Senate Bill 792 (2020) — Physical therapy
SB 792
Florida Bills
Florida Senate - 2020 SB 792 By Senators Albritton and Harrell 25-00774A-20 2020792__ Page 1 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to physical therapy; amending s. 2 486.021, F.S.; revising the
definitions of the terms 3 “physical therapy assessment” and “practice of 4 physical therapy”; amending s. 486.025, F.S.; revising 5 the powers and duties of the Board of Physical Therapy 6 Practice; providing an effective date. 7 8 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 9 10
Section 1. Subsections (10) and (11) of
section 486.021, 11 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 12 486.021
Definitions.—In this chapter, unless the context 13 otherwise requires, the term: 14 (10) “Physical therapy assessment” means observational, 15 verbal, or manual determinations of the function of the human 16 movement systems musculoskeletal or neuromuscular system 17 relative to physical therapy, including, but not limited to, 18 range of motion of a joint, motor power, motor control, posture 19 postural attitudes, biomechanical function, locomotion, or 20 functional abilities, for the purpose of physical therapy making 21 recommendations for treatment. 22 (11) “Practice of physical therapy” means the performance 23 of physical therapy assessments and the treatment of any 24 disability, injury, disease, or other health condition of human 25 beings, or the prevention of such disability, injury, disease, 26 or other health condition of health, and the rehabilitation of 27 such disability, injury, disease, or other health condition as 28 related thereto by alleviating impairments, functional 29 Florida Senate - 2020 SB 792 25-00774A-20 2020792__ Page 2 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. limitations, and disabilities by designing, implementing, and 30 modifying treatment interventions through therapeutic exercise; 31 functional training in self-care and in-home, community, or work 32 integration or reintegration; manual therapy; therapeutic 33 massage; airway clearance techniques; maintaining and restoring 34 integumentary integrity and wound care; physical agents or 35 modalities; mechanical and electrotherapeutic modalities; 36 patient-related instruction the use of the physical, chemical, 37 and other properties of air; electricity; exercise; massage; the 38 performance of acupuncture only upon compliance with the 39 criteria set forth by the Board of Medicine, when no penetration 40 of the skin occurs; the use of radiant energy, including 41 ultraviolet, visible, and infrared rays; ultrasound; water; the 42 use of apparatus and equipment in the application of such 43 treatment, prevention, or rehabilitation the foregoing or 44 related thereto; the performance of tests of neuromuscular 45 functions as an aid to the diagnosis or treatment of any human 46 condition; or the performance of electromyography as an aid to 47 the diagnosis of any human condition only upon compliance with 48 the criteria set forth by the Board of Medicine. 49 (
a) A physical therapist may implement a plan of treatment 50 developed by the physical therapist for a patient or provided 51 for a patient by a practitioner of record or by an advanced 52 practice registered nurse licensed under s. 464.012. The 53 physical therapist shall refer the patient to or consult with a 54 practitioner of record if the patient’s condition is found to be 55 outside the scope of physical therapy.
If physical therapy 56 treatment for a patient is required beyond 30 days for a 57 condition not previously assessed by a practitioner of record, 58 Florida Senate - 2020 SB 792 25-00774A-20 2020792__ Page 3 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. the physical therapist shall have a practitioner of record 59 review and sign the plan.
The requirement that a physical 60 therapist have a practitioner of record review and sign a plan 61 of treatment does not apply when a patient has been physically 62 examined by a physician licensed in another state, the patient 63 has been diagnosed by the physician as having a condition for 64 which physical therapy is required, and the physical therapist 65 is treating the condition. For purposes of this paragraph, a 66 health care practitioner licensed under
chapter 458,
chapter 67 459,
chapter 460,
chapter 461, or
chapter 466 and engaged in 68 active practice is eligible to serve as a practitioner of 69 record. 70 (
b) The use of roentgen rays and radium for diagnostic and 71 therapeutic purposes and the use of electricity for surgical 72 purposes, including cauterization, are not “physical therapy” 73 for purposes of this chapter. 74 (
c) The practice of physical therapy does not authorize a 75 physical therapy practitioner to practice chiropractic medicine 76 as defined in
chapter 460, including specific spinal 77 manipulation. For the performance of specific chiropractic 78 spinal manipulation, a physical therapist shall refer the 79 patient to a health care practitioner licensed under
chapter 80 460. 81 (
d) This subsection does not authorize a physical therapist 82 to implement a plan of treatment for a patient currently being 83 treated in a facility licensed pursuant to
chapter 395. 84
Section
Section 486.025, Florida Statutes, is amended to 85 read: 86 486.025 Powers and duties of the Board of Physical Therapy 87 Florida Senate - 2020 SB 792 25-00774A-20 2020792__ Page 4 of 4 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Practice.—The board may administer oaths, summon witnesses, take 88 testimony in all matters relating to its duties under this 89 chapter, establish or modify minimum standards of the practice 90 of physical therapy as defined in s. 486.021, including, but not 91 limited to, standards for the performance of dry needling by 92 physical therapists, and adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) 93 and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this chapter.
The 94 board may also review the standing and reputability of any 95 school or college offering courses in physical therapy and 96 whether the courses of such school or college in physical 97 therapy meet the standards established by the appropriate 98 accrediting agency referred to in s. 486.031(3)(a). In 99 determining the standing and reputability of any such school and 100 whether the school and courses meet such standards, the board 101 may investigate and personally inspect the school and courses 102 make personal inspection of the same. 103