Interprofessional capacity building in diabetic foot management.

摘要

The need to build capacity between allied health practitioners in the management of the diabetic foot is becoming increasingly important as the number of people diagnosed with diabetes mellitus rises globally each year. This rise in newly diagnosed patients, who often present asymptomatically, highlights the need for a significant shift in emphasis from simply treating those with long-term complications of the condition. Incorporation of public health initiatives to promote awareness and prevention of the potential decline in functional and emotional health, and the subsequent decreased quality of life in later years, must become the responsibility of health professionals, who are able to break down interdisciplinary barriers at the level of patient interaction. Traditionally, long-term macrovascular and microvascular manifestations of diabetes mellitus have led to a convenient division of care for people with diabetes between the health professions. As the evidence base increases to suggest a more holistic impact of the condition on general health, the need to build capacity within and between professions in the management and prevention of future disease processes has never been clearer. This article highlights key issues in the management of the diabetic foot, which are of paramount significance in the emergence, development and maintenance of interdisciplinary professional relationships.