Share:
Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | November 3, 2023 12:13 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Rosemary M. Brown |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Physical Therapy Direct Access and Treatment Timeframe |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation to amend the Physical Therapy Practice Act to make it consistent with other jurisdictions, in regards to treatment timeframe and direct access. Currently, a physical therapist with a certificate of authorization may only treat an individual without a referral for up to 30 days from the date of first treatment. A physical therapist may not currently treat an individual beyond 30 days from the date of first treatment unless he or she has obtained a referral from a physician for such treatment. This legislation would revise the time period to permit a physical therapist to treat an individual without a referral for up to 60 days from the first date of treatment, a timeframe consistent with contemporary standards of practice and entry level physical therapist training and education. Lastly, this legislation would remove the requirement that a physical therapist hold certificate of authorization to practice physical therapy by direct access. This update to the act would make it consistent with other jurisdictions and is supported by the profession’s education, training and previous transition to an entry level doctoral degree. Please join me in cosponsoring this legislation. If you have any questions regarding this legislation, please contact Christine Zubeck in my office at 717-787-6123 or czubeck@pasen.gov. Thank you for your consideration. |
Introduced as SB1042