At-Risk Foot Care

The Statistics Are Literally Staggering

The relative 5-year mortality rate after limb amputation is 68%; 68% of patients who have an amputation will die within five years. When compared with cancer – it is second only to lung cancer (86%). (Colorectal cancer 39%, Breast cancer 23%, Hodgkin’s disease 18%, Prostate cancer 8%)

We love keeping our patients active, vibrant, and enjoying life on their own terms. Your mobility is the foundation of your longevity, and our team is dedicated to keeping you walking comfortably, traveling, and spending quality time with the people you cherish.

The human foot has a deeply complex interrelation with the rest of your body. Frequently, it is the very first area to show signs of serious, underlying systemic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

We treat these common issues with uncommon urgency because we believe that protecting your health means securing your long-term lifestyle.

What is At Risk Foot Care?

At Risk Foot Care is a part of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery dedicated to the prevention of life threatening complications associated with Peripheral Artery Disease, Diabetes and other systemic diseases.

Silent Threats, Uncommon Risks

The sobering reality is that many people harbor silent threats without warning signs. Millions of individuals have never been told that they have a systemic condition, nor do they realize they are at immediate risk for life- and limb-threatening complications. The most common medical conditions that place patients At Risk for foot and ankle problems are Peripheral Artery Disease and Diabetes Mellitus.

• Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), also called Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) is a condition in which narrowed blood vessels reduce blood flow to the foot, ankle and leg.
  • PAD affects over 10 million people nationwide
  • 75% of patients don’t know they have it
  • Of patients with PAD, 40% have no symptoms.
    
    
• Diabetes, also called Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a group of diseases that result in too much sugar in the blood (high blood glucose). Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) is a type of nerve damage that can occur in patients with diabetes.
  • Diabetes affects 30 million people nationwide
  • 50% of people with diabetes don’t know they have it
  • More than 90% of people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy are unaware they have it.

Without regular professional intervention, minor at-risk foot complications rapidly cause a total loss of independence, progressing to a risk for life and limb threatening complications, such as infections, wounds and amputations, and premature death.

The Statistics Are Literally Staggering

• Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease or Diabetes with an infected ulcer, within one year, one in five patients will have had an amputation, another one in five will have died. (Armstrong et al., JAMA, 2023; Jean-Baptiste et al., Diabetes & Metabolism, 2025).
  
• The Fivefold Risk Multiple: California population research showed that state residents with concurrent PAD and diabetes face amputation rates 5 times higher than those dealing with diabetes alone (Humphries et al., 2016, Annals of Vascular Surgery).
  
• Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease or Diabetes are Ten times more likely to suffer an amputation. (Johannesson et al., Diabetes Care, 2009)
  
  • 34% of patients with Diabetes will develop a foot ulcer, 50% of those ulcers get infected requiring hospitalization, 20% of diabetic foot infections result in amputation. (Armstrong et al., JAMA, 2023).
    
  • After a major amputation, 50% of patients will have their OTHER limb amputated within 2 years. (Glaser et al., Journal of Vascular Surgery, 2013)
    
• The math:
  • In the United States, over 150,000 non-traumatic lower extremity amputations are performed annually in people with PAD and Diabetes. Over 411 non-traumatic lower extremity amputations are performed daily.
    • (Creager et al., Circulation, 2021)(Armstrong et al., JAMA, 2023)
      
  • Globally, it is estimated that 1.6 million non-traumatic lower extremity amputations are performed annually, translates to 183 amputations per hour, or approximately one every 20 seconds. (Armstrong et al., JAMA, 2023)
    
• The relative 5-year mortality rate after limb amputation is 68%; Almost 70% of patients who have an amputation will die within five years.  (Armstrong et al., JAMA, 2023; McDermott et al., Diabetes Care, 2023)
  
• When compared with cancer – it is second only to lung cancer (86%).
  • (Colorectal cancer 39%, Breast cancer 23%, Hodgkin’s disease 18%, Prostate cancer 8%) (Robbins et al., Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 2008)
    
• Amputations from Diabetes and PAD kill more people annually than breast cancer and AIDS combined.
  

More Than Just Your Foot and Ankle; Protecting Your Independence

You do not have to become a statistic. At San Mateo Podiatry Group, our specialized At-Risk Foot Care program serves as your Mobility Protection Shield—a medically supervised defensive perimeter designed to keep you independent and out of the hospital. Proactive, expert Podiatric intervention is the single most powerful countermeasure available to interrupt the progression of silent vascular and neurological decay, catching minor issues early before they evolve into medical emergencies.

Saving Limbs, Saving Lives:
Podiatrists Dramatically Reduce Amputation Risk

National research proves that regular Podiatric care is one of the most powerful protective measures you can take to prevent catastrophic complications.

• The Single Definitive Factor: A landmark study of 707,971 Medicare wounds across 306 U.S. regions discovered that the regional supply of podiatrists was the only healthcare factor associated with fewer amputations—beating out advanced hospital wound programs, endocrinologists, and vascular surgeons (Popescu et al., 2026, JAMA Network Open).
  
• Slashing Amputation Risk by 69%: Longitudinal tracking conducted by researchers at Duke University followed Medicare patients over 6 years, proving that regular care from a podiatrist cuts lower-extremity amputation risk by up to 69% (Sloan, Feinglos & Grossman, 2010, Health Services Research).
  
• Reversing Advanced Risk Tiers: Even among the highest-risk medical populations suffering concurrently from kidney failure and diabetes on dialysis, consistent Podiatric care dramatically extends survival rates and preserves intact limbs (Tan et al., 2024, JAMA Network Open).
  
• Halving Hospitalization Amputations: Retrospective data from the University of Michigan over 16 years demonstrated that integrating dedicated podiatrists into the core clinical team cut major amputation rates exactly in half, sparing approximately 40 patients per year from catastrophic limb loss (Schmidt et al., 2017 & 2019, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice / Current Diabetes Reviews).

California-Specific Clinical Evidence: Our program maps directly onto rigorous, peer-reviewed data established by California’s leading medical institutions and statewide health databases:

• The USC Keck Medical Standard: Landmark clinical reviews led by the Keck School of Medicine of USC confirmed that multidisciplinary care frameworks including podiatrists reduce major amputation rates by 60% (Armstrong et al., 2023, JAMA).

Excellence in Care is Excellence in Value:
Doctors of Podiatric Medicine are Proven to Reduce Healthcare Costs

Beyond the critical health benefits, choosing a podiatrist is a wise financial decision for the entire healthcare system. When evaluating preventive medicine through a clear lens of Return on Investment (ROI), the economic data is undeniable:

• The burden of amputation is severe, with 5-year mortality rates exceeding those of many malignancies, and caring for patients with PAD and diabetes imposes an estimated cost of $84 billion to $380 billion annually to the U.S. healthcare system (Barnes et al., Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 2020). 
  
• Massive Per-Patient Savings: A landmark database study covering nearly 48,000 patients found that when at-risk individuals see a podiatrist before an ulcer develops, it saves the healthcare system an average of $19,686 per commercial insurance patient and $3,624 per Medicare patient over two years by preventing high-cost disasters (Carls et al., 2011, Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association).
  
  • The 48-to-1 Elimination Penalty: Cutting these essential services backfires catastrophically on a systemic level. Rigorous state data proves that when budget cuts eliminate low-cost, preventive podiatric services, it forces a massive spike in emergency admissions—costing $48 in immediate emergency hospitalization charges for every single $1 “saved” (Bus & van Netten, 2016, Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews).
    
  • The 5-to-1 Prevention Return: Broad clinical and economic analyses confirm that every $1 invested in professional, preventative lower extremity care saves up to $5 in catastrophic emergency hospitalization, severe diabetic foot ulcer admissions ($13,000+ per stay), and major amputation episodes ($54,000+ per event) (Carls et al., 2011, Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association).
    
  • The UCLA/CalSIM Cost Forecast: State tracking models proved that hospital costs spike 94.3% higher when amputations occur during an admission; integrating podiatric care immediately mitigates these expenses (Labovitz & Kominski, 2016, Western Journal of Emergency Medicine / UCLA Fielding School of Public Health).

A Wise Investment in your Health!

Excellence in medicine is inherently excellence in financial value. It is vital to understand that only Medicare offers coverage for these highly specialized services, and even then, it is a scarce, strictly regulated clinical benefit rather than a passive entitlement.

To qualify and maintain your authorized coverage status under Medicare’s guidelines, you must exhibit documented physical proof of severe peripheral involvement—such as specific vascular or neurological class findings —and strictly satisfy Medicare’s narrow administrative requirements:

• The Doctor Care Standard: You must be evaluated by your primary family physician at least once every six months to manage underlying systemic risks.
• The Visit Standard: You must reliably maintain your customized, medically necessary podiatric visit schedule to protect your ongoing coverage.
• The Home Care Standard: You must actively participate in your prescribed medical therapies, interventions, and regimens at home.

Adherence to your customized, risk-based preventative schedule is absolutely critical for clinical success.

For patients without insurance coverage, custom private-pay treatment plans are available to ensure no one is left unprotected.

Protecting Your Independence

Partnering with us is a direct investment in your long-term health, designed entirely to protect your independent lifestyle. This program is about so much more than just your foot and ankle; it is about protecting your absolute freedom.

Do not become a statistic.
Don’t let a minor, silent complication to turn into an irreversible, life-threatening medical emergency.

Schedule your consultation today, complete your clinical evaluation, secure your mobility, and lock in your protective annual treatment plan today.