Florida Senate - 2013                                     SB 536
       
       
       
       By Senator Detert
       
       
       
       
       28-00687-13                                            2013536__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to physical therapy; amending s.
    3         486.021, F.S.; authorizing physical therapists to
    4         implement physical therapy treatment plans of a
    5         specified duration which are provided by advanced
    6         registered nurse practitioners; providing an effective
    7         date.
    8  
    9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   10  
   11         Section 1. Subsection (11) of section 486.021, Florida
   12  Statutes, is amended to read:
   13         486.021 Definitions.—In this chapter, unless the context
   14  otherwise requires, the term:
   15         (11) “Practice of physical therapy” means the performance
   16  of physical therapy assessments and the treatment of any
   17  disability, injury, disease, or other health condition of human
   18  beings, or the prevention of such disability, injury, disease,
   19  or other condition of health, and rehabilitation as related
   20  thereto by the use of the physical, chemical, and other
   21  properties of air; electricity; exercise; massage; the
   22  performance of acupuncture only upon compliance with the
   23  criteria set forth by the Board of Medicine, when no penetration
   24  of the skin occurs; the use of radiant energy, including
   25  ultraviolet, visible, and infrared rays; ultrasound; water; the
   26  use of apparatus and equipment in the application of the
   27  foregoing or related thereto; the performance of tests of
   28  neuromuscular functions as an aid to the diagnosis or treatment
   29  of any human condition; or the performance of electromyography
   30  as an aid to the diagnosis of any human condition only upon
   31  compliance with the criteria set forth by the Board of Medicine.
   32         (a) A physical therapist may implement a plan of treatment
   33  provided for a patient by a practitioner of record or by an
   34  advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed under s.
   35  464.012. The physical therapist shall refer the patient to or
   36  consult with a health care practitioner of record licensed under
   37  chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter 460, chapter 461, or chapter
   38  466, if the patient’s condition is found to be outside the scope
   39  of physical therapy. If physical therapy treatment for a patient
   40  is required beyond 21 days for a condition not previously
   41  assessed by a practitioner of record, the physical therapist
   42  shall obtain a practitioner of record who will review and sign
   43  the plan. For purposes of this paragraph, a health care
   44  practitioner licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter
   45  460, chapter 461, or chapter 466 and engaged in active practice
   46  is eligible to serve as a practitioner of record.
   47         (b) The use of roentgen rays and radium for diagnostic and
   48  therapeutic purposes and the use of electricity for surgical
   49  purposes, including cauterization, are not authorized under the
   50  term “physical therapy” for purposes of as used in this chapter.
   51         (c) The practice of physical therapy as defined in this
   52  chapter does not authorize a physical therapy practitioner to
   53  practice chiropractic medicine as defined in chapter 460,
   54  including specific spinal manipulation. For the performance of
   55  specific chiropractic spinal manipulation, a physical therapist
   56  shall refer the patient to a health care practitioner licensed
   57  under chapter 460.
   58         (d) Nothing in This subsection does not authorize
   59  authorizes a physical therapist to implement a plan of treatment
   60  for a patient currently being treated in a facility licensed
   61  pursuant to chapter 395.
   62         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.