Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 490-5-.01 - Responsibility of the Licensed Physical Therapist in Supervision and Direction of the Physical Therapist Assistant

(1) A licensed physical therapist shall at all times be responsible for providing adequate supervision of the physical therapists assistant, as defined in Rule 490-5-.02.

(2) The licensed physical therapist shall be present in the same institutional setting, as defined in paragraph (3) of this section, 25 percent of any work week, Monday through Friday, and shall be readily available to the assistant at all other times, including weekend coverage, for advice, assistance and instruction.

(3) "Institutional setting" means any nursing home, acute hospital, convalescent hospital, rehabilitation center, other inpatient facility by any other name and outpatient clinic which would include private office.

(4) The licensed physical therapist in the home health setting responsible for the patient shall supervise the physical therapist assistant working with the patient and shall:

(a) perform the initial patient evaluation to establish a physical therapy diagnosis, treatment goals, frequency, duration, and plan of care;

(b) meet with the assistant no less than once weekly to review all patients being treated;

(c) document all meetings with the assistant and subsequent decisions;

(d) be available to the assistant at all times for advice, assistance, and instructions.

(5) A licensed physical therapist shall be designated as the physical therapist assistant's supervisor in the school setting and shall:

(a) perform all physical therapy evaluations to develop or amend physical therapy interventions stated on the student's Individual Educational Plan (IEP) for the purpose of assisting with the achievement of educational goals and objectives, including frequency and duration of physical therapy services.

(b) make an on-site visit to each student scheduled for direct weekly services from the physical therapist assistant no less than every two (2) months, and no less than once every five (5) months for students who are scheduled with the physical therapist assistant once monthly or less. The on-site visit shall include, but not be limited to, a case review, reassessment of the program and physical therapy services and review of documentation pre pared by the physical therapist assistant.

(c) document the on-site visit including status of case(s), program or services status or change and indicate instructions given to the physical therapist assistant.

(d) interact with the physical therapist assistant in appropriate ways specific to the goals and objectives stated in the IEP of the student who is scheduled for sessions with the physical therapist assistant.

(e) be available to the physical therapist assistant at all times for advice, assistance and instructions.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 490-5-.01

O.C.G.A. §§ 43-1-24; 43-1-25; 43-33-3(6); 43-33-10(11).

Original Rule entitled "Responsibility of the Licensed Physical Therapist in Supervision and Direction of the Physical Therapy Assistant" was filed on April 7, 1978; effective April 27, 1978. Amended: Filed November 27, 1984; effective December 17, 1984. Amended: F. May 26, 1993; eff. June 15, 1993. Amended: F. Nov. 22, 1996; eff. Dec. 12, 1996. Amended: F. Feb. 27, 1998; eff. Mar. 19, 1998. Amended: F. Feb. 25, 2015; eff. Mar. 17, 2015. Amended: F. Sep. 14, 2020; eff. Oct. 4, 2020.