WSR 15-14-091 PROPOSED RULES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (Podiatric Medical Board) [Filed June 29, 2015, 4:07 p.m.]
Original Notice.
Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 14-08-075.
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: Chapter 246-922 WAC, Podiatric physicians and surgeons, the podiatric medical board (board) is proposing amendments to sections of rule related to continuing medical education (CME) requirements for podiatric physicians and surgeons.
Hearing Location(s): Department of Health, Building 2, Suite 310, 20425 72nd Avenue South, Kent, WA 980327 [98032], on August 6, 2015.
Date of Intended Adoption: August 6, 2015.
Submit Written Comments to: Brett Cain, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, e-mail http://www3.doh.wa.gov/policyreview/, fax (360) 236-2901, by August 4, 2015.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Cece Zenker at (360) 236-4633, by August 3, 2015, TTY (800) 833-6388 or 711.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The proposal amends WAC 246-922-300 and 246-922-310 concerning CME requirements for podiatric physicians and surgeons. The proposed amendments change the current CME requirements from fifty hours every two years to one hundred hours every two years. Current rules require all CME to be scientific in nature and directly related to the delivery of patient care. The proposed changes provide for several options to earn CME credits including through self-study, completing online courses, and activities performed while serving on a hospital peer review committee or on the board.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: The board is proposing these changes to align the CME requirements for podiatric physicians and surgeons with the requirements for allopathic and osteopathic physicians. The board recognizes that there are many CME activities that contribute to professional growth and improve patient care outcomes. This proposal provides more CME options for podiatric physicians while also increasing the contact hours so that podiatric physician and surgeon CME requirements are congruent with requirements for other prescribing physicians.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.22.005, 18.22.015, and 18.130.050.
Statute Being Implemented: RCW 18.22.005, 18.22.015, and 18.130.050.
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Name of Proponent: Department of health, podiatric medical board, governmental.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting, Implementation, and Enforcement: Brett Cain, 111 Israel Road S.E., Tumwater, WA 98504, (360) 236-4766.
No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. The proposed rule would not impose more than minor costs on businesses in an industry.
A cost-benefit analysis is required under RCW 34.05.328. A preliminary cost-benefit analysis may be obtained by contacting Brett Cain, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone (360) 236-4766, fax (360) 236-2901, e-mail brett.cain@doh.wa.gov.
June 29, 2015
Suzanne M. Wilson, DPM
Chair
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 99-20-096, filed 10/5/99, effective 11/5/99)
WAC 246-922-300 Podiatric continuing education required.
(1) The ((podiatric medical)) board encourages ((licensees)) podiatric physicians and surgeons to deliver high-quality patient care. The board recognizes that continuing education programs designed to inform practitioners of recent developments within podiatric medicine and relative fields and review of various aspects of basic professional education and podiatric practice are beneficial to professional growth. The board ((encourages)) requires participation in podiatric continuing education as a mechanism to maintain and enhance competence.
(((1) Fifty contact hours of scientific podiatric continuing education is required every two years when the license is renewed to maintain a current license as provided in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 7.
Five credit hours may be granted for one hour of course instruction. A maximum of ten hours may be claimed per reporting period.
(2) Approved courses shall be scientific in nature designed to provide information and enhancement of current knowledge of the mechanisms of disease and treatment, which may include applicable clinical information.
(a) Serving as a resident in an approved post-graduate residency training program shall satisfy the continuing education credit for the reporting period.
(b) Continuing education activities which do not affect the delivery of patient care, (e.g., marketing and billing), may not be claimed for continuing education credit.)) (2) A podiatric physician and surgeon must complete one hundred hours of continuing education every two years and comply with chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 7 and WAC 246-922-310.
(3) To satisfy the continuing medical education requirements identified in subsection (2) of this section, a podiatric physician and surgeon may:
(a) Serve as a resident in an approved postgraduate residency training program; or
(b) Certify or recertify within the previous four years with a specialty board.
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 99-20-096, filed 10/5/99, effective 11/5/99)
WAC 246-922-310 Categories of creditable podiatric continuing education activities.
((The following categories of creditable podiatric continuing education activities sponsored by the following organizations are approved by the board. The credits must be earned in the twenty-four month period preceding the licensee's reporting period. One contact hour is defined as a typical fifty-minute classroom instructional session or its equivalent.
(1) Scientific courses or seminars approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association and its component societies and affiliated and related organizations.
(2) Scientific courses or seminars offered by accredited, licensed, or otherwise approved hospitals, colleges, and universities and their associated foundations and institutes offering continuing education programs in podiatric medicine.
(3) Scientific courses or seminars offered by recognized nonpodiatric medical and health-care related societies (e.g., the American Medical Association, the American Physical Therapy Association) offering continuing education programs related to podiatric medicine.
(4) Scientific courses or seminars offered by other nonprofit organizations, other proprietary organizations, and individuals offering continuing education in podiatric medicine.
(5) A post-graduate residency training program accredited by the council on podiatric medical education.)) To meet the requirements of WAC 246-922-300, a podiatric physician and surgeon shall earn continuing medical education in the following board-approved categories:
(1) Category 1 - A minimum of fifty hours; however, all one hundred credit hours may be earned in this category. Category 1 activities include:
(a) Scientific courses or seminars approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association and its component societies and affiliated and related organizations; and
(b) Scientific courses or seminars offered by the American Medical Association, the American Osteopathic Association, the American Heart Association, or the American Physical Therapy Association offering continuing education programs related to podiatric medicine.
(2) Category 2 - A maximum of fifty hours. Category 2 activities include courses or seminars related to health care delivery offered by entities with nonaccredited sponsorship such as nonprofit organizations, other proprietary organizations, and individuals offering continuing education in podiatric medicine.
(3) Category 3 - A maximum of fifty hours. Category 3 credit hours and activities include:
(a) Up to twenty hours through teaching, lecturing, and publishing in a peer-reviewed, scientific journal or textbook;
(b) Up to twenty hours through online study and programs;
(c) Up to twenty hours through self-study including, but not limited to, specialty board examination preparation, reading papers and publications, or viewing or attending exhibits; and
(d) Up to thirty hours for participation on a staff committee for quality of care or utilization review in a health care institution or government agency, such as serving on a hospital peer-review committee or serving as a board member on the podiatric medical board.
(4) One contact hour is defined as a typical fifty-minute classroom instructional session or its equivalent.
(5) The board will not give prior approval for any continuing medical education. The board will accept any continuing education that reasonably falls within these regulations and relies upon the integrity of each individual podiatric physician and surgeon to comply with these requirements.
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