Podiatrists: liability for emergency services.

Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of physicians and surgeons by the Medical Board of California and for the licensure and regulation of podiatrists by the California Board of Podiatric Medicine within the Medical Board of California. Existing law exempts a licensee of either of those boards from liability for civil damages for acts or omissions by the licensee in rendering specified emergency care and for injury or death caused in an emergency situation occurring in the licensee's office or a hospital on account of a failure to inform a patient of the possible consequences of a medical procedure, as specified. Existing law prohibits construing these provisions to authorize a podiatrist to act beyond certain scope of practice limitations. This bill would delete that prohibition and would state the Legislature's intent regarding that deletion.