Section 73-23-33 - DefinitionsAs used in this chapter unless the context or subject matter otherwise requires:
(a) "Physical therapy" or "physiotherapy," which terms are deemed identical and interchangeable, means the art and science of a health specialty concerned with the prevention of disability, and the physical rehabilitation for congenital or acquired physical or mental disabilities, resulting from or secondary to injury or disease. The "practice of physical therapy" means the practice of the health specialty and encompasses physical therapy evaluation, treatment planning, treatment administration, instruction and consultative services, including: (i) Performing and interpreting tests and measurements as an aid to physical therapy treatment, for the purpose of correcting or alleviating any physical condition and to prevent the development of any physical or mental disability within the scope of physical therapy; and the performance of neuromuscular-skeletal tests and measurements as an aid in diagnosis, evaluation or determination of the existence of and the extent of any body malfunction;(ii) Planning initial and subsequent treatment programs, on the basis of test findings; and(iii) Administering treatment by therapeutic exercise, neurodevelopmental procedures, therapeutic massage, mechanical devices and therapeutic agents which employ the physical, chemical and other properties of air, water, heat, cold, electricity, sound and radiant energy for the purpose of correcting or alleviating any physical condition or preventing the development of any physical or mental disability. The use of roentgen rays and radium for any purpose, and the use of electricity for surgical purposes including cauterization, are not part of physical therapy;(b) "Physical therapist" means a person licensed in this state to practice physical therapy as defined in this chapter, and whose license is in good standing, or a person who holds the privilege to practice;(c) "Physical therapist assistant" means a health care worker who assists a physical therapist in the provision of physical therapy under the direct, on-site supervision of the physical therapist. The physical therapist assistant may perform physical therapy procedures and related tasks that have been selected and delegated by the supervising physical therapist, but shall not perform the following physical therapy activities: interpretation of referrals; physical therapy initial evaluation and reevaluation; identification, determination or modification of plans of care (including goals and treatment programs); final discharge assessment/evaluation or establishment of the discharge plan; or therapeutic techniques beyond the skill and knowledge of the physical therapist assistant;(d) "Referral" means the written or oral designation of physical therapy services by a doctor of medicine, dentistry, osteopathy, podiatry or chiropractic, or by a physician assistant or nurse practitioner, holding a license in good standing; and the instruction therefor may be as detailed or as general as the doctor, physician assistant or nurse practitioner in his or her sound discretion deems necessary in the particular case;(e) "Board" means the State Board of Physical Therapy established in Section 73-23-41;(f) "Direct, on-site supervision" means face-to-face oversight by a licensed physical therapist or physical therapist who holds the privilege to practice at regular intervals, as prescribed in regulations adopted by the board, of the services provided to a patient by a licensed physical therapist assistant or physical therapist assistant who holds the privilege to practice;(g) "Direct supervision" means face-to-face oversight at regular intervals of a physical therapist issued a temporary license under Section 73-23-53(1) by a licensed physical therapist. Such direct supervision shall be in accordance with the regulations adopted by the board; however, a licensed physical therapist shall be authorized to have direct supervision over not more than four (4) physical therapist assistants at one time.(h) "Privilege to practice" means the authorization to practice as a physical therapist in this state or work as a physical therapist assistant in this state under the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact provided for in Section 73-23-101.(i) "Licensee" means a person who has been issued a license to practice physical therapy or work as a physical therapy assistant in the state or who holds the privilege to practice physical therapy or work as a physical therapy assistant in the state.Laws, 1980, ch. 543, § 2; reenacted, Laws, 1988, ch. 331, § 2; Laws, 1989, ch. 528, § 1; Laws, 1990, ch. 501, § 2; Laws, 1992, ch. 443, § 1; Laws, 1997, ch. 475, § 1; Laws, 1997, ch. 581, § 1; Laws, 2002, ch. 449, § 2; Laws, 2006, ch. 510, § 3; Laws, 2008, ch. 448, § 1; Laws, 2012, ch. 370, § 1, eff. 7/1/2012.Amended by Laws, 2017, ch. 326, HB 309, 2, eff. 7/1/2017.