Section 844IAC6-1-2. Definitions

   (a) The definitions in this section apply throughout this article.

  (b) "Board" refers to the medical licensing board of Indiana.

  (c) "Bureau" refers to the health professions bureau.

  (d) "Committee" refers to the Indiana physical therapy committee.

  (e) "Contact hour" means a unit of measure for a continuing competency activity. One (1) contact hour equals at least fifty (50) minutes in a learning activity.

  (f) "Continuing competency" means those continuing competency activities as used in 844 IAC 6-8-1.

  (g) "Direct supervision" means that the supervising physical therapist or physician at all times shall be available and under all circumstances shall be absolutely responsible for the direction and the actions of the person supervised when services are performed by the physical therapist's assistant or holder of a temporary permit issued under IC 25-27-1-8(d). For the holder of a temporary permit issued under IC 25-27-1-8(d), unless the supervising physical therapist or physician is on the premises to provide constant supervision, the holder of a temporary permit shall meet with the physical therapist or physician at least once each working day to review all patients' treatments. This meeting must include the actual presence of the physical therapist or physician and the holder of a temporary permit. The patient's care shall always be the responsibility of the supervising physical therapist or physician. Reports written by the holder of a temporary permit for inclusion in the patients' record shall be countersigned by the physical therapist or physician who may enter any remarks, revisions, or additions as the physical therapist or physician deems appropriate. With respect to the supervision of physical therapist's assistants under IC 25-27-1-2(c), unless the supervising physical therapist or physician is on the premises to provide constant supervision, the physical therapist's assistant shall consult with the supervising physical therapist or physician at least once each working day to review all patients' treatments. The supervising physical therapist or physician shall examine each patient not less than:

(1) every fourteen (14) days for inpatients in either a hospital or comprehensive rehabilitation facility;

(2) the earlier of every ninety (90) days or six (6) physical therapy visits for patients in a facility for the mentally retarded (MR) and developmentally disabled (DD) and school system patients; and

(3) the earlier of every thirty (30) days or every fifteen (15) physical therapy visits for all other patients;

to review the patients' treatment and progress. If this daily consultation is not face-to-face, the physical therapist or physician may not supervise more than the equivalent of three (3) full-time physical therapist's assistants. A consultation between a supervising physical therapist or a physician and the physical therapist's assistant may be in person, by telephone, or by a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), so long as there is interactive communication concerning patient care.

  (h) "Physical therapist's assistant" means a person who is registered by the committee to assist in the practice of physical therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed physical therapist or under the direct supervision of a physician by performing those assigned physical therapy procedures identified in subsection (i)(3), but not those specified in subsection (i)(1) or (i)(2).

  (i) "Physical therapy" includes, but is not limited to, such measures as the following:

(1) Performing and interpreting tests and measurements of neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, cardiac, and pulmonary functions as a part of treatment, interpretation of physician referrals, initial patient evaluation, initial and ongoing treatment planning, periodic reevaluation of the patient, and adjustment of the treatment plan.

(2) Planning initial and subsequent treatment programs on the basis of test findings and within the orders of a referring practitioner who is licensed to practice medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, podiatry, or chiropractic.

(3) Administering treatment through the use of physical, chemical, or other properties of heat or cold, light, water, electricity, massage, mechanical devices, and therapeutic exercise, which includes all types of physical rehabilitative techniques and procedures.

(Medical Licensing Board of Indiana; 844 IAC 6-1-2; filed Mar 10, 1983, 3:59 p.m.: 6 IR 773; filed Jun 11, 1984, 1:02 p.m.: 7 IR 1937; filed Mar 6, 1986, 3:00 p.m.: 9 IR 1662; filed Aug 6, 1987, 3:00 p.m.: 10 IR 2731; filed Apr 14, 1994, 5:00 p.m.: 17 IR 2077; filed Sep 22, 1994, 4:30 p.m.: 18 IR 261; readopted filed Nov 9, 2001, 3:16 p.m.: 25 IR 1325; filed Aug 26, 2004, 10:15 a.m.: 28 IR 209; readopted filed Nov 17, 2010, 9:48 a.m.: 20101215-IR-844100405RFA; filed Jan 30, 2013, 12:31 p.m.: 20130227-IR-844120204FRA)