A Comprehensive Approach
DMPrevent is a world-class diabetic wound care service that combines wound-care treatment centers, diabetic health education, and state-of-the-art telehealth technology, pushing diagnostic information directly to a patient’s primary care physician or endocrinologist.
The goal of DMPrevent is to reduce the need for amputations by early detection and prevention of wounds with care delivered by world-class board-certified physicians and medical professionals who are acknowledged pioneers and leading experts in their respective fields.
As part of the DMPrevent approach, our specialized team offers extensive treatment options that focus on rapid healing while addressing the underlying causes of chronic and hard-to-heal wounds.
DMPrevent is committed to providing state-of-the-art preventive wound care through a comprehensive program that will enable us to detect and intervene in the progression of devastating disease states.
A diabetic ulcer or wound is a serious condition that, without proper treatment, can lead to amputation. Our mission is to meet the full spectrum of patient needs through medical interventions related to the early detection, treatment, and monitoring of the complications of diabetes. By partnering with physicians, we can develop scalable protocols to address the urgent needs of the growing population in emerging markets around the world impacted by diabetes.
The Diabetes Landscape
With the worldwide prevalence of diabetes exceeding 400 million cases and predicted to rise to more than 500 million by 2025, new strategies for awareness, intervention, and treatment are critical. In any diabetic population, 25% will have a foot ulcer and are at risk for amputation. This global health crisis is especially pressing in the Middle East. Health authorities in the UAE have long been concerned by the country’s high incidence of diabetes, currently the 16th highest in the world according to the World Health Organization. Trends identified in 2015 also indicate that the prevalence of diabetes in the UAE is rising at a faster rate than both the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) and the rest of the world. Projections indicate that the Middle East, along with Southeast Asia, is set for a massive 263% increase in the incidence of diabetes by 2030 — a larger jump than any other region.
Clinical Directors
Howard W. Umansky
DPM, FAPWH, CWS
Founder and Executive Director Dr. Umansky, a graduate of the New York College of Podiatric Medicine, is a pioneer in the field of telemedicine. After years of research in remote monitoring technology, he created one of the first telemedicine wound care programs in the world. Initially a foot and ankle surgeon, he left his practice to start Mobile Health, a program that provided doctors and nurses to home-bound patients in three states. Mobile's successful incorporation of telemedicine inspired Dr. Umansky to develop the Diabetic Rural Outreach Project (DROP International) in 2005, which provides diabetic wound care, telemedicine, and amputation prevention services to patients in underserved rural areas. DROP's use of telemedicine has helped markedly reduce diabetic amputation rates in parts of the United States, China, and the Caribbean.
Robert Frykberg
DPM, MPH
Medical Director Dr. Robert Frykberg is a professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, former Chief of Podiatry and Director of the Podiatric Residency Program at the Veterans Administration in Phoenix, former associate professor at the Harvard School of Public Health from which he received a Master of Public Health degree, former Chairman of the Foot Care Council of the American Diabetes Association and past President of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. He has been the editor of two textbooks about the diabetic foot and the author of nearly 100 peer-reviewed articles. Dr. Frykberg lectures all over the world and sponsors international surgical seminars on diabetic foot disorders.
Sergio N. Sardón Melo
DPM, M.Sc.
Associate Medical Director Dr. Sardon Melo is a specialist in diabetic foot and wound care and regenerative medicine. A graduate of Universidad Complutense of Madrid, he also received a Master of Science degree in health research from the University. He has published numerous articles on diabetic foot pathology, is a member of the scientific committee of Gulf Diabetic Foot, and has been recognized for his outstanding scientific writing and research.
Claudia Zornosa
MD, DABIM
Director of The Wellness Center Dr. Zornosa received her medical degree at Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Ureña and completed her residency and post-graduate training in internal medicine at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J. After residency, she became a Clinical Director in the Humana health system. With a background in microbiology, chemistry, and functional medicine, Dr. Zornosa started a concierge practice to manage chronic diseases. Her philosophy has always been to find the root cause of disease, not just curing sickness but enhancing health. Her interest in both cutting-edge technology and the plight of the medically underserved in Latin America and the Caribbean led to her association with DROP International as a clinical advisor. Dr. Zornosa has been a long-time advocate of remote monitoring and is also part of the DROP clinical research team, which tests, evaluates, and recommends new medical technology and treatments, as well as serving as an investigator for diabetic neuropathy clinical trials.