgren S, Axelsson R, Gerok-Andersson K, and Åkerlund B
- Subjects
- Diabetic Foot pathology, Female, Foot Ulcer pathology, Humans, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sweden, Amputation, Surgical methods, Diabetic Foot therapy, Foot Ulcer therapy
- Abstract
Aim: To investigate at a national level the multidisciplinary team (MDT) care of patients with diabetes mellitus and foot complications., Methods: A questionnaire was sent to all 75 Swedish hospitals with emergency departments, which were grouped according to size., Results: The response rate was 92%, 58/69 of the hospitals have a foot team. Most teams have access to an internal medicine specialist/diabetologist, podiatrist and orthotist. Fewer teams reported access to an orthopaedic surgeon and infectious diseases specialist and only half to a vascular surgeon. In joint MDT outpatient evaluations, the majority report the presence of an internal medicine specialist, podiatrist and orthotist, but 50% an infectious disease specialist and orthopaedic surgeon and only a few a vascular surgeon. In hospitalized patients, there is a reduction in the presence of all specialists. The registration of amputation rate and healed foot ulcers is low., Conclusions: MDT care is mostly adopted among large and medium-sized hospitals in contrast to small ones, which could reflect unequal health care. Vascular surgeons seldom are present at MDT evaluations and there is a reduced regular input of specialists in the evaluation of hospitalized patients. The hospitals' ability to evaluate their work by potential quality control markers is poor., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2019
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