Smart mat foot temperature monitoring to prevent diabetic foot ulcers

This trial is testing a new smart mat technology that monitors foot temperature at home to help prevent diabetic foot ulcers in veterans. The mat works with a remote monitoring team to catch early warning signs of problems before ulcers develop. The study will compare veterans who use this smart mat system alongside their regular diabetes care to those who receive standard care alone.

Diabetic foot ulcers are a serious and expensive complication that affects many veterans, especially Black and rural veterans. Even after an ulcer heals, four out of ten patients get another one within a year. While temperature monitoring has been shown to help prevent ulcers from coming back, the old methods using handheld thermometers were burdensome. This trial tests whether a convenient smart mat system can make temperature monitoring easier and more widely available.