In addition to those standards specifically expressed in chapter 18.22 RCW and chapter 18.130 RCW, the board adopts the standards that follow in governing or regulating the practice of podiatric physicians and surgeons within the state of Washington.

Podiatric medicine and surgery is that specialty of medicine and research that seeks to diagnose, treat, correct and prevent ailments of the human foot. A podiatrist shall hold foremost the principal objectives to render appropriate podiatric medical services to society and to assist individuals in the relief of pain or correction of abnormalities, and shall always endeavor to conduct himself or herself in such a manner to further these objectives.

The podiatric physician and surgeon owes to his or her patients a reasonable degree of skill and quality of care. To this end, the podiatric physician and surgeon shall endeavor to keep abreast of new developments in podiatric medicine and surgery and shall pursue means that will lead to improvement of his or her knowledge and skill in the practice of podiatric medicine and surgery. "Quality of care" consists of the following elements:

(1) Necessity of care.

(2) Appropriateness of service rendered in view of the diagnosis.

(3) Utilization of services (over or under).

(4) Quality of service(s) rendered.

(5) Whether the service(s) reported had been actually rendered.