Diabetes Mellitus: Diabetic Foot and Ankle Care Peripheral Neuropathy – Neurological Evaluation

Measure Specification

Foot ulceration is the most common single precursor to lower extremity amputations among persons with diabetes. Treatment of infected foot wounds accounts for up to one-quarter of all inpatient hospital admissions for people with diabetes in the United States. Peripheral sensory neuropathy in the absence of perceived trauma is the primary factor leading to diabetic foot ulcerations.

Approximately 45-60% of all diabetic ulcerations are purely neuropathic. Other forms of neuropathy may also play a role in foot ulcerations. Motor neuropathy resulting in anterior crural muscle atrophy or intrinsic muscle wasting can lead to foot deformities such as foot drop, equinus, and hammertoes. In people with diabetes, 22.8% have foot problems such as amputations and numbness, compared with 10% of nondiabetics.

Over the age of 40 years old, 30% of people with diabetes have loss of sensation in their feet.

Recognizing important risk factors and making a logical, treatment-oriented assessment of the diabetic foot requires a consistent and thorough diagnostic approach using a common language. Without such a method, the practitioner is more likely to overlook vital information and to pay inordinate attention to less critical points in the evaluation. A useful examination will involve identification of key risk factors and assignment into appropriate risk category.

Only then can an effective treatment plan be designed and implemented.

This measure contains one strata defined by a single submission criteria. This measure produces a single performance rate. For the purposes of MIPS implementation, this patient-process measure is submitted a minimum of once per patient during the performance period. The most advantageous quality data code will be used if the measure is submitted more than once.

Evaluation of neurological status in patients with diabetes to assign risk category and therefore have appropriate foot and ankle care to prevent ulcerations and infections ultimately reduces the number and severity of amputations that occur.