Massachusetts Physical Therapy Identification and Notifications

Individual Identification

• Physical therapists shall use the initials PT immediately after their name.

• Physical therapist students shall use the initials PT/s immediately after their name.

• Physical therapist assistants shall use the initials PTA immediately after their name.

• Physical therapist assistant students shall use the initials PTA/s immediately after their name.

• Physical therapist or physical therapist assistant applicants practicing under the direction of a licensee (Temporary License) shall use the initials PT/c or PTA/c immediately after their name.

Required Disclosure

Any physical therapist who is involved in the private practice of physical therapy, to whom a patient is referred by a person licensed or registered who derives income directly or indirectly from the physical therapy service, shall disclose to the patient that the referring person derives income from the provision of such service, unless such services are provided pursuant to a financial arrangement between a health maintenance organization or a preferred provider arrangement and the participating providers of such health maintenance organization or preferred provider arrangement.

Such ownership interest shall be in writing posted in the office of the person providing such physical therapy in a conspicuous place and shall be of such size and nature so that the average person would take notice of it.

Said posted notice shall contain the names of all persons who maintain an ownership interest.

For the purpose of this section, the term ''ownership interest'' shall mean any and all ownership interest including, but not limited to, any membership, proprietary interest, stock interest, partnership interest, co-ownership in any form or any profit-sharing arrangement.

The board of allied health professionals shall prescribe by regulation that physical therapists report such ownership interest and referrals to the said board. Violation of this section shall constitute grounds for disciplinary action by the board of allied health professionals.

Notice of Ownership Interest

A physical therapist involved in the private practice of physical therapy to whom a patient is referred by a person licensed or registered under M.G.L. c. 112 who derives income directly or indirectly from the physical therapy services shall file with the Board not later than January 31 of each even numbered year the following:

• A copy of the "Notice of Ownership Interest" containing the names of all persons maintaining an ownership interest in such practice, which notice is required to be posted in a conspicuous space in the office of the physical therapist. (M.G.L. c. 112, § 23P½)
•  A report of the number of referrals to such practice during the previous 24 month period by each person licensed under M.G.L. c. 112 who has an ownership in such practice.

Ownership interest shall mean any and all ownership interest including, but not limited to any membership, proprietary interest, stock interest, partnership interest, co-ownership in any form or any profit sharing arrangement.

Citations

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 112 § 23P1/2