The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 26 : Professions and Occupations

Chapter 038 : Physical Therapists

Subchapter 001 : General Provisions

• § 2086. Patient care management

  (a) A physical therapist shall be professionally responsible and legally liable for all aspects of the physical therapy care of each of his or her patients. The Director of the Office of Professional Regulation shall identify by rule physical therapy services that only a physical therapist may perform. At a minimum, a physical therapist shall provide:

  (1) the initial examination and documentation for each of his or her patients;

  (2) periodic reexamination and documentation of each of his or her patients;

  (3) the documented discharge of the patient, including the response to therapeutic intervention at the time of discharge.

  (b) A physical therapist shall ensure the qualifications of all physical therapist assistants and physical therapy aides under his or her direction or supervision.

  (c) For each of his or her patients on each date of treatment, a physical therapist shall provide all of the therapeutic intervention that requires the expertise of a physical therapist and shall determine the use of physical therapist assistants or physical therapy aides who provide for the delivery of care that is safe, effective, and efficient, provided the assigned acts, tasks, or procedures do not exceed the person’s education or training and provided:

  (1) A physical therapist assistant shall work under a physical therapist’s supervision. A physical therapist assistant may document care pursuant to the existing treatment plan from the supervising physical therapist.

  (2) A physical therapist may use physical therapy aides for designated routine tasks. A physical therapy aide shall work under the on-site supervision of a physical therapist who is continuously on site and present at the facility, who is immediately available to assist the person being supervised in the services being performed, and who maintains continued involvement in appropriate aspects of each treatment session in which a component of treatment is assigned. This supervision by the physical therapist may extend to off-site supervision of the aide only when the physical therapy aide is accompanying and working directly with a physical therapist assistant with a specific patient or when performing nonpatient-related tasks.

  (d) A physical therapist’s responsibility for patient care management shall include accurate documentation of and billing for the services provided.

  (e) A physical therapist shall be responsible for communicating the status of a patient’s progress and other relevant information to the patient’s referring health care professional unless the patient declines to authorize release of the patient’s physical therapy records. (Added 2007, No. 141 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. July 1, 2009.)