What changed in HF 174

0 passages reworded, 8 added and 6 removed; 0 of 14 unchanged.

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Section 1. Section 148A.1, Code 2023, is amended to read as follows: 148A.1 Definitions —— referral —— authorization.

1.

Section 1.

a. As used in this chapter, “board”:

NEW SECTION. 148A.5A Referral for diagnostic imaging.

a. “Board” means the board of physical and occupational therapy created under chapter 147.

1. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, a physical therapist, as part of the physical therapy patient evaluation and treatment as specified under section 148A.1, may order diagnostic imaging to be performed and interpreted by other appropriately licensed health care professionals.

b. As used in this chapter, “physical therapy” is that “Physical therapy” means the branch of science that deals with the evaluation and treatment of human capabilities and impairments. Physical therapy uses the effective properties of physical agents including, but not limited to, mechanical devices, heat, cold, air, light, water, electricity, and sound, and therapeutic exercises, and rehabilitative procedures to prevent, correct, minimize, or alleviate a physical impairment.

2. Unless a patient does not have a primary care provider, a physical therapist who orders diagnostic imaging shall report the results of the diagnostic imaging to the patient’s designated primary care provider within seven days following receipt of the results to ensure patient coordination of care.

(1) Physical therapy includes the interpretation of performances, tests, and measurements, the establishment and modification of physical therapy programs, treatment planning, consultative services, instructions to the patients, and the administration and supervision attendant to physical therapy facilities.

3. The board of physical and occupational therapy shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section and to ensure patient coordination of care.

(2) Physical therapy permits the referral of a patient by a physical therapist for diagnostic imaging, including plain radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging, provided the diagnostic imaging is performed and the results are interpreted by an appropriately licensed and qualified health care professional. The physical therapist who ordered the diagnostic imaging shall report the results of the diagnostic imaging to the patient’s designated primary care provider within seven days following receipt of the results to ensure patient coordination of care, unless the patient does not have a designated primary care provider or the health care professional who performed and interpreted the diagnostic imaging previously provided the results to the primary care provider.

4. For the purposes of this section, “diagnostic imaging” means medical imaging technologies that are used to view the human body in order to diagnose, monitor, or treat medical conditions. “Diagnostic imaging” includes but is not limited to ultrasound imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, x-ray imaging, and computed tomography.

2. Physical therapy evaluation and treatment may be rendered by a physical therapist with or without a referral from a physician, podiatric physician, dentist, or chiropractor, except that a hospital may require that physical therapy evaluation and treatment provided in the hospital shall be done only upon prior review by and authorization of a member of the hospital’s medical staff.