SAN RAFAEL, CA, UNITED STATES, June 15, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As outreach efforts expand to drastically reduce disparities in healthcare, especially in low-income and underinsured neighborhoods, The Way To My Heart, a 501(c)(3), announced today it’s partnering with EZ Care Link, a staffing platform that connects independent health contractors with healthcare facilities. The partnership increases the number of case managers available through The Way To My Heart’s "Leg Saver Hotline" who are supporting patients at-risk of and suffering from Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D.), restricted blood flow in mainly the legs due to plaque build-up, which left untreated leads to premature heart attacks, strokes, and amputation.

P.A.D. is one of the most debilitating diseases most have never heard of yet impacts three-in-five heart attack sufferers, one-in-five adults over age 60, and one-in-three diabetics over age 50. It often goes undiagnosed until it reaches advanced stages where fewer treatment options are available because many physicians misdiagnose early textbook P.A.D. symptoms of leg pain, leg cramps and neuropathy as diabetic neuropathy, old age, arthritis, and spinal issues. The first time many, especially diabetics, get diagnosed with P.A.D., is when an ulcer appears on the foot or toe that won’t heal because restricted blood reduces critically needed oxygen and nutrients. Amputation is a reality for nearly 200,000 of these patients at this point in disease progression. They’re especially prevalent in low-income and underinsured neighborhood. African Americans in those areas are amputated at triple the rate of their white counterparts. Ninety-five percent of these amputations are preventable with early diagnosis and early advanced treatment.

The Way To My Heart’s outreach program targets at-risk patients and urge them to call the Leg Saver Hotline for support. Real-time care and support help to reduce the occurrence of amputations. The Way To My Heart’s global wellness team is available via the Leg Saver Hotline via phone, text, WhatsApp, Telegram, website, social media, as well as its proprietary community platform 24/7. They answer non-emergency questions about leg symptoms, proper wound care, finding an open facility with a vascular specialist, getting a second opinion, and compliance with lifestyle modifications such as smoking cessation, diet, and exercise. They also have a network of patients with similar ailments who are available for emotional support and friendship. Even more important, is that case managers, through the Leg Saver Hotline, try to remove financial barriers to timely care by connecting patients in-need with The Way To My Heart’s Care Access Program (C.A.P.), which can provide co-pay relief, transportation between appointments, healthy food delivery, hotel stays during care, home care services, exercise equipment, and more.

Often, the most at-risk patients have symptoms of P.A.D. and want to talk with someone about how to discuss those symptoms with their doctor. Some can’t get in for testing/treatment immediately and want to understand their disease as well as treatment and management options in the meantime to reduce unnecessary anxiety. Once diagnosed, many in the most vulnerable communities run into complications after missing appointments or are lost in the healthcare system without follow-up. Social factors can play a role in that, as patients may not be able to afford co-pays or find transportation due to financial constraints. Case managers assigned through the Leg Saver Hotline are helpful in ensuring their complex care needs are met, filling the gap for patients between appointments in a way that our often-overburdened healthcare system cannot.

“So far The Way To My Heart’s Leg Saver Hotline has led to more than 500 no-option patients having their limbs saved and without much outreach effort,” explains The Way To My Heart founder and CEO, Kym McNicholas. “As we scale our outreach efforts, this partnership with EZ Care Link will help us to accelerate our ability to offer personalized P.A.D. navigation services to even more patients around the world."

“I started EZ Care Link as a nurse looking to improve care for patients by ensuring facilities have the right staffing at the right time with an on-demand platform,” explains EZ Link Founder and CEO Jayhan Edu. “Partnering with The Way To My Heart expands our efforts globally and in a unique way that allows our healthcare contractors to engage with patients in a more personalized manner, becoming a true friend in health for their life-long journey."

Kym McNicholas
The Way To My Heart, Inc.
+1 415-233-2730
kym@thewaytomyheart.org
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