12/02/2013    George Vito, DPM

Ankle Privileges in New York (Jeffrey Kass, DPM)

At first thought, the increase in the state law to
include ankle privileges is a great
milestone,however, nothing is what it appears.
Currently (as of Mid-February, there will be about
only nine current podiatrists with an active state
license who will be able to perform ankle surgery,
you must have had:

1) a three-year residency.

2) be board certified in foot surgery AND be board
certified in ankle surgery.

3) if you are only board eligible in foot surgery
AND ankle surgery, you will be allowed to perform
surgery only under another pod who is board
certified in foot surgery AND ankle surgery, until
you pass the board certification portion.

4) For those pods who were boarded with the
combination board prior to the separation of the
two entities, you're out of luck.

5) Now, the real challenge is getting the
hospitals to increase there privileges to allow
ankles to be done by podiatrists qualified to
perform such surgery.

So, for those of you in NY who want to hire an pod
to do ankles, you best bet is:

a) ensure the increase scope of practice is
allowed at your surgical center or hospital

b) If you succeeded in part a) then look for a
resident who just graduated, make sure, if he or
she is board eligible, that he or she will pass
the second portion of the boards, if you are
hiring a resident or a podiatrist who is just out
of there residency

c) and if a) is accomplished, hire a podiatrist
who has a NYS license, and is currently boarded in
foot AND ankle surgery, there is only about nine
DPMs and be ready to pay a premium for there
contract.

The powers to be, did a great job to get this law
changed, and I know most of them. They worked many
years, and accomplished a great thing, but
understand, the fight is just starting.

George Vito, DPM, Winston Salem, NC,
georgevito@aol.com

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