Dedicated Podiatric Care for Urgent Needs

We are proud to offer comprehensive emergent and urgent podiatry surgical services to the Albuquerque and Rio Rancho communities. Our team is comprised of three highly skilled podiatrists (Dr Chiu, Dr Lingao, Dr Whitehouse) committed to providing specialized care when you need it most. We are the only podiatry group in New Mexico offering this level of comprehensive urgent care.

Why We Need an Amputation Prevention Team

Major limb amputations in individuals with diabetes carry a high mortality rate, with studies showing that nearly 50% of patients die within five years of undergoing an amputation. The five-year mortality rate following a below-knee amputation (BKA) is comparable to, or even worse than, that of some common cancers, including colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer. This stark reality highlights the urgent need for a dedicated amputation prevention team to intervene before these drastic outcomes occur. In fact, the five-year mortality rate following a below-knee amputation (BKA) is comparable to, or even worse than, that of some common cancers, including colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer. This statistic underscores the critical importance of timely intervention and comprehensive care to prevent limb loss. Our team is dedicated to doing everything possible to reduce these outcomes by offering specialized, around-the-clock services for diabetic limb salvage.

How Our Amputation Prevention Team Came Together

Dr. Chiu was training at VA Palo Alto and Stanford University where he first encountered a patient who underwent a leg amputation for a diabetic foot infection. After seeing first-hand the profound impact this had on the patient's life, he shifted his focus from sports medicine to diabetic limb salvage, and he has been dedicated to this path ever since. He was recruited after residency by the University of New Mexico in 2016 to help expand their amputation prevention services. Recognizing that major leg amputation rates in New Mexico are extremely high, Dr. Chiu saw an opportunity to help even more patients by transitioning to private practice.

Providing effective amputation prevention requires dedication, long hours, and an unwavering commitment to patient care. This work often involves hospital visits, late-night surgeries, and immediate intervention to prevent limb loss. Since joining Albuquerque Associated Podiatrists in 2019, Dr. Chiu quickly became busy enough to need help. In 2021, Dr Jose Hernandez Lingao joined us, and in 2022, Dr Paul Whitehouse joined us from Santa Fe to build our current amputation prevention team, enabling us to offer comprehensive, around-the-clock emergent surgical services to the community. Dr Lingao and Dr Whitehouse are deeply committed to providing compassionate care, advocating especially for those in need.

Our Commitment to Preventing Major Limb Amputation

Our primary mission is to reduce major limb amputations in our community. Many individuals in our community are living with chronic foot wounds that, when infected, can ultimately lead to limb loss. We understand the magnitude of this problem and are committed to offering same-day or next-day appointments. In many cases, we can even perform in-office procedures to treat certain infections and help keep patients out of the hospital. Dr. Chiu and Dr. Lingao have narrowed down their practice to where they don't do typical elective surgeries that most podiatrists do, such as elective bunion and hammertoe surgery, in order to be available for emergent surgical services. By offering timely, expert care, we aim to give everyone the best possible chance to walk again.

Amputation Prevention Team Available for Emergent Consults

Our amputation prevention team is available to provide emergent consultations at major hospitals in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho. Whether it’s a diabetic foot infection, severe wound, or another urgent condition, we are here to support hospital teams and patients with expert surgical and medical care.

Contact Us for Immediate Care

If you need to speak with one of our podiatrists for an urgent consult, you can call our clinic at (505) 247-4164. Our receptionist or after-hours service will forward your message to the on-call podiatrist, who will do their best to return your call as soon as possible. If you have our direct cell phone numbers, feel free to text or call us directly.

Urgent Appointments Within One Business Day

For urgent but non-emergent appointments, please call our office during regular business hours. We guarantee an appointment within one working day to ensure your urgent foot and ankle concerns are addressed promptly.

Thank you for trusting us with your care. Our dedicated team is here to provide compassionate, expert service when it matters most.