The sharing of professional premises between chiropodists and other health professionals is a delicate issue that affects ethics, health safety and confidentiality of care. The National Council of the Order of Chiropodists has issued clear recommendations on this subject, based on the regulatory requirements in force.
Unable to share the treatment and consultation room
According to the ethical recommendation adopted by the National Council on February 18, 2021, it is strictly forbidden to share the treatment and consultation room of the chiropodist-podiatrist with other professionals. This prohibition also applies to the room intended for the execution of orthoses and other podiatric devices.
Reasons for the ban:
- Confidentiality and safety of care: Article R.4322-77 of the Public Health Code imposes strict rules to ensure confidentiality, quality of care and patient safety. Chiropodists must follow specific procedures adapted to their practice, particularly in terms of hygiene and sterilization.
- Specificity of equipment: The technical platform of a podiatry-chiropody practice includes specific equipment which only the podiatrist-chiropody specialist knows how to use and adjust in complete safety.
- Pollution and degradation risks: Rooms such as the workshop or laboratory are potentially dangerous places due to the risks of pollution (dust, glue fumes, solvents) and the equipment used. Sharing these spaces with other professionals could lead to degradation and harm patient safety.
- Protection of clinical data: Respect for professional confidentiality requires that the treatment room and the separate room are not shared in order to protect patients' clinical data.
Possibility to share the waiting and sterilization room
On the other hand, sharing the waiting room and the sterilization room is possible under certain conditions. This sharing can be done with the following professions:
- Doctors
- Dental surgeons
- Midwives
- Physiotherapists
- Nurses
- Speech therapists
- Orthoptists
- Dieticians
- Chiropractors
- Occupational Therapists
- Osteopaths (DO)
- Psychomotor therapists
- Clinical psychologists
- Psychotherapists registered in the national register of psychotherapists
Sharing conditions:
- Separation and independence of the sterilization room: The sterilization room must be separate and independent from the treatment and/or consultation room.
- Multidisciplinary structures: As part of groupings within multidisciplinary health centers, the waiting room can also be shared with medical-social or social professionals, as well as with pharmacists for therapeutic education or prevention activities.
- Compliance with ethical rules: The sharing of premises must respect the rules of confidentiality, professional independence and professional secrecy. It must also follow the recommendations of good professional practices.
- Formalized agreement: The sharing must be formalized by an agreement transmitted to the regional or interregional council of the competent Order. This agreement must not create a situation of cronyism, prohibited by article R.4322-42 of the public health code.
- Clarity of activities: The chiropodist-podiatrist must ensure that there is no confusion in the minds of the public between the different activities of the professionals sharing the premises.
The sharing of premises between chiropodists and other healthcare professionals must be considered with caution and must comply with regulatory and ethical requirements. Although sharing the waiting room and the sterilization room is possible, the treatment room and the room intended for equipment must remain exclusively dedicated to chiropodists to ensure the safety and confidentiality of care.
For more details, you can consult the complete recommendations on the website of the National Council of the Order of Chiropodists-Podiatrists here .
