“Accredited Educational Program”- A program meeting the current requirements of the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

“APTA”- American Physical Therapy Association. Authentication. Verification of accuracy of all services provided as documented and co-signed by the licensee.

“Board”- The Board of Allied Health Professions or its designee.

“Business Records”- Any materials other than Patient Records kept in the ordinary course of a Physical Therapy business.

“Clinical Instructor”- A licensed PT or PTA who is directly responsible for a PT or PTA student.

“Co-Operative Education”- An educational approach which provides alternating or parallel periods of classroom study and supervised employment in which:

• There is a formal agreement with the institution, the student and the employer;
• The rotation between academic study and work experience is structured to further the student's education and employability; and
• The services performed by the student during the work experience are commensurate with their level of education and training.

“Direct Supervision”- A process by which a supervisor is on the premises and available to provide supervision in the form of aid, direction, and instruction when procedures or activities are performed.

“Employee Record”- A list of all individuals employed by a Physical Therapy Facility, including the following information for each employee: name; address; date of birth; job title; license type and license number for all professional licenses held; and dates of employment at the Physical Therapy Facility. For the purpose of 259 CMR 2.00 an Employee Record is considered a Business Record Endorsement. A process of licensure based on the determination that a current license from another United States of America jurisdiction is consistent with Board requirements.

“Evaluation”- The ongoing process by which a physical therapist makes clinical judgments based on data gathered during the clinical examination process; the professional assessment of the data gathered and how the therapist utilizes the interpretation of the data to determine and develop their Plan of Care for the patient.

“Examination”- The examination for licensure of the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant currently approved by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy and accepted by the Board.

“Expired”- The date of validity has passed. A lapsed or inactive license is also expired. License. A document granted by the Board as proof of the privilege that the licensee has been approved by the Board to practice his/her discipline. The license must be kept on the licensee's person and posted/filed at the site of practice.

“Limited Liability Company or L.L.C.” - Any "limited liability company" or "foreign limited liability company" as defined by M.G.L. c. 156C, § 2. Limited Liability Partnership or L.L.P. Any "registered limited liability partnership" or "foreign registered limited liability partnership".

“Patient”- An individual who receives physical therapy care, attention, services or treatment. A Client is also considered synonymous with a Patient for the purpose of 259 CMR 5.01. Physical Therapist of Record. The primary physical therapist who is responsible for providing and/or supervising of all care rendered to the patient/client. The Physical Therapist of Record will be considered the physical therapist who initially evaluated the patient and developed the patient's Plan of Care, unless otherwise designated in the record.

“Patient Record”- All recorded information regarding a patient’s clinical history, clinical examination findings, diagnosis, treatment, and consent, including billing records associated with and documenting patient care.

“Physical Therapy Aide”- A person not licensed in physical therapy who works under the direct supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant. This individual may also be known as a rehabilitation aide or some other similar title.

“Physical Therapy Cooperative Education (PT Co-op) Student” - A student who is actively enrolled and matriculating in an accredited educational program that utilizes the cooperative experience as part of its curriculum. PT Co-op Students may perform those duties of a Physical Therapy Aide and those competencies approved by their academic program, as agreed-upon by the Co-op site, and commensurate with their level of education within that program at the time of the coop experience. PT Co-op Students may only perform these functions when they are on a defined and time-based cooperative experience that is part of the CAPTE approved curricula. PT Co-op Students are not licensed to practice physical therapy and must work under the direct supervision of a physical therapist. Any Co-op Student not actively enrolled and matriculating in an accredited educational program, or not participating in a co-op experience that is part of the CAPTE approved PT curricula, including continuing to work following completion of the co-op experience, can only function as a Physical Therapy Aide.

“Physical Therapy Student”- A person who is registered in an accredited educational program and performs clinical duties, up to and including assessments under the direct supervision of a physical therapist. The supervising PT may be one of the clinical site's Clinical Instructors (CI) or the Center Clinical Coordinator of Education (CCCE) in coordination with the academic program's Director of Clinical Education (DCE). Any PT Student who is not supervised by the clinical site's CI or CCCE in coordination with the academic program's DCE, including continuing to work following completion of the academic program's supervised practice requirements, can only function as a Physical Therapy Aide. A PT Student may be called an intern. A PT Student does not possess a license to practice.

“Physical Therapist Assistant Student” - A person who is registered in an accredited educational program and performs clinical duties under the direct supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant who is one of the clinical site's Clinical Instructor (CI) or the Center Clinical Coordinator of Educator (CCCE) in coordination with the academic program's Director of Clinical Education (DCE)

“Plan of Care”- Written statements that specify the goals, the outcomes, and the predicted level of optimal improvement, specific interventions to be utilized and proposed type, amount, duration, and frequency of the interventions that are required to reach the stated goals and outcomes. The Plan of Care is based upon the results of the clinical examination and includes the anticipated discharge plan.

“Physical Therapy Facility”- A place, office, clinic or establishment in which Physical Therapy is provided on a predictable or regular basis, or in which business and patient records related to physical therapy are used or stored, which has been licensed by the Board. A Physical Therapy Facility must have a PT Compliance Officer.

“Physical Therapy” - A health profession that utilizes the application of scientific principles for the identification, prevention, remediation and rehabilitation of acute or prolonged physical dysfunction thereby promoting optimal health and function.

“Physical Therapist” - A person who is duly licensed to practice physical therapy in Massachusetts.

“Physical Therapist Assistant” - A person duly licensed in Massachusetts and who assists in the practice of physical therapy under the direction of a duly licensed physical therapist.

“PT Compliance Officer”- The Physical Therapist who has been designated by a Physical Therapy Facility as the physical therapist responsible for the operation of the Physical Therapy Facility in compliance with the laws of the Commonwealth and the rules and regulations of the Board. The appointment of a PT Compliance Officer is subject to Board approval.

“Recognized Educational Institution” - A degree-granting college or university recognized as such by the United States Office of Education of the Commonwealth.

“Renewal” - The requirement that a license, which is issued for a two (2) year period, be renewed on or before the Licensee’s birthday every two (2) years.

“Solo Practice” - A place, office, clinic or establishment in which physical therapy is provided or in which business records or patient records related to physical therapy are used or stored, and where physical therapy is solely provided by one primary physical therapist who owns at least 51% of the business and operates the physical therapy practice. In a solo practice, the physical therapist must not employ or be in partnership with any other physical therapist or physical therapist assistant.

“Student” - Any person pursuing a supervised course of study leading to a degree in athletic training, occupational therapy or physical therapy in an accredited or approved program, including co-operative education programs and post-doctoral clinical education programs. Students involved in clinical affiliations which are part of their educational program may perform duties commensurate with their level of education, in addition to those duties which may be performed by aides.

“Supervisor” - A person who holds a current unrestricted license issued by the Board authorizing such person to practice the same discipline as the supervisee(s). A supervisor possesses skill, experience or education in excess of that possessed by the supervisee(s). The supervisor is responsible for the standard of services performed by the supervisee(s) and shall have knowledge of the patients/clients receiving treatment from the supervisee(s) and the issues/problems involving such treatment. A supervisor must co-sign all treatment documentation of a temporary license holder.

“Supervision” - A process by which two or more people participate in joint effort to establish, maintain and elevate a level of performance. Supervision requires the physical presence of all parties at regularly scheduled supervision sessions. Supervision is structured according to the supervisee's qualifications, position, level of preparation, depth of experience and the environment within which the supervisee functions.

Reference

M.G.L. 112 Section 23A

259 CMR 2.01

259 CMR 5.01