What’s on Your 2026 Wish List? How On-Site Podiatry Can Support Your Goals Year-Round

For many administrators, "quality care" sits right at the top of that 2026 wish list.

But quality care isn't a single initiative or metric; it's a system of interconnected practices that support safety, compliance, resident well-being, and family satisfaction. Every department, every specialist, and every service contributes to the bigger picture.

That's where podiatry comes in.

On-site podiatry is often seen as a convenience, bringing foot care to residents who struggle to leave the facility due to physical or mental impairment, lack of transportation, or inclement weather.

But in reality, it's much more than that.

Consistent, preventive foot care directly impacts several metrics that you, as administrators and directors of nursing, track and report throughout the year: wound prevention and healing, infection control, fall reduction, and overall quality-of-life outcomes.

As you set your priorities for 2026, consider how strengthening your podiatry partnership can help you reach, and even exceed, your quality goals.

1. Wound Care Excellence: Staying Ahead of a Top Compliance Challenge

Pressure injuries and diabetic ulcers remain some of the most scrutinized clinical outcomes in long-term care facilities and some of the most preventable. They affect comfort, quality ratings, and, increasingly, reimbursement under value-based purchasing models.

Podiatrists play a crucial role in preventing and managing lower-extremity wounds.

Regular on-site evaluations allow podiatrists to:

• Identify early skin changes before they become ulcers,
• Debride non-healing wounds promptly and safely,
• Recommend offloading or orthotic solutions to reduce pressure, and
• Collaborate with wound care teams and nursing staff on individualized plans.

By integrating podiatry into your wound care strategy, you not only reduce the incidence of facility-acquired wounds but also strengthen your documentation and compliance posture. When surveyors review charts, clear evidence of interdisciplinary management, including podiatry consults, demonstrates proactive, high-quality care.

In 2026, let prevention take the lead in wound care. On-site podiatry makes that possible.

2. Fall Prevention: Stable Feet, Steady Steps

Falls are one of the most common adverse events in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, often leading to fractures, hospitalizations, and increased liability exposure. Yet many fall prevention programs overlook one of the most basic contributors to balance: foot health.

When a resident's toenails are thickened, painful, or overgrown, they unconsciously alter their gait to avoid discomfort. Ill-fitting shoes, neuropathy, and untreated foot deformities further compromise stability. Over time, these minor issues add up to major risks.

An on-site podiatry program helps mitigate this by:

• Keeping nails and calluses managed before they cause gait changes,
• Identifying balance-affecting deformities early,
• Recommending proper footwear or inserts, and
• Communicating with therapy staff about mobility limitations.

Facilities that integrate podiatry into their fall-prevention teams often notice subtle yet measurable benefits: fewer incidents, better participation in therapy, and improved confidence in ambulation.

A stable step starts with a healthy foot, and a healthy foot starts with consistent podiatric care.

3. Infection Control and Risk Management: Reducing Avoidable Hospital Transfers

Infections related to the lower extremities can escalate quickly, especially in residents with diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, or neuropathy. What begins as a small ulcer or fungal infection can become a full-blown systemic issue within days.

When podiatrists make regular rounds, these complications are caught early, often before they require hospitalization. Each prevented transfer not only improves the resident's outcome but also protects the facility's infection control record and reduces exposure to costly penalties and readmission flags.

As administrators and nursing staff, you understand the ripple effects of hospitalizations on survey readiness, staffing, and family trust. On-site podiatry gives you a powerful ally in breaking that cycle by keeping care contained, coordinated, and documented within your own walls.

4. Family and Resident Satisfaction: The Human Side of Quality

Behind every metric is a person, a resident who wants to remain mobile, pain-free, and independent, and a family who wants reassurance that their loved one's care is complete and attentive.

Families often notice when their loved one is struggling with foot pain, overgrown nails, or infections. These seemingly small details can shape their overall perception of care. When they see on-site, proactive, professional podiatry services, it sends a clear message: this facility prioritizes comfort, dignity, and prevention.

That's not just good resident care, it's good business. In an era of online reviews and transparent ratings, a few extra points of family satisfaction can make all the difference in occupancy and reputation.

In 2026, let podiatry be one of the unsung heroes of your customer satisfaction strategy.

5. Supporting Staff and Easing Workload

Frontline nurses and CNAs are the heartbeat of long-term care facilities. Yet they're also stretched thin, balancing wound care, mobility support, and daily hygiene. On-site podiatry relieves some of that burden by managing a high-risk area of care that otherwise falls to overextended nursing staff.

A strong podiatry program:

• Takes ownership of foot-related issues before they escalate,
• Provides documentation that supports nursing assessments,
• Offers in-service education to help staff recognize early warning signs, and
• Collaborates seamlessly with wound and therapy departments.

The result? Fewer crisis calls, less time coordinating off-site appointments, and more bandwidth for your staff to focus on the bigger picture of resident care.

In the new year, supporting your staff's workload is as important as supporting your residents' health. On-site podiatry helps do both.

6. Survey Readiness and Compliance Confidence

Survey readiness is never out of season. Every administrator knows the stress of ensuring documentation aligns with regulatory expectations — and podiatry services can quietly strengthen your compliance story.

When surveyors review clinical outcomes, they're looking for patterns of prevention, interdisciplinary collaboration, and timely intervention. Routine podiatry visits provide:

• Dated, professional documentation of foot care and wound management,
• Evidence of collaboration between medical, nursing, and therapy disciplines, and
• Demonstrable efforts to prevent avoidable complications.

That kind of paper trail isn't just convenient, it's protective. It shows regulators that your facility is not reactive, but proactive. And that distinction can make all the difference when citations are on the line.

7. A Step Toward Your 2026 Vision

As you plan your 2026 quality initiatives, take a moment to look beyond the traditional checklists. Consider partnerships that can elevate your outcomes in subtle yet powerful ways.

On-site podiatry touches nearly every area that matters, from clinical excellence and risk management to staff support and family trust.

This year, instead of adding one more goal to your list, consider reframing it:

"How can we strengthen the systems we already have with the right partners to make every goal more achievable?"

For many facilities, enhancing podiatry collaboration is a small operational shift that delivers outsized benefits. It's a way to turn prevention into performance, and performance into pride.

So, as you fill out your 2026 Wish List, remember: Healthy feet lead to steady steps, and steady steps lead to stronger outcomes for everyone.

At Quality Podiatry Group, we're proud to partner with nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Florida and Illinois to enhance wound care outcomes, improve mobility, and support regulatory excellence.

Visit our website, www.qualitypodiatry.com, to learn more about us, and then contact us to learn how our on-site podiatry services can help your facility achieve its 2026 quality goals.