Earlier this year Marjolein Wiegman, from the University of Twente in the Netherlands joined Motivation Australia as an intern to undertake research into the ‘Costs and benefits of the Diabetic Foot Clinic in Samoa’.
The research demonstrated that care provided by the Diabetic Foot Clinic (DFC) cost 8 times less when compared to inpatient treatment at Apia’s Tupua Tamasese Meaole (TTM) Hospital. It also resulted in significantly improved outcomes for clients – DFC clients were more likely to heal their ulcers, prevent infection and avoid amputations.
Savings would increase and more people would benefit if the capacity of the service was expanded and Samoans were able to access treatment earlier, at services closer to their communities.
Results: A dedicated DFC both reduces costs and improves outcomes when compared to acute care, hospital admission and amputation. It is hoped that these findings can be used to encourage the establishment of more multi-disciplinary Diabetic Foot Care services within Samoa and throughout the Pacific.
Thank you to Marjolein Wiegman of the University of Twente and the personnel and clients of the NHS, particularly the Diabetic Foot Clinic, for their assistance.
Read more about the results of the research on Katrina McGrath’s Devpolicy Blog. You can also download the Research Summary.