ORS 688.135: Duties and responsibilities of physical therapist.

(1) A physical therapist licensed under ORS 688.010 to 688.201 shall: (a) Be responsible for managing all aspects of the physical therapy care of each patient. (b) Ensure the qualifications of all physical therapist assistants and physical therapist aides working under the direction and supervision of the physical therapist. (c) Provide for each patient the therapeutic intervention that requires the expertise of a physical therapist and determine and supervise the use of physical therapist assistants or physical therapist aides to provide care that is safe, effective and efficient. (2) Responsibility for patient care management shall include accurate documentation and billing of the physical therapy services provided. Information relating to the physical therapist-patient relationship is confidential and a physical therapist shall comply with the laws and rules governing the use and disclosure of a patient’s protected health information as provided in ORS 192.553 to 192.581. (3) Each physical therapist shall display a copy of the physical therapist’s license or current renewal verification in a location accessible to public view at the physical therapist’s place of practice or employment. (4) A physical therapist may purchase, store and administer topical and aerosol medications as part of the practice of physical therapy as defined in ORS 688.010. A physical therapist shall comply with any rules adopted by the State Board of Pharmacy specifying protocols for storage of medications. (5) A physical therapist shall adhere to the standards of ethics recognized by the physical therapy profession as further established by a nationally recognized professional organization of physical therapists and as further adopted by the board. (6) A physical therapist shall disclose to a patient any direct financial interest in products that the physical therapist endorses and recommends to the patient at the time of such endorsement or recommendation. The disclosure shall be documented in the patient’s record. (7) A physical therapist may provide compensable services to an injured worker only as authorized by ORS 656.250. (8) Nothing in ORS 688.010 to 688.201 shall prohibit a physical therapist licensed under ORS 688.010 to 688.201 from accepting a referral from a veterinarian licensed under ORS chapter 686. The referral must be in writing and specify the treatment or therapy to be provided, pursuant to ORS 686.040 (4). A physical therapist practicing under this subsection shall be held to the standard of care for veterinarians set forth in ORS chapter 686. (9) Unless state or federal laws relating to confidentiality or the protection of health information prohibit disclosure, a physical therapist who has reasonable cause to believe that a licensee of another board has engaged in prohibited conduct as defined in ORS 676.150 shall report the prohibited conduct in the manner provided in ORS 676.150. [2005 c.627 §16; 2009 c.536 §24] 688.135. (1) A physical therapist shall: (a) Be responsible for managing all aspects of the physical therapy care of each patient, including: (A) The initial patient evaluation, determination of diagnosis, prognosis and development of the plan of treatment intervention and appropriate documentation; (B) Patient re-evaluation, with appropriate documentation; and (C) Discharge of a patient from physical therapy with appropriate documentation that specifies the patient’s response to the treatment intervention. (b) Ensure the qualifications of all physical therapist assistants and physical therapist aides working under the direction and supervision of the physical therapist. (c) Provide for each patient the treatment intervention that requires the education, skills and knowledge of a physical therapist and determine and supervise the use of physical therapist assistants or physical therapist aides to provide care that is safe, effective and efficient. (2)(a) A physical therapist may delegate routine tasks to a physical therapy aide who works under the physical therapist’s supervision. (b) A physical therapist assistant shall work under a physical therapist’s supervision and shall document the physical therapy care and services the physical therapist assistant provides. (3) A physical therapist shall communicate the plan of treatment intervention with the patient, or the patient’s authorized representative, and obtain informed consent from the patient, or patient’s authorized representative, to carry out the plan of treatment intervention. (4)(a) A physical therapist is responsible for accurate documentation and billing of the physical therapy services provided. Information relating to the physical therapist-patient relationship is confidential and a physical therapist shall comply with the laws and rules governing the use and disclosure of a patient’s protected health information as provided in ORS 192.553 to 192.581. (b) A physical therapist assistant is responsible for the accurate documentation and billing of services provided by the physical therapist assistant. Information relating to the physical therapist assistant-patient relationship is confidential and a physical therapist assistant shall comply with the laws and rules governing the use and disclosure of a patient’s protected health information as provided in ORS 192.553 to 192.581. (5) A physical therapist and a physical therapist assistant shall display a copy of the physical therapist’s or physical therapist assistant’s license or current renewal verification in a location accessible to public view. (6) A physical therapist may purchase, store and administer topical and aerosol medications as part of the practice of physical therapy as defined in ORS 688.010. A physical therapist shall comply with any rules adopted by the State Board of Pharmacy specifying protocols for storage of medications. (7) A physical therapist and a physical therapist assistant shall adhere to the standards of ethics described in ORS 688.050 and 688.055. (8) A physical therapist shall disclose to a patient any direct financial interest in products that the physical therapist endorses and recommends to the patient at the time of the endorsement or recommendation. The physical therapist shall document the disclosure in the patient’s record. (9) A physical therapist may provide compensable services to an injured worker only as authorized by ORS 656.250. (10) Nothing in ORS 688.010 to 688.201 shall prohibit a physical therapist from accepting a referral from a veterinarian licensed under ORS chapter 686. The referral must be in writing and specify the treatment or therapy to be provided, pursuant to ORS 686.040 (4). A physical therapist practicing under this subsection shall be held to the standard of care for veterinarians set forth in ORS chapter 686 and as further defined by the Oregon Board of Physical Therapy. (11) Unless state or federal laws relating to confidentiality or the protection of health information prohibit disclosure, a physical therapist who has reasonable cause to believe that a licensee of another health professional regulatory board has engaged in prohibited conduct as defined in ORS 676.150 shall report the prohibited conduct in the manner provided in ORS 676.150.