Credentialing and Privileging Resources

The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons stands unequivocally in support of the concept that any credentialing process for privileges in the specialty of foot and ankle surgery should be uniformly applied to all surgeons regardless of medical degree.

NEW!  On March 1, 2012, ACFAS launched its Credentialing and Privileging Advisory Team (CPAT). Members seeking peer-assistance related to these types of issues should email credentialing@acfas.org for access to one of ten specially-trained and experienced mentors ready to assist with credentialing and privileging issues impacting foot and ankle surgeons.

The following documents have been recently developed by the ACFAS Professional Relations Committee and staff to aid ACFAS members who are faced with a problem in obtaining or modifying institutional privileges or credentialing issues. If you have any questions regarding these documents, contact the ACFAS Health Policy department at kristin.hellquist@acfas.org  

• ACFAS Position Statement: ACFAS Guidelines for Institutional Credentialing - March 2012
• ACFAS Position Statement: Position Statement: History & Physical Privileges for Foot and Ankle Surgeons - March 2012
• ACFAS Position Statement: Credentialing of Podiatric Foot and Ankle Surgeons and Guidelines for Surgical Delineation of Privileges - July 2011 
• ACFAS Position Statement on Total Ankle Replacement Surgery
• The Education and Training of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
• Joint Commission Standards Clarification for DPMs Performing Entire History and Physical for a Patient Admitted for Care 
• Joint Commission Letter to ACFAS Members on DPM Performance History and Physicals 
• ACFAS Explanation of Centers for Medicare an Medicaid Services Rule on History and Physicals 
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS") Guidance on Hospital Medical Staff Privileging 
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Final Rule for Hospital CoPs; including DPM Performance of History & Physicals 
• Social Security Act Definition of "Physician"