PAD Awareness & Free Resources

 

September is PAD awareness month! The month where the vascular community can join efforts in bringing awareness to the Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) to help educate patients and medical professionals of the importance of early detections.

FOR PATIENTS/COMMUNITY:

What is PAD?

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a chronic circulatory condition in which narrowed blood vessels reduce blood flow to the limbs.

PAD is a sign of fatty deposits and/or calcium is building up in the walls of the arteries (atherosclerosis).

Am I at Risk of PAD?

Risk Factors for PAD:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• Atherosclerosis
• Diabetes
• High cholesterol
• Age above 60 years

Symptoms that you may experience include:

• leg pain, particularly when walking (claudication)
• Pain/cramping in hips, thighs, or calves
• Leg soreness/aching/heaviness
• One foot/leg colder than the other
• Wounds on legs or feet
• Poor nail or hair growth on legs,
• Blue, bulging, or varicose veins,
• Skin discoloration

Why is Early Intervention Important?

Early interventions is vital for patients at risk of PAD in order to prevent limb amputation and ensuring access to revascularization services in the patient-preferred community setting is critical.

An estimated 20 million Americans are living with PAD and approximately 200,000 non-traumatic amputations are performed on people with PAD each year! Research shows that as many as 85% of amputations could be prevented with access to early diagnostics and appropriate treatment. ¹

Read that again….

Majority of the amputations that occur each year are possible to prevent if we can educate and encourage at risk patients to seek out medical care.

It is also important to address that minority patients are higher risk for amputation. Statics show that black men and women are at 4 times risk of needing an amputation compared to white patients. Native American and Hispanic patients are also higher risk as well.

 

How do I connect with a Vascular Specialist?

If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of PAD, we encourage you to start the conversation with your Primary Care Provider and address those concerns. Depending on your insurance carrier, they can refer you to a specialist local to your area and within your network of care.

Billing Partner Solutions partners with specialist across the United States and we are happy to connect you to providers that we know and trust with your care as well.

For our readers in California, Arizona, and Texas feel free to click Here to complete a vascular survey and connect with one of our vascular partners working to offer hope to patients and focus efforts in limb loss prevention.

PROVIDERS:

How can I help spread awareness about PAD?

1. Talk to your patients and review PAD symptoms with them.
2. Post the symptoms in your waiting room
3. Follow up with your at-risk patients
4. Partner with Billing Partner Solutions!

We (Billing Partner Solutions) have created a Free poster you can print and post in your office here to help spark the conversation about PAD with your patients.

Share information on social media page! Click here for a social media sized graphic for you to use for free! (we recommend adding your practice logo to the graphic as well or email stephanie@billingpartnersolutions.com to add your logo for you!)

Sample graphic:

If your practice serves a population that is high risk for PAD, we encourage you to reach out to your patients in your database to schedule their physical or reach out to us here at Billing Partner Solutions and ask us how we are helping our partners increase patients seen and overall patient satisfaction.

 

PATIENTS AND PROVIDERS:

Take Action!

• Medicare funding cuts- If finalized, the proposed 5-9% cuts will undercut access to revascularization services¹
• Call your local legislator and tell congress to provide relief for office-bases specialists
• Educate your community

Upcoming Events:

The United Specialists for Patient Access is managing Virtual Hill Day Next week! (9/13/22)  https://www.uspaccess.org/

The CardioVascular Coalition (https://cardiovascularcoalition.com/), which rolled back huge proposed cuts to revascularization in 2019. Are now working to prevent the significant cuts to revascularization in the 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule that was proposed in July 2022.

The Dialysis Vascular Access Coalition (https://www.dialysisvascularaccess.org/), which rolled back huge proposed cuts to vascular access in 2018.

 

 

Bibliography

1. Fakorede, MD FA. Contributor: Congress Must Act to Stop America’s Amputation Epidemic. AJMC. Published May 16, 2022. Accessed September 9, 2022. https://www.ajmc.com/view/contributor-congress-must-act-to-stop-america-s-amputation-epidemic

2. United Specialists for Patient Access. USPA. Accessed September 9, 2022. https://www.uspaccess.org/

3. DVAC – Dialysis Vascular Access Coalition. DVAC. Accessed September 9, 2022. https://www.dialysisvascularaccess.org/

4. PAD Awareness Month. CardioVascular Coalition. Published 2022. Accessed September 9, 2022. https://cardiovascularcoalition.com/pad-awareness-month/