Definitions

1   In this regulation:

"Act" means the Health Professions Act;

"compound" means to mix with one or more other ingredients;

"dispense" has the same meaning as in the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act, but excludes a sale, as defined in that Act;

"podiatric medicine" means the health profession in which a person provides the services of prevention, treatment and palliation of diseases, disorders and conditions of

(a) the foot, and

(b) the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and other tissues of the lower leg that affect the foot or foot function,

but does not include any treatment of the foot or lower leg that may affect the course of treatment of a systemic disease unless the treatment of the foot or lower leg is provided in collaboration with a medical practitioner;

"prescribe" means to issue a "prescription" as defined in the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act;

"registrant" means a registrant who is authorized under the bylaws to practise podiatric medicine.

[am. B.C. Reg. 168/2020, Sch. 2, s. 1.]

College name

2   The name of the college responsible for carrying out the objects of the Act in respect of podiatric medicine is "College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia".

[en. B.C. Reg. 168/2020, Sch. 2, s. 2.]

Reserved titles

3   (1) The following titles are reserved for exclusive use by registrants:

(a) podiatrist;

(b) podiatric surgeon;

(c) surgeon;

(d) doctor.

(2) This section does not prevent a person from using

(a) the title "doctor" or "surgeon" in a manner authorized by another enactment that regulates a health profession, or

(b) an academic or educational designation that the person is entitled to use.

Scope of practice

4   A registrant may practise podiatric medicine.

Restricted activities

5   (1) A registrant in the course of practising podiatric medicine may do any of the following:

(a) make a diagnosis identifying, as the cause of signs or symptoms of the individual, a disease, disorder or condition of the foot or lower leg;

(b) perform a procedure on tissue below the dermis of the foot or lower leg;

(c) set or cast a fracture of a bone of the foot or lower leg;

(d) reduce a dislocation of a joint of the foot or lower leg;

(e) administer intravenous fluids by injection;

(f) for the purpose of arthroscopic surgery of the ankle, put an instrument or a device, hand or finger into an artificial opening into the body;

(g) apply

(i) laser, for the purpose of cutting or destroying tissue, or

(ii) X-rays, for diagnostic or imaging purposes, excluding X-rays for the purpose of computerized axial tomography;

(h) issue an instruction or authorization for another person to apply, to a named individual,

(i) ultrasound for diagnostic or imaging purposes, excluding any application of ultrasound to a fetus,

(ii) electromagnetism for the purpose of magnetic resonance imaging, or

(iii) X-rays for diagnostic or imaging purposes, including X-rays for the purpose of computerized axial tomography;

(i) in respect of a drug specified in Schedule I or II of the Drug Schedules Regulation, B.C. Reg. 9/98,

(i) prescribe the drug,

(ii) compound the drug,

(iii) dispense the drug, or

(iv) administer the drug by any method;

(j) conduct challenge testing for allergies

(i) that involves injection, scratch tests or inhalation, if the individual being tested has not had a previous anaphylactic reaction, or

(ii) by any method, if the individual being tested has had a previous anaphylactic reaction.

(2) Only a registrant may provide a service that includes the performance of an activity set out in section 5 (1).

[am. B.C. Reg. 168/2020, Sch. 2, s. 3.]

Patient relations program

6   The college is designated for the purposes of section 16 (2) (f) of the Act.

Health profession corporations

7   Part 4 of the Act applies to podiatric medicine.