How doctor referral networks affect care for diabetic foot and leg wounds
Physician Networks for Diabetic Lower Extremity Wounds
Looks at how doctor referral patterns affect care for Medicare patients 65+ who have new diabetic foot or leg wounds.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rand Corporation NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Santa Monica, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11242005 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are 65 or older with diabetes and develop a new foot or leg wound, researchers will use national Medicare fee-for-service records to track the healthcare services people receive during the six months after diagnosis. The team will map which doctors treat and refer patients to build physician networks and will use statistical models to compare care by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. They will apply improved methods to classify patients' race/ethnicity and combine multiple Medicare data sources for a national view. This work uses administrative data and does not require direct in-person enrollment.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged 65 and older with a new diabetic lower-extremity (foot or leg) wound are the population this work focuses on.
Not a fit: Younger adults under 65, people not on Medicare fee-for-service, or those without diabetic lower-extremity wounds are not the focus and are unlikely to see direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal care gaps and referral problems so policies or practice changes can help people with diabetic lower-extremity wounds get more timely and equitable care and avoid complications.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has documented racial and socioeconomic gaps in wound care and shown that provider networks can influence outcomes, but applying network mapping specifically to diabetic lower-extremity wounds is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Santa Monica, United States
- Rand Corporation — Santa Monica, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Damberg, Cheryl — Rand Corporation
- Study coordinator: Damberg, Cheryl
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.