(a) The Board of Examiners for Physical Therapists shall have jurisdiction to hear all charges of conduct that fails to conform to the accepted standards of the practice of physical therapy brought against any person licensed as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant and, after holding a hearing, written notice of which shall be given to the person complained of, the board, if it finds such person to be guilty, may revoke or suspend such person’s license or take any of the actions set forth in § 19a-17. Any proceedings relative to such action may be begun by the filing of written charges with the Commissioner of Public Health. The causes for which such action may be taken are as follows: (1) Conviction in a court of competent jurisdiction, either within or without this state, of any crime in the practice of such person’s profession; (2) illegal, incompetent or negligent conduct in the practice of physical therapy or in the supervision of a physical therapist assistant; (3) aiding or abetting the unlawful practice of physical therapy; (4) treating human ailments by physical therapy without the oral or written referral by a person licensed in this state or in a state having licensing requirements meeting the approval of the appropriate examining board in this state to practice medicine and surgery, podiatry, naturopathy, chiropractic or dentistry if such referral is required pursuant to § 20-73; (5) failure to register with the Department of Public Health as required by law; (6) fraud or deception in obtaining a license; (7) engaging in fraud or material deception in the course of professional services or activities; (8) failure to comply with the continuing education requirements of § 20-73b; (9) violation of any provision of this chapter, or any regulation adopted under this chapter; or (10) failure to provide information to the Department of Public Health required to complete a health care provider profile, as set forth in § 20-13j.

Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 20-73a

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Physical therapist: means a person licensed to practice physical therapy in this state. See Connecticut General Statutes 20-66
  • Physical therapist assistant: means a person licensed to assist in the practice of physical therapy in this state under the supervision of a physical therapist. See Connecticut General Statutes 20-66
  • Physical therapy: includes the establishment and modification of physical therapy programs, treatment planning, instruction, wellness care, peer review, consultative services and the use of low-level light laser therapy for the purpose of accelerating tissue repair, decreasing edema or minimizing or eliminating pain, but does not include surgery, the prescribing of drugs, the development of a medical diagnosis of disease, injury or illness, the use of cauterization or the use of Roentgen rays or radium for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. See Connecticut General Statutes 20-66
  • supervision: means the overseeing of or the participation in the work of a physical therapist assistant by a licensed physical therapist, including, but not limited to: (A) Continuous availability of direct communication between the physical therapist assistant and a licensed physical therapist. See Connecticut General Statutes 20-66
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

(b) The clerk of any court in this state in which a person practicing physical therapy has been convicted of any crime as described in this section shall, immediately after such conviction, transmit a certified copy, in duplicate, of the information and judgment, without charge, to the Department of Public Health, containing the name and address of the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant, the crime of which the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant has been convicted and the date of conviction. The hearing on such charges shall be conducted in accordance with the regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Public Health in accordance with chapter 54. Any person aggrieved by a final decision of the board may appeal from the decision as provided in § 4-183. Such appeal shall have precedence over nonprivileged cases in respect to order of trial. The Attorney General shall act as attorney in the public interest in defending against such an appeal. The board may petition the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford to enforce any action taken pursuant to § 19a-17.

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