Physical therapists shall not initiate treatment for a new injury or illness without a prescription from a health care provider. Therapists may examine and treat persons with recurring self-limited injuries within one year of diagnosis or a previously diagnosed chronic illness without a prescription or direction of a health care provider. Requirements for notification of and referral to health care providers are enumerated.

Physical therapy treatment shall only be delegated to assistants or those in entry level professional education programs when those individuals who satisfy supervised clinical education requirements are supervised onsite by a physical therapist.

Examination requirements for candidates for licenses to practice physical therapy are modified to include certain entry-level competence and the Missouri laws and rules relating to physical therapy. The act removes a provision that denies a license to those who have failed a licensing examination 3 or more times.

Requirements relating to temporary licenses for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants are modified. Licensed physical therapists supervising temporary licensees must have an unencumbered license, actively practice in the state at least one year prior to supervision, and not be an immediate family member of the applicant for the temporary license.

Licensees shall maintain adequate and complete patient records and the required contents are enumerated. Records are required to be kept for seven years from the date the last professional was provided.

Reciprocity for out-of-state practitioners is authorized.

Certain provisions that govern all licensees under chapter 334 including guidelines for the expungement of records of complaints by prisoners, fees, obtaining inactive licenses, publishing lists of licensees by the board, issuance of orders suspending licenses for cause, revocations, and injunctions are reiterated in sections specifically relating to physical therapists and physical therapist assistants.

CHRIS HOGERTY