Arizona Laws 32-2043. Supervision; patient care management
A. A physical therapist is responsible for patient care given by assistive personnel under the physical therapist’s supervision. A physical therapist may delegate to assistive personnel and supervise selected acts, tasks or procedures that fall within the scope of physical therapy practice but that do not exceed the education or training of the assistive personnel.
Terms Used In Arizona Laws 32-2043
- Board: means the board of physical therapy. See Arizona Laws 32-2001
- General supervision: means that the supervising physical therapist is on call and is readily available via telecommunications when the physical therapist assistant is providing treatment interventions. See Arizona Laws 32-2001
- including: means not limited to and is not a term of exclusion. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Interim permit: means a permit issued by the board that allows a person to practice as a physical therapist in this state or to work as a physical therapist assistant for a specific period of time and under conditions prescribed by the board before that person is issued a license or certificate. See Arizona Laws 32-2001
- On-site supervision: means that the supervising physical therapist is on site and is present in the facility or on the campus where assistive personnel or a holder of an interim permit is performing services, is immediately available to assist the person being supervised in the services being performed and maintains continued involvement in appropriate aspects of each treatment session in which a component of treatment is delegated. See Arizona Laws 32-2001
- Physical therapist: means a person who is licensed pursuant to this chapter. See Arizona Laws 32-2001
- Physical therapist assistant: means a person who meets the requirements of this chapter for certification and who performs physical therapy procedures and related tasks that have been selected and delegated by the supervising physical therapist. See Arizona Laws 32-2001
- Physical therapy: means the care and services provided by or under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist who is licensed pursuant to this chapter. See Arizona Laws 32-2001
- Physical therapy aide: means a person who is trained under the direction of a physical therapist and who performs designated and supervised routine physical therapy tasks. See Arizona Laws 32-2001
B. A physical therapist assistant certified pursuant to this chapter may perform selected interventions under the general supervision of a physical therapist licensed pursuant to this chapter.
C. A physical therapy aide and other assistive personnel shall perform designated routine tasks only under the on-site supervision of a licensed physical therapist who is present in the facility.
D. A licensed physical therapist must provide on-site supervision of an interim permit holder.
E. A physical therapist student and a physical therapist assistant student must practice under the on-site supervision of a licensed physical therapist.
F. A physical therapist is responsible for managing all aspects of the physical therapy care of each patient. A physical therapist must provide:
1. The initial evaluation of and documentation for a patient.
2. Periodic reevaluation of and documentation for a patient.
3. The documented discharge of a patient, including the response to therapeutic intervention at the time of discharge.
G. A physical therapist must verify the qualifications of physical therapist assistants and other assistive personnel under the physical therapist’s direction and supervision.
H. For each patient on each date of service, a physical therapist must provide and document all of the therapeutic intervention that requires the expertise of a physical therapist and must determine the use of physical therapist assistants and other assistive personnel to ensure the delivery of care that is safe, effective and efficient. Documentation for each date of service must be as prescribed by the board by rule.
I. A physical therapist assistant must document care provided but may do so without the co-signature of the supervising physical therapist if the physical therapist complies with the requirements of subsections G and H.
J. A physical therapist’s responsibility for patient care management includes accurate documentation and billing of the services provided.