Diabetic Feet Association
The Southwestern Academic Limb Salvage Alliance (SALSA), operating as the Diabetic Feet Association, is a USC Keck School of Medicine clinical research alliance delivering integrated diabetic limb preservation care across 6 Los Angeles hospitals, training global fellows, and publishing the DF Blog knowledge platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersRiyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Diabetic Feet Association does
The Southwestern Academic Limb Salvage Alliance (SALSA), operating publicly as the Diabetic Feet Association / DF Blog, is an academic clinical and research alliance housed within the Department of Surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. Founded in 2009 and relocated from the University of Arizona to USC around 2011, the alliance delivers integrated limb-preservation care through a multidisciplinary 'Toe-and-Flow' service model combining vascular surgery, podiatric surgery, physical therapy, orthotics and prosthetics, neurosurgery, and health policy. Clinical operations span 6 hospitals across Los Angeles — including Keck, White Memorial, LA General, and Rancho Los Amigos — and generate more than 10,000 patient visits per year, with documented outcomes of up to 80% reduction in below-the-knee amputations at high-risk sites.
The alliance's core technology stack includes the Foot Selfie remote-monitoring platform (smartphone and smart-scale plantar imaging), the DFOCUS Clinic Utilization Score calculator, an NSF-funded Center to Stream Healthcare in Place (C2SHiP), wearable-sensor and digital-biomarker programs (led by Bijan Najafi at UCLA), and AI-driven tools such as an amputation-risk model (AUC 0.894 across 1,052 patients) and a retinal-biomarker deep-learning system. Research output exceeds 760 peer-reviewed publications; leadership includes David G. Armstrong (Distinguished Professor, founding co-editor of the ADA's Clinical Care of the Diabetic Foot) and William V. Padula (ISPOR Award for Excellence, 2024). The 2024-launched American Limb Preservation Society (ALPS) and a global collaboration network spanning more than 50 nations and 6 continents extend the alliance's reach.
The alliance's revenue mechanics are characteristic of an academic medical center rather than a commercial venture. Funding flows from three streams: clinical care revenue from standard medical billing across the 6-hospital network, federal research grants (documented $2.2M from NSF and NIH in 2011, with ongoing NIH/NSF support), and donations to the SALSA Foundation (contact: [email protected]). Go-to-market combines direct clinical care (regional), fellowship and visiting-scholar training (global), and a free content-marketing engine anchored by the DF Blog (diabeticfootonline.com), YouTube ToeandFlow channel, and Diabetic Foot Files / LIMBWatch podcast. Primary customers are patients with diabetes-related foot complications; secondary customers are healthcare providers, researchers, and health systems seeking training and evidence-based protocols.
Diabetic Feet Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Diabetic Feet Association
- Legal name
- Southwestern Academic Limb Salvage Alliance (SALSA)
- Website
- https://diabeticfootonline.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- The Southwestern Academic Limb Salvage Alliance (SALSA), operating as the Diabetic Feet Association, is a USC Keck School of Medicine clinical research alliance delivering integrated diabetic limb preservation care across 6 Los Angeles hospitals, training global fellows, and publishing the DF Blog knowledge platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Diabetic Feet Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Limb Preservation and Diabetic Foot Care Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Podiatrists (621391)
- SIC
- Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Foot & Ankle (HLAKALAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) / Closed-Loop Systems (HLAHAHAF)
Keywords
Where Diabetic Feet Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Riyadh
- HQ country
- Saudi Arabia
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices1 record
Markets served
Diabetic Feet Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Clinical Care Revenue: Revenue generated from direct patient care services across 6 hospitals in the Los Angeles area through the integrated limb salvage clinical service.
- Research Grants and Funding: NIH-supported and NSF-funded research grants supporting peripheral artery disease, diabetic wound repair, and digital health initiatives.
- Donations and Foundation Support: SALSA Foundation receives donations to foster research in amputation prevention and healing. Contact: [email protected]
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Diabetic Feet Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Diabetic Feet Association operates the Southwestern Academic Limb Salvage Alliance (SALSA), an academic clinical and research program that delivers integrated multidisciplinary "Toe-and-Flow" limb preservation care across six Los Angeles hospitals. It also publishes the DF Blog (diabeticfootonline.com), trains clinicians through fellowship and visiting scholar programs, and runs remote-monitoring and AI-driven tools such as the Foot Selfie system, DFOCUS calculator, and AI-based amputation risk models.
Product overview
Diabetic Feet Association operates the DF Blog (diabeticfootonline.com), a comprehensive educational platform for diabetic foot care and amputation prevention. The core offerings include the DF Blog research publication, DFOCUS Calculator for clinic utilization forecasting, and Foot Selfie remote monitoring system. Supporting programs encompass the SALSA@USC Fellowship and Visiting Scholars Programs for clinical training, the Diabetic Foot Video Series for educational content, LIMBWatch podcast series, and patient guides including the 20 Steps Toward Foot Health resource. The organization integrates AI capabilities for predictive analytics (amputation risk modeling), computer vision (retinal biomarkers and foot imaging), and conversational AI (remission chatbots) to advance limb preservation outcomes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Foot Selfie Remote Monitoring System Remote diabetic foot ulcer surveillance system combining smartphone photography and smart scale imaging to capture plantar foot images for early ulcer detection; serves diabetic patients at risk of foot complications and the clinicians who monitor them.
- DFOCUS (Diabetic Foot Online Clinic Utilization Score) Calculator Online calculator that estimates diabetic foot clinic volume and resource utilization from population diabetes prevalence data; for health systems, hospital administrators, and program planners sizing diabetic foot services.
- SALSA@USC Fellowship Program Clinical and research fellowship training future leaders in limb salvage, offering reconstructive foot and ankle surgical training and academic leadership development in diabetic foot care; for podiatric and vascular surgeons, physical therapists, and researchers worldwide.
- SALSA@USC Visiting Scholars Program International academic exchange program hosting visiting researchers and clinicians for periods exceeding 30 days with library privileges, seminar access, and laboratory facilities; for clinicians and scientists seeking immersion in limb-salvage practice and research.
- Integrated "Toe-and-Flow" Limb Salvage Clinical Service Multidisciplinary integrated limb preservation service combining vascular surgery, podiatric surgery, physical therapy, orthotics and prosthetics, neurosurgery, and health policy; delivered at six Los Angeles hospitals to prevent diabetes-related amputations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80% reduction in below-the-knee amputations at high-risk sites
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Diabetic Feet Association
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Diabetic Feet Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability6 records
Feature4 records
Diabetic Feet Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and flagship.
- Caltech / Almquist LabstrategicCollaboration on force-responsive biomaterials (TrAPs) technology for wound healing. Nature Materials study published July 2026 with USC involvement.
- Keck School of Medicine of USCcorePrimary academic institution housing SALSA. Department of Surgery provides the organizational base for clinical care, research, and fellowship programs.
- Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation CentercorePartner institution for limb preservation program and orthotics/prosthetics research. Charles DuBourdieu directs O&P at this center.
- LA General Medical CentercoreKenneth R. Ziegler serves as Chief of Vascular Surgery, providing clinical care at this safety-net hospital.
- White Memorial HospitalcoreSite for podiatric surgery and clinical research. Lucian Feraru and Clemente Clinical Research operate from this location.
- UCLAstrategicBijan Najafi, PhD serves as Professor of Surgery at UCLA with research focus on wearable technology and digital health for diabetic foot care.
- USC Neurorestoration CenterstrategicCharles Y. Liu directs this center, combining neurosurgery with neurological surgery, neurology, and biomedical engineering expertise.
- USC Schaeffer CenterstrategicHealth policy and economics research collaboration with William V. Padula and Ritika Chaturvedi working on digital health and health equity initiatives.
- International Research Network (50+ nations)flagshipGlobal collaborative network spanning more than 50 nations on 6 continents. Includes CLEAR, DIALEX, iCAMP, and ALPS programs with shared alumni and research initiatives.
- Clemente Clinical ResearchstrategicClinical research organization founded by Stanley Mathis and Scott Mathis, operating across 40 medical clinics in Southern California for community-centered research.
- American Limb Preservation Society (ALPS)flagshipALPS was built to serve as a 'dating app and marriage counselor' for clinicians working to eliminate preventable amputation. Website: limbpreservationsociety.org
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Diabetic Feet Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Orpyx Medical Technologies: Maker of sensor-insoles (SurroSense Rx) for diabetic foot ulcer prevention through pressure and temperature monitoring. Comparable to SALSA's wearable sensors and digital biomarker work for diabetic foot care.
- Orthofeet: Designer and retailer of orthopedic and diabetic footwear with biomechanical features. Comparable to SALSA's orthotics & prosthetics research and DIASSIST footwear adherence trial.
- Podimetrics: Commercial developer of the SmartMat, a remote temperature-monitoring device for early diabetic foot ulcer detection. Directly comparable to SALSA's Foot Selfie/Empo Footprint platform in remote diabetic foot surveillance.
- American Limb Preservation Society (ALPS): Member society founded by SALSA leadership to connect clinicians preventing amputation. Directly comparable as the professional/community counterpart to SALSA's research and clinical mission in limb preservation.
- Dr. Comfort: Manufacturer of diabetic and orthopedic footwear, insoles, and compression socks sold through healthcare providers. Comparable as a footwear-and-orthotics product line referenced in DIASSIST-style adherence interventions.
Emerging players
- Siren: Developer of smart socks with embedded temperature sensors for diabetic foot ulcer early detection. Conceptually adjacent to SALSA's 2011 NSF-funded 'smart socks' research and current Foot Selfie system.
- MiMedx: Regenerative medicine company with placental tissue allografts used in diabetic foot ulcer and wound care. Comparable adjacent player in advanced wound-healing modalities that SALSA's research could eventually compete with or partner alongside.
- Organogenesis: Commercial regenerative medicine company selling wound-healing products (Apligraf, Dermagraft) for diabetic foot ulcers. Comparable to SALSA's TrAPs biomaterials pipeline as a translational wound-care platform.
Broad incumbents
- Medtronic Diabetes: Major medical-device incumbent in diabetes care (CGM, insulin pumps, AID systems). Comparable as a large diabetes-care platform with adjacent digital health and patient-monitoring capabilities.
- Joslin Diabetes Center: Harvard-affiliated academic diabetes center with multidisciplinary foot care programs. Comparable as a leading academic diabetes clinical-research enterprise with established outcomes research.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Diabetic Feet Association social profiles
Digital presenceDiabetic Feet Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Diabetic Feet Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Diabetic Feet Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Diabetic Feet Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Diabetic Feet Association
What does Diabetic Feet Association do?
The Diabetic Feet Association operates the Southwestern Academic Limb Salvage Alliance (SALSA), an academic clinical and research program that delivers integrated multidisciplinary "Toe-and-Flow" limb preservation care across six Los Angeles hospitals. It also publishes the DF Blog (diabeticfootonline.com), trains clinicians through fellowship and visiting scholar programs, and runs remote-monitoring and AI-driven tools such as the Foot Selfie system, DFOCUS calculator, and AI-based amputation risk models.
Is Diabetic Feet Association a public or private company?
Diabetic Feet Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Diabetic Feet Association founded?
Diabetic Feet Association was founded in 2009.
Where is Diabetic Feet Association based?
Diabetic Feet Association is headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the Middle East region.
How does Diabetic Feet Association make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Clinical Care Revenue is the primary driver. The others are research Grants and Funding and donations and Foundation Support.
Who are Diabetic Feet Association's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Orpyx Medical Technologies, Orthofeet, Podimetrics, American Limb Preservation Society (ALPS) and Dr. Comfort. Emerging players are Siren, MiMedx and Organogenesis. Broad incumbents are Medtronic Diabetes and Joslin Diabetes Center.
Does Diabetic Feet Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Diabetic Feet Association.
What industry is Diabetic Feet Association in?
Diabetic Feet Association's product category is Limb Preservation and Diabetic Foot Care Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAKALAG, Foot & Ankle, with a secondary code of HLAHAHAF, Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) / Closed-Loop Systems. Its NAICS code is 621391 and its SIC code is 3842.