Subdivision 1. Grounds listed. The board may refuse to grant a license or may impose disciplinary action as described in this section against any doctor of podiatric medicine. The following conduct is prohibited and is grounds for disciplinary action:

(1) failure to demonstrate the qualifications or satisfy the requirements for a license contained in this chapter or rules of the board; the burden of proof shall be upon the applicant to demonstrate the qualifications or satisfaction of the requirements;

(2) obtaining a license by fraud or cheating or attempting to subvert the licensing examination process;

(3) conviction, during the previous five years, of a felony reasonably related to the practice of podiatric medicine;

(4) revocation, suspension, restriction, limitation, or other disciplinary action against the person's podiatric medical license in another state or jurisdiction, failure to report to the board that charges regarding the person's license have been brought in another state or jurisdiction, or having been refused a license by any other state or jurisdiction;

(5) advertising that is false or misleading;

(6) violating a rule adopted by the board or an order of the board, a state, or federal law that relates to the practice of podiatric medicine, or in part regulates the practice of podiatric medicine, or a state or federal narcotics or controlled substance law;

(7) engaging in any unethical conduct; conduct likely to deceive, defraud, or harm the public, or demonstrating a willful or careless disregard for the health, welfare, or safety of a patient; or podiatric medical practice that is professionally incompetent, in that it may create unnecessary danger to any patient's life, health, or safety, in any of which cases, proof of actual injury need not be established;

(8) failure to supervise a preceptor, resident, or other graduate trainee or undergraduate student;

(9) aiding or abetting an unlicensed person in the practice of podiatric medicine, except that it is not a violation of this clause for a podiatrist to employ, supervise, or delegate functions to a qualified person who may or may not be required to obtain a license or registration to provide health services if that person is practicing within the scope of that person's license or registration or delegated authority;

(10) adjudication as mentally incompetent, or a person who is mentally ill, or as a chemically dependent person, a person dangerous to the public, a sexually dangerous person, or a person who has a sexual psychopathic personality by a court of competent jurisdiction, within or without this state;

(11) engaging in unprofessional conduct that includes any departure from or the failure to conform to the minimal standards of acceptable and prevailing podiatric medical practice, but actual injury to a patient need not be established;

(12) inability to practice podiatric medicine with reasonable skill and safety to patients by reason of illness or chemical dependency or as a result of any mental or physical condition, including deterioration through the aging process or loss of motor skills;

(13) revealing a privileged communication from or relating to a patient except when otherwise required or permitted by law;

(14) improper management of medical records, including failure to maintain adequate medical records, to comply with a patient's request made under sections 144.291 to 144.298 or to furnish a medical record or report required by law;

(15) accepting, paying, or promising to pay a part of a fee in exchange for patient referrals;

(16) engaging in abusive or fraudulent billing practices, including violations of the federal Medicare and Medicaid laws or state medical assistance laws;

(17) becoming addicted or habituated to a drug or intoxicant;

(18) prescribing a drug for other than medically accepted therapeutic or experimental or investigative purposes authorized by a state or federal agency;

(19) engaging in sexual conduct with a patient or conduct that may reasonably be interpreted by the patient as sexual, or in verbal behavior which is seductive or sexually demeaning to a patient;

(20) failure to make reports as required by section 153.24 or to cooperate with an investigation of the board as required by section 153.20;

(21) knowingly providing false or misleading information that is directly related to the care of that patient unless done for an accepted therapeutic purpose such as the administration of a placebo.

Subd. 2. Evidence. In disciplinary actions alleging a violation of subdivision 1, clause (3) or (4), a copy of the judgment or proceeding under the seal of the court administrator or of the administrative agency that entered the same is admissible into evidence without further authentication and constitutes prima facie evidence of the contents of that judgment or proceeding.

History: 1987 c 108 s 8; 1992 c 559 art 1 s 7; 1Sp1994 c 1 art 2 s 17; 2002 c 221 s 7; 2004 c 279 art 8 s 4; 2007 c 147 art 10 s 15