By Brown S.B. No. 767
76R6810 SMH-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the treatment of a patient by a physical therapist
1-3 without a referral from another licensed health care professional.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 19(a)(2), Chapter 836, Acts of the 62nd
1-6 Legislature, Regular Session, 1971 (Article 4512e, Vernon's Texas
1-7 Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
1-8 (2) A licensed physical therapist may treat a patient
1-9 for an injury or condition that was not the subject of a prior
1-10 referral if [all of the following conditions are met]:
1-11 (A) before commencing therapy, the physical
1-12 therapist discloses to the patient in writing the scope and
1-13 limitations of the practice of physical therapy and obtains the
1-14 patient's written consent to the provision of physical[, within
1-15 five business days, notifies the referring licensed physician,
1-16 dentist, chiropractor, podiatrist, or other referring practitioner
1-17 of the commencement of] therapy; and
1-18 (B) the physical therapist timely refers the
1-19 patient for treatment of any injury or condition that is outside
1-20 the scope of the practice of physical therapy [for all episodes of
1-21 physical therapy subsequent to that which was initiated by the
1-22 referral, the physical therapist treats the patient for not more
1-23 than 20 treatment sessions or 30 consecutive calendar days,
1-24 whichever occurs first, whereupon the physical therapist must
2-1 confer with the referring practitioner in order to continue the
2-2 current episode of treatment; and]
2-3 [(C) the physical therapist commences any
2-4 episode of treatment provided pursuant to this subsection within
2-5 one year of the referral by the referring practitioner].
2-6 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
2-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-11 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-12 passage, and it is so enacted.