Diabetes: Foot Exam

The percentage of patients 18-75 years of age with diabetes (type 1 and type 2) who received a foot exam (visual inspection and sensory exam with mono filament and a pulse exam) during the measurement year.

Date Reviewed: May 9, 2024
Do Not Support: Uncertain Validity
    Individual Clinician

Measure Info

CBE 0056
Measure Type
Process
Measure Steward
National Committee for Quality Assurance
Clinical Topic Area
Diabetes
Care Setting
Outpatient
Data Source
Claims
Registry

ACP does not support “Diabetes: Foot Exam” for application at the individual physician level because of uncertain validity. There is a moderate performance gap for diabetic patients who are at a higher risk for amputation. However, there is a lack of high-quality evidence to support the benefit of regularly performed pulse exams on patient outcomes for asymptomatic patients. ACP recommends removing pulse exams from this performance measure as diminished pulses do not provide enough specificity regarding disease in microcirculation to help guide the management of a patient with diabetes.