March 27, 2020

In a time of unprecedented burden on the US health-care system due to the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic, podiatric physicians and surgeons stand ready to serve. The APMA Board of Trustees has approved a position statement supporting the loosening of scope-of-practice restrictions for podiatrists to allow them to assist in easing the burden.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar issued a letter to governors urging them to take immediate action, including relaxing certain scope-of-practice requirements.

Podiatrists, who are educated and trained to standards comparable to MDs and DOs, could provide significant relief by volunteering to alleviate trauma burden in emergency departments, providing wound care treatment above the ankle, in addition to serving in triage and medical management capacities.

APMA encourages state component societies to contact their state officials to support the relaxation of requirements in their own states. Interested podiatric physicians should work through their state components to confirm state policies and are encouraged to speak with their professional liability carrier.

Read Statement 

Many members have asked about how an expansion of scope-of-practice would be covered by their medical professional liability coverage. PICA has provided the following statement:

“During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are asked about medical professional liability coverage related to Federal and State Laws and Executive Orders that may expand the scope of practice for our policyholders. As our policy is a scope of practice policy, policyholders coverage is expanded accordingly by these individual State and Federal laws or executive orders and will remain in effect until these laws or executive orders are rescinded.”

If you are not a PICA policyholder, contact your provider for more information.