Public Act 093-1010
 
SB2382 Enrolled LRB093 16068 AMC 41694 b

    AN ACT concerning professional regulation.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Illinois Physical Therapy Act is amended by
changing Sections 1, 2, 16.5, 17, 31, and 32.2 as follows:
 
    (225 ILCS 90/1)  (from Ch. 111, par. 4251)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2006)
    Sec. 1. Definitions. As used in this Act:
    (1) "Physical therapy" means the evaluation or treatment of
a person by the use of the effective properties of physical
measures and heat, cold, light, water, radiant energy,
electricity, sound, and air; and the use of therapeutic
massage, therapeutic exercise, mobilization, and the
rehabilitative procedures with or without assistive devices
for the purposes of preventing, correcting, or alleviating a
physical or mental disability, or promoting physical fitness
and well-being. Physical therapy includes, but is not limited
to: (a) performance of specialized tests and measurements, (b)
administration of specialized treatment procedures, (c)
interpretation of referrals from physicians, dentists,
advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, and
podiatrists, (d) establishment, and modification of physical
therapy treatment programs, (e) administration of topical
medication used in generally accepted physical therapy
procedures when such medication is prescribed by the patient's
physician, licensed to practice medicine in all its branches,
the patient's physician licensed to practice podiatric
medicine, the patient's advanced practice nurse, the patient's
physician assistant, or the patient's dentist, and (f)
supervision or teaching of physical therapy. Physical therapy
does not include radiology, electrosurgery, chiropractic
technique or determination of a differential diagnosis;
provided, however, the limitation on determining a
differential diagnosis shall not in any manner limit a physical
therapist licensed under this Act from performing an evaluation
pursuant to such license. Nothing in this Section shall limit a
physical therapist from employing appropriate physical therapy
techniques that he or she is educated and licensed to perform.
A physical therapist shall refer to a licensed physician,
advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, dentist, or
podiatrist any patient whose medical condition should, at the
time of evaluation or treatment, be determined to be beyond the
scope of practice of the physical therapist.
    (2) "Physical therapist" means a person who practices
physical therapy and who has met all requirements as provided
in this Act.
    (3) "Department" means the Department of Professional
Regulation.
    (4) "Director" means the Director of Professional
Regulation.
    (5) "Committee" means the Physical Therapy Examining
Committee approved by the Director.
    (6) "Referral" means a written or oral authorization for
physical therapy services for a patient by a physician,
dentist, advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, or
podiatrist who maintains medical supervision of the patient and
makes a diagnosis or verifies that the patient's condition is
such that it may be treated by a physical therapist for the
purpose of this Act means the following of guidance or
direction to the physical therapist given by the physician,
dentist, or podiatrist who shall maintain supervision of the
patient.
    (7) "Documented current and relevant diagnosis" for the
purpose of this Act means a diagnosis, substantiated by
signature or oral verification of a physician, dentist,
advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, or podiatrist,
that a patient's condition is such that it may be treated by
physical therapy as defined in this Act, which diagnosis shall
remain in effect until changed by the physician, dentist,
advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, or podiatrist.
    (8) "State" includes:
        (a) the states of the United States of America;
        (b) the District of Columbia; and
        (c) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
    (9) "Physical therapist assistant" means a person licensed
to assist a physical therapist and who has met all requirements
as provided in this Act and who works under the supervision of
a licensed physical therapist to assist in implementing the
physical therapy treatment program as established by the
licensed physical therapist. The patient care activities
provided by the physical therapist assistant shall not include
the interpretation of referrals, evaluation procedures, or the
planning or major modification of patient programs.
    (10) "Physical therapy aide" means a person who has
received on the job training, specific to the facility in which
he is employed, but who has not completed an approved physical
therapist assistant program.
    (11) "Advanced practice nurse" means a person licensed
under the Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing Act who has a
collaborative agreement with a collaborating physician that
authorizes referrals to physical therapists.
    (12) "Physician assistant" means a person licensed under
the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987 who has been
delegated authority to make referrals to physical therapists.
(Source: P.A. 92-651, eff. 7-11-02.)
 
    (225 ILCS 90/2)  (from Ch. 111, par. 4252)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2006)
    Sec. 2. Licensure requirement; exempt activities. Practice
without a license forbidden - exception. No person shall after
the date of August 31, 1965 begin to practice physical therapy
in this State or hold himself out as being able to practice
this profession, unless he is licensed as such in accordance
with the provisions of this Act. After the effective date of
this amendatory Act of 1990, no person shall practice or hold
himself out as a physical therapist assistant unless he is
licensed as such under this Act. A physical therapist shall use
the initials "PT" in connection with his or her name to denote
licensure under this Act, and a physical therapist assistant
shall use the initials "PTA" in connection with his or her name
to denote licensure under this Act.
    This Act does not prohibit:
        (1) Any person licensed in this State under any other
    Act from engaging in the practice for which he is licensed.
        (2) The practice of physical therapy by those persons,
    practicing under the supervision of a licensed physical
    therapist and who have met all of the qualifications as
    provided in Sections 7, 8.1, and 9 of this Act, until the
    next examination is given for physical therapists or
    physical therapist assistants and the results have been
    received by the Department and the Department has
    determined the applicant's eligibility for a license.
    Anyone failing to pass said examination shall not again
    practice physical therapy until such time as an examination
    has been successfully passed by such person.
        (3) The practice of physical therapy for a period not
    exceeding 6 months by a person who is in this State on a
    temporary basis to assist in a case of medical emergency or
    to engage in a special physical therapy project, and who
    meets the qualifications for a physical therapist as set
    forth in Sections 7 and 8 of this Act and is licensed in
    another state as a physical therapist.
        (4) Practice of physical therapy by qualified persons
    who have filed for endorsement for no longer than one year
    or until such time that notification of licensure has been
    granted or denied, whichever period of time is lesser.
        (5) One or more licensed physical therapists from
    forming a professional service corporation under the
    provisions of the "Professional Service Corporation Act",
    approved September 15, 1969, as now or hereafter amended,
    and licensing such corporation for the practice of physical
    therapy.
        (6) Physical therapy aides from performing patient
    care activities under the on-site supervision of a licensed
    physical therapist or licensed physical therapist
    assistant. These patient care activities shall not include
    interpretation of referrals, evaluation procedures, the
    planning of or major modifications of, patient programs.
        (7) Physical Therapist Assistants from performing
    patient care activities under the general supervision of a
    licensed physical therapist. The physical therapist must
    maintain continual contact with the physical therapist
    assistant including periodic personal supervision and
    instruction to insure the safety and welfare of the
    patient.
        (8) The practice of physical therapy by a physical
    therapy student or a physical therapist assistant student
    under the on-site supervision of a licensed physical
    therapist. The physical therapist shall be readily
    available for direct supervision and instruction to insure
    the safety and welfare of the patient.
        (9) The practice of physical therapy as part of an
    educational program by a physical therapist licensed in
    another state or country for a period not to exceed 6
    months.
(Source: P.A. 90-580, eff. 5-21-98.)
 
    (225 ILCS 90/16.5)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2006)
    Sec. 16.5. Advertising services.
    (a) A licensee shall include in every advertisement for
services regulated under this Act his or her title as it
appears on the license or the initials authorized under this
Act.
    (b) It is unlawful for any person licensed under this Act
to use testimonials or claims of superior quality of care to
entice the public. It shall be unlawful to advertise fee
comparisons of available services with those of other persons
licensed under this Act.
    (c) This Act does not authorize the advertising of
professional services that the offeror of such services is not
licensed to render. Nor shall the advertiser use statements
that contain false, fraudulent, deceptive or misleading
material or guarantees of success, play upon the vanity or
fears of the public, or promote or produce unfair competition.
    (d) It is unlawful and punishable under Section 31 for any
person licensed under this Act to knowingly advertise that the
licensee will accept as payment for services rendered by
assignment from any third-party payor the amount the
third-party payor covers as payment in full, if the effect is
to give the impression of eliminating the need of payment by
the patient of any required deductible or copayment applicable
in the patient's health benefit plan.
    (e) As used in this Section, "advertise" means solicitation
by the licensee or through another by means of handbills,
posters, circulars, motion pictures, radio, newspapers, or
television or in any other manner.
(Source: P.A. 91-310, eff. 1-1-00.)
 
    (225 ILCS 90/17)  (from Ch. 111, par. 4267)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2006)
    Sec. 17. (1) The Department may refuse to issue or to
renew, or may revoke, suspend, place on probation, reprimand,
or take other disciplinary action as the Department deems
appropriate, including the issuance of fines not to exceed
$5000, with regard to a license for any one or a combination of
the following:
        A. Material misstatement in furnishing information to
    the Department or otherwise making misleading, deceptive,
    untrue, or fraudulent representations in violation of this
    Act or otherwise in the practice of the profession;
        B. Violations of this Act, or of the rules or
    regulations promulgated hereunder;
        C. Conviction of any crime under the laws of the United
    States or any state or territory thereof which is a felony
    or which is a misdemeanor, an essential element of which is
    dishonesty, or of any crime which is directly related to
    the practice of the profession; conviction, as used in this
    paragraph, shall include a finding or verdict of guilty, an
    admission of guilt or a plea of nolo contendere;
        D. Making any misrepresentation for the purpose of
    obtaining licenses, or violating any provision of this Act
    or the rules promulgated thereunder pertaining to
    advertising;
        E. A pattern of practice or other behavior which
    demonstrates incapacity or incompetency to practice under
    this Act;
        F. Aiding or assisting another person in violating any
    provision of this Act or Rules;
        G. Failing, within 60 days, to provide information in
    response to a written request made by the Department;
        H. Engaging in dishonorable, unethical or
    unprofessional conduct of a character likely to deceive,
    defraud or harm the public. Unprofessional conduct shall
    include any departure from or the failure to conform to the
    minimal standards of acceptable and prevailing physical
    therapy practice, in which proceeding actual injury to a
    patient need not be established;
        I. Unlawful distribution of any drug or narcotic, or
    unlawful conversion of any drug or narcotic not belonging
    to the person for such person's own use or benefit or for
    other than medically accepted therapeutic purposes;
        J. Habitual or excessive use or addiction to alcohol,
    narcotics, stimulants, or any other chemical agent or drug
    which results in a physical therapist's or physical
    therapist assistant's inability to practice with
    reasonable judgment, skill or safety;
        K. Revocation or suspension of a license to practice
    physical therapy as a physical therapist or physical
    therapist assistant or the taking of other disciplinary
    action by the proper licensing authority of another state,
    territory or country;
        L. Directly or indirectly giving to or receiving from
    any person, firm, corporation, partnership or association
    any fee, commission, rebate or other form of compensation
    for any professional services not actually or personally
    rendered. Nothing contained in this paragraph prohibits
    persons holding valid and current licenses under this Act
    from practicing physical therapy in partnership under a
    partnership agreement, including a limited liability
    partnership, a limited liability company, or a corporation
    under the Professional Service Corporation Act or from
    pooling, sharing, dividing, or apportioning the fees and
    monies received by them or by the partnership, company, or
    corporation in accordance with the partnership agreement
    or the policies of the company or professional corporation;
        M. A finding by the Committee that the licensee after
    having his or her license placed on probationary status has
    violated the terms of probation;
        N. Abandonment of a patient;
        O. Willfully failing to report an instance of suspected
    child abuse or neglect as required by the Abused and
    Neglected Child Reporting Act;
        P. Willfully failing to report an instance of suspected
    elder abuse or neglect as required by the Elder Abuse
    Reporting Act;
        Q. Physical illness, including but not limited to,
    deterioration through the aging process, or loss of motor
    skill which results in the inability to practice the
    profession with reasonable judgement, skill or safety;
        R. The use of any words (such as physical therapy,
    physical therapist physiotherapy or physiotherapist),
    abbreviations, figures or letters with the intention of
    indicating practice as a licensed physical therapist
    without a valid license as a physical therapist issued
    under this Act;
        S. The use of the term physical therapist assistant, or
    abbreviations, figures, or letters with the intention of
    indicating practice as a physical therapist assistant
    without a valid license as a physical therapist assistant
    issued under this Act;
        T. Willfully violating or knowingly assisting in the
    violation of any law of this State relating to the practice
    of abortion;
        U. Continued practice by a person knowingly having an
    infectious, communicable or contagious disease;
        V. Having treated ailments of human beings otherwise
    than by the practice of physical therapy as defined in this
    Act, or having treated ailments of human beings as a
    licensed physical therapist independent of a documented
    referral or a documented current and relevant diagnosis
    from a physician, dentist, advanced practice nurse,
    physician assistant, or podiatrist, or having failed to
    notify the physician, dentist, advanced practice nurse,
    physician assistant, or podiatrist who established a
    documented current and relevant diagnosis that the patient
    is receiving physical therapy pursuant to that diagnosis;
        W. Being named as a perpetrator in an indicated report
    by the Department of Children and Family Services pursuant
    to the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, and upon
    proof by clear and convincing evidence that the licensee
    has caused a child to be an abused child or neglected child
    as defined in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act;
        X. Interpretation of referrals, performance of
    evaluation procedures, planning or making major
    modifications of patient programs by a physical therapist
    assistant;
        Y. Failure by a physical therapist assistant and
    supervising physical therapist to maintain continued
    contact, including periodic personal supervision and
    instruction, to insure safety and welfare of patients;
        Z. Violation of the Health Care Worker Self-Referral
    Act.
    (2) The determination by a circuit court that a licensee is
subject to involuntary admission or judicial admission as
provided in the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
Code operates as an automatic suspension. Such suspension will
end only upon a finding by a court that the patient is no
longer subject to involuntary admission or judicial admission
and the issuance of an order so finding and discharging the
patient; and upon the recommendation of the Committee to the
Director that the licensee be allowed to resume his practice.
    (3) The Department may refuse to issue or may suspend the
license of any person who fails to file a return, or to pay the
tax, penalty or interest shown in a filed return, or to pay any
final assessment of tax, penalty or interest, as required by
any tax Act administered by the Illinois Department of Revenue,
until such time as the requirements of any such tax Act are
satisfied.
(Source: P.A. 89-387, eff. 1-1-96.)
 
    (225 ILCS 90/31)  (from Ch. 111, par. 4281)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2006)
    Sec. 31. Violations.
    (a) Any person who is found to have violated any provision
of this Act is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for the first
offense and a Class 4 felony for the second and any subsequent
offense.
    (b) Any person representing himself or herself or
advertising as a physical therapist or that the services he or
she renders are physical therapy services, or who uses any
words, such as physical therapy, physical therapist,
physiotherapy, or physiotherapist, abbreviations, figures, or
letters, such as "PT", "DPT", "MPT", "RPT", "LPT", or "PTA",
with the intention of indicating that he or she is engaged in
the practice of physical therapy as a licensed physical
therapist, when he or she does not possess a currently valid
license as defined herein, commits a Class A misdemeanor, for a
first offense, and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent
offense.
    (c) Any person representing himself or herself or
advertising as a physical therapist assistant or that the
services he or she renders are physical therapy services, or
who uses any words, such as physical therapy or physical
therapist assistant, or uses abbreviations, figures, or
letters, such as "PT", "DPT", "MPT", "RPT", "LPT", or "PTA",
with the intention of indicating that he or she is engaged in
the practice of physical therapy as a physical therapist
assistant, when he or she does not possess a currently valid
license as defined herein, commits a Class A misdemeanor for a
first offense, and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent
offense.
(Source: P.A. 85-342; 86-1396.)
 
    (225 ILCS 90/32.2)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2006)
    Sec. 32.2. Unlicensed practice; violation; civil penalty.
    (a) Any person who practices, offers to practice, attempts
to practice, or holds oneself out to practice physical therapy
or as a physical therapist or a physical therapist assistant
without being licensed under this Act or who violates Section
16.5 or subsection (b) or (c) of Section 31 shall, in addition
to any other penalty provided by law, pay a civil penalty to
the Department in an amount not to exceed $5,000 for each
offense as determined by the Department. The civil penalty
shall be assessed by the Department after a hearing is held in
accordance with the provisions set forth in this Act regarding
the provision of a hearing for the discipline of a licensee.
    (b) The Department has the authority and power to
investigate any and all unlicensed activity.
    (c) The civil penalty shall be paid within 60 days after
the effective date of the order imposing the civil penalty. The
order shall constitute a judgment and may be filed and
execution had thereon in the same manner as any judgment from
any court of record.
(Source: P.A. 89-387, eff. 1-1-96.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.