S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1908
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
(PREFILED)
January 9, 2013
___________
Introduced by Sen. LIBOUS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law and the public health law, in relation
to the practice of podiatry; to repeal sections 7009 and 7010 of the
education law relating to ankle surgery; and to repeal subdivision 4-a
of section 2995-d of the public health law, relating to a healthcare
practitioners database
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 7001 of the education law, as amended by chapter
677 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows:
S 7001. Definition of practice of podiatry. 1. The practice of the
profession of podiatry is defined as diagnosing, treating, operating and
prescribing for any disease, injury, deformity or other condition of the
foot, [and may include] ANKLE AND ALL SOFT TISSUE STRUCTURES OF THE LEG
BELOW THE DISTAL TIBIAL TUBEROCITY. SURGICAL TREATMENT OF THE ANKLE
SHALL NOT EXTEND BEYOND THE TIBIAL METAPHYSEAL FLAIR; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
THAT SUCH SURGICAL TREATMENT MAY EXTEND TO THE DISTAL TIBIAL TUBEROCITY
AS NECESSARY FOR THE TREATMENT OF THE ANKLE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
TO, THE APPLICATION OF EXTERNAL FIXATION; AND PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT
SUCH TREATMENT SHALL NOT INCLUDE PILON FRACTURES. THE PRACTICE OF PODIA-
TRY INCLUDES performing physical evaluations in conjunction with [the
provision of] podiatric treatment. Podiatrists [may] SHALL ONLY treat
traumatic open wound fractures [only] AND PROVIDE SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF
COMPLICATED FRACTURES OF THE ANKLE in hospitals [, as defined in] OR
AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTERS CERTIFIED PURSUANT TO article twenty-eight of
the public health law. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE, THE TERM
"ANKLE" SHALL BE DEFINED AS THE DISTAL METAPHYSIS AND EPIPHYSIS OF THE
TIBIA AND FIBULA, THE ARTICULAR CARTILAGE OF THE DISTAL TIBIA AND DISTAL
FIBULA, THE LIGAMENTS THAT CONNECT THE DISTAL METAPHYSIS AND EPIPHYSIS
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05263-01-3
S. 1908 2
OF THE TIBIA AND FIBULA AND TALUS, AND THE PORTIONS OF SKIN, SUBCUTANE-
OUS TISSUE, FASCIA, MUSCLES, TENDONS AND NERVES AT OR BELOW THE LEVEL OF
THE MYOTENDINOUS JUNCTION OF THE TRICEPS SURAE.
2. [The practice of podiatry shall not include treating any part of
the human body other than the foot, nor treating fractures of the
malleoli or cutting operations upon the malleoli. Podiatrists licensed
to practice, but not authorized to prescribe or administer narcotics
prior to the effective date of this subdivision, may do so only after
certification by the department in accordance with the qualifications
established by the commissioner.] The practice of podiatry shall include
administering only local anesthetics for therapeutic purposes as well as
for anesthesia and treatment under general anesthesia administered by
authorized persons.
3. PODIATRISTS LICENSED TO PRACTICE PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF
THIS SUBDIVISION MAY PERFORM SURGICAL TREATMENT OF THE ANKLE ONLY AFTER
CERTIFICATION BY THE DEPARTMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE QUALIFICATIONS
ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSIONER. QUALIFICATIONS TO OPERATE ON THE ANKLE,
PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION, SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO: THE
SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A RESIDENCY PROGRAM OR PROGRAMS, APPROVED BY
THE COUNCIL ON PODIATRIC MEDICAL EDUCATION; OR COMPLETION OF A POST-SEC-
ONDARY ACCREDITED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMMISSIONER
WITH DEMONSTRATED COMPETENCY IN THE SURGICAL TREATMENT OF THE REAR FOOT
AND ANKLE; OR CERTIFICATION BY THE AMERICAN BOARD OF PODIATRIC SURGERY
OR A NATIONAL CERTIFYING BOARD HAVING CERTIFICATION STANDARDS ACCEPTABLE
TO THE COMMISSIONER.
S 2. Section 7001 of the education law, as amended by chapter 438 of
the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
S 7001. Definition of practice of podiatry. 1. The practice of the
profession of podiatry is defined as diagnosing, treating, operating and
prescribing for any disease, injury, deformity or other condition of the
foot, [and may include] ANKLE AND ALL SOFT TISSUE STRUCTURES OF THE LEG
BELOW THE DISTAL TIBIAL TUBEROCITY. SURGICAL TREATMENT OF THE ANKLE
SHALL NOT EXTEND BEYOND THE TIBIAL METAPHYSEAL FLAIR; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
THAT SUCH SURGICAL TREATMENT MAY EXTEND TO THE DISTAL TIBIAL TUBEROCITY
AS NECESSARY FOR THE TREATMENT OF THE ANKLE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
TO, THE APPLICATION OF EXTERNAL FIXATION; AND PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT
SUCH TREATMENT SHALL NOT INCLUDE PILON FRACTURES. THE PRACTICE OF PODIA-
TRY INCLUDES performing physical evaluations in conjunction with [the
provision of] podiatric treatment. [For the purposes of wound care
however, the practice of podiatry shall include the treatment of such
wounds if they are contiguous with wounds relating, originating or in
the course of treatment of a wound on the foot within the podiatric
scope of practice. Wound care shall not, however, extend beyond to the
level ending at the distal tibial tuberosity. The practice of podiatry
may also include diagnosing, treating, operating and prescribing for any
disease, injury, deformity or other condition of the ankle and soft
tissue of the leg below the tibial tuberosity if the podiatrist has
obtained an issuance of a privilege to perform podiatric standard ankle
surgery or advanced ankle surgery in accordance with section seven thou-
sand nine of this article.] Podiatrists [may] SHALL ONLY treat traumatic
open wound fractures [only] AND PROVIDE SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF COMPLI-
CATED FRACTURES OF THE ANKLE in hospitals[, as defined in] OR AMBULATORY
SURGERY CENTERS CERTIFIED PURSUANT TO article twenty-eight of the public
health law. For the purposes of this article, the term "ankle" shall be
defined as the distal metaphysis and epiphysis of the tibia and fibula,
the articular cartilage of the distal tibia and distal fibula, the liga-
S. 1908 3
ments that connect the distal metaphysis and epiphysis of the tibia and
fibula and talus, and the portions of skin, subcutaneous tissue, facia,
muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves at or below the level of the
myotendinous junction of the triceps surae.
2. [The practice of podiatry shall not include treating any part of
the human body other than the foot, nor treating fractures of the
malleoli or cutting operations upon the malleoli unless the podiatrist
obtains an issuance of a privilege to perform podiatric standard ankle
surgery or podiatric advanced ankle surgery. Podiatrists who have
obtained an issuance of a privilege to perform podiatric standard ankle
surgery may perform surgery on the ankle which may include soft tissue
and osseous procedures except those procedures specifically authorized
for podiatrists who have obtained an issuance of a privilege for
advanced ankle surgery. Podiatrists who have obtained an issuance of a
privilege to perform podiatric advanced ankle surgery may perform
surgery on the ankle which may include ankle fracture fixation, ankle
fusion, ankle arthroscopy, insertion or removal of external fixation
pins into or from the tibial diaphysis at or below the level of the
myotendinous junction of the triceps surae, and insertion and removal of
retrograde tibiotalocalcanneal intramedullary rods and locking screws up
to the level of the myotendinous junction of the triceps surae, but does
not include the surgical treatment of complications within the tibial
diaphysis related to the use of such external fixation pins. Podiatrists
licensed to practice, but not authorized to prescribe or administer
narcotics prior to the effective date of this subdivision, may do so
only after certification by the department in accordance with the quali-
fications established by the commissioner.] The practice of podiatry
shall include administering only local anesthetics for therapeutic
purposes as well as for anesthesia and treatment under general anes-
thesia administered by authorized persons. [The practice of podiatry by
any licensee shall not include partial or total ankle replacements nor
the treatment of pilon fractures.]
3. PODIATRISTS LICENSED TO PRACTICE PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF
THIS SUBDIVISION MAY PERFORM SURGICAL TREATMENT OF THE ANKLE ONLY AFTER
CERTIFICATION BY THE DEPARTMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE QUALIFICATIONS
ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSIONER. QUALIFICATIONS TO OPERATE ON THE ANKLE,
PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION, SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO: THE
SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A RESIDENCY PROGRAM OR PROGRAMS, APPROVED BY
THE COUNCIL ON PODIATRIC MEDICAL EDUCATION; OR COMPLETION OF A POST-SEC-
ONDARY ACCREDITED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMMISSIONER
WITH DEMONSTRATED COMPETENCY IN THE SURGICAL TREATMENT OF THE REAR FOOT
AND ANKLE; OR CERTIFICATION BY THE AMERICAN BOARD OF PODIATRIC SURGERY
OR A NATIONAL CERTIFYING BOARD HAVING CERTIFICATION STANDARDS ACCEPTABLE
TO THE COMMISSIONER.
S 3. Sections 7009 and 7010 of the education law are REPEALED.
S 4. Paragraph (i) of subdivision 1 of section 230-d of the public
health law, as added by chapter 365 of the laws of 2007, is amended to
read as follows:
(i) "Licensee" shall mean an individual licensed or otherwise author-
ized under [articles] ARTICLE one hundred thirty-one [or], one hundred
thirty-one-B OR ONE HUNDRED FORTY-ONE of the education law.
S 5. Paragraph (i) of subdivision 1 of section 230-d of the public
health law, as amended by chapter 438 of the laws of 2012, is amended to
read as follows:
(i) "Licensee" shall mean an individual licensed or otherwise author-
ized under article one hundred thirty-one, one hundred thirty-one-B[,
S. 1908 4
individuals who have obtained an issuance of a privilege to perform
podiatric standard or advanced ankle surgery pursuant to subdivisions
one and two of section seven thousand nine] OR ONE HUNDRED FORTY-ONE of
the education law.
S 6. Subdivision 4-a of section 2995-d of the public health law is
REPEALED and a new subdivision 4-a is added to read as follows:
4-A. IN COOPERATION WITH THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, STUDY HEALTH CARE
PRACTITIONER DATA RELATING TO PODIATRISTS. SUCH STUDY SHALL INCLUDE
CONSIDERATION OF WHETHER AN INDIVIDUAL PODIATRIST PROFILING PROGRAM
SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED AND OUTLINE AN APPROPRIATE METHOD TO DEVELOP AND
IMPLEMENT SUCH A PROFILING PROGRAM IF SUCH A PROGRAM IS DETERMINED BY
THE DEPARTMENT TO BE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST. SUCH PROGRAM AND RECOMMEN-
DATIONS MAY BE SIMILAR TO THE PHYSICIAN PROFILES ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO
SECTION TWENTY-NINE HUNDRED NINETY-FIVE-A OF THIS TITLE. SUCH A PROPOSED
PODIATRIST PROFILING PROGRAM, IF SUCH A PROGRAM IS DETERMINED BY THE
DEPARTMENT TO BE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, SHOULD BE CAPABLE OF PRESENT-
ING, IN A COST EFFECTIVE MANNER, RELEVANT MEDICAL AND TREATMENT INFORMA-
TION IN A FORMAT THAT IS EASILY UNDERSTOOD BY AND MADE AVAILABLE TO THE
GENERAL PUBLIC. SUCH STUDY AND ITS FINDINGS SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE
GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE
ASSEMBLY, THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE AND THE MINORITY LEADER OF
THE ASSEMBLY ON OR BEFORE JUNE FIRST, TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN;
S 7. This act shall take effect 18 months after it shall have become a
law, except that sections two and five of this act shall take effect on
the same date and in the same manner as chapter 438 of the laws of 2012
takes effect; provided, however, that effective immediately, the addi-
tion, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for
the implementation of the provisions of this act on its effective date
are authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such
effective date.