SECTION 1. Chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out section 13 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 13. Podiatry, as used in this chapter, shall mean the diagnosis and treatment of the structures of the human foot and ankle by medical, mechanical, surgical, manipulative and electrical means, including, but not limited to, the treatment of the local manifestation of systemic conditions as they present in the foot and ankle, partial amputation of the foot and tendon surgery in the foot and ankle, including the achilles tendon. The practice of podiatry shall not include the administration of a general anesthetic or amputation of the entire foot. Ankle surgery involving bone shall (i) include, but not exceed, portions of the fibula and tibia that directly relate to the ankle; (ii) be performed in a hospital or surgical center; (iii) require credentialing by the hospital or surgical center; and (iv) require either (1) board certification approved by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery, (2) board certification as considered appropriate by the board of registration in podiatry, (3) supervision of a podiatric physician who is board certified by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery who has ankle privileges, until competency is established to achieve credentialing by the hospital or surgical center or (4) supervision of a board certified allopathic or osteopathic physician who has ankle privileges, until competency is established to achieve credentialing by the hospital or surgical center.
This section and sections 14 to 22, inclusive, shall not apply to surgeons of the United States army, navy or the United States Public Health Service, nor to physicians registered in the commonwealth. The term physician and surgeon when used in sections 12B, 12G, 23N and 80B shall include a podiatrist acting within the limitations imposed by this section.
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The General Court provides this information as a public service and while we endeavor to keep the data accurate and current to the best of our ability, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.