Podiatry Assistant: providing informative and practical support to promote healthy behaviour in patients with diabetic foot

My name is Veerle van Appeven and I am studying Podiatry at Fontys Paramedical in Eindhoven; I am in my fourth year. During my studies, I have developed an interest in preventive foot care, diabetes and supporting patients in taking more control of their own health. This project was already underway under the MEDIS research team. I wanted to explore how a podiatry assistant can support patients with diabetic foot in adopting health-promoting behaviours. My motivation was to conduct research into a practical and forward-looking issue that can actually be applied within podiatry practice.

Within Rondom, the role of podiatry assistant is relatively new, and there had not yet been sufficient research into how this role could be utilised to its full potential. My research therefore focused on the question: “How can the podiatry assistant, through informative and practical support, contribute to increasing the understanding of patients with diabetic foot regarding health-promoting behaviour?” I investigated this through a literature review, surveys of patients and podiatry assistants, focus groups with podiatry assistants and podiatrists, and interviews with stakeholders. Based on these results, various potential solutions were developed and ultimately consolidated into a digital concept for the future Rondom app.

The research showed that patients view the podiatry assistant particularly positively because of the informative and practical support they provide. At the same time, opportunities emerged in the areas of targeted guidance, self-management, the repetition of advice and the systematic support of behavioural change. Furthermore, it emerged that the role of the podiatry assistant is not yet carried out in the same way everywhere in practice, and that time pressure is a significant limiting factor. Based on the research findings, an integrated digital concept has been developed within the Rondom app, including a daily foot check, personal goals, a progress overview, information on warning signs and reminders.

The results can be applied by integrating the self-management module that has been developed into the new RondOm app. The podiatry assistant can introduce the app during a consultation, set personal goals together with the patient and explain daily foot checks and warning signs. Between consultations, the patient can review the information, carry out the daily foot check and track their own progress. During follow-up consultations, the podiatry assistant can discuss this progress, making the support more structured and providing patients with greater assistance in self-management and health-promoting behaviour.

Student at: Fontys Paramedical, Podiatry programme
Client Rondom: Wouter Meeuwis and Kim Wintraecken