Physical Therapy

Practice Guidelines

Law, rules and regulations, not Guidelines, specify the requirements for practice and violating them constitutes professional misconduct. Not adhering to this Guideline may be interpreted as professional misconduct only if the conduct also violates pertinent law, rules and regulations, some citations of which are listed at the end of this Guideline.

Supervision by the Physical Therapist

Providing Supervision to the Physical Therapist Assistant

• A physical therapist assistant, with limited exceptions noted below, may only work under the on-site supervision of a licensed physical therapist. When the supervising physical therapist is not present, due to vacation, illness, or other commitments, the physical therapist assistant may not provide physical therapy care.
  
  
• A physician or other licensed health professional may not supervise a physical therapist assistant.
  
  
• The supervising physical therapist is responsible for conducting the initial evaluation of the patient and developing the plan of care. The physical therapist may delegate to another licensed person (e.g., certified physical therapist assistant, licensed massage therapist, or physical therapist or physical therapist assistant under a limited permit) those activities that are within the scope and not beyond the competency of the supervisee. The physical therapist assistant is prohibited from performing evaluation, testing, interpretation, planning or modification of the treatment plan.
  
  
• As a supervisor, the physical therapist is responsible for maintaining appropriate boundaries with all supervisees, including students, employees, and contract supervisees. You may supervise no more than four physical therapist assistants.
  
  
• On-site supervision of a physical therapist assistant is not required in certain settings, as defined in Education Law and regulations. Even in these specific settings, however, the supervising physical therapist must be involved in the implementation of the plan for patient care, including shared visits and evaluations at specified intervals.
  
  
• A physical therapist may supervise only one physical therapist under a limited permit.
  
  
  1. Supervision shall be on-site except when authorized under the law.
  2. A permittee may only work in those settings authorized under the law.