MO PT Juris flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Biennial license renewal

Missouri physical therapist and physical therapist assistant licenses renew every two years; the licensee pays a fee and attests to completed continuing education before the renewal deadline to keep the license active.

Licensure by endorsement

An out-of-state licensee may apply for a Missouri license; the board verifies education, examination scores, and the disciplinary history of every jurisdiction where the applicant has been licensed.

Protected titles PT and PTA

Only persons holding a Missouri license may use the titles physical therapist, physical therapist assistant, PT, or PTA; unlicensed use of these titles violates the practice act.

Practicing on a lapsed license

Treating patients after a license expires, is suspended, or is revoked constitutes unlicensed practice and exposes the individual to criminal penalties in addition to disciplinary action.

Statutory definition of physical therapy

Missouri defines physical therapy as examining, evaluating, and treating physical impairments and functional limitations through exercise, manual techniques, physical agents, and tests and measurements, and instructing patients in related care.

Physical therapy diagnosis

A physical therapist identifies movement and impairment-based dysfunction to guide treatment; the therapist does not diagnose disease or render a medical diagnosis reserved to physicians and other prescribers.

PTA scope of practice

A physical therapist assistant performs selected interventions and data collection delegated by a supervising physical therapist within an established plan of care, and may not evaluate, modify the plan, or discharge.

Physical therapy aide duties

An aide is unlicensed support personnel who may perform non-treatment tasks such as transporting patients, clerical work, and preparing equipment, but may not provide skilled physical therapy interventions.

Direct supervision

The supervising physical therapist is physically present in the same facility and immediately available to the assistant or aide being supervised while the delegated service is performed.

General supervision

The physical therapist is not on site but is accessible by telephone or other means and has authorized the treatment under a plan of care the therapist established.

Non-delegable therapist duties

Initial examination and evaluation, establishing and modifying the plan of care, and discharge decisions remain with the physical therapist and cannot be assigned to an assistant or aide.

Delegation accountability

The delegating physical therapist remains responsible for the delegated service, including the patient outcome, the appropriateness of the task, and the completeness of the documentation.

Fee splitting

Dividing or paying a portion of a professional fee to a person who did not provide the service, including payment for referrals, is prohibited and is a ground for discipline.

Patient abandonment

Ending a therapeutic relationship without reasonable notice, referral, or transition of care is misconduct, especially when the patient still needs services and no alternative is arranged.

Sexual misconduct with patients

Sexual contact or exploitation of a current patient is prohibited and is a serious ground for license discipline, even when the patient appears to consent or initiates contact.

Impaired practice

A therapist who cannot practice safely because of illness, alcohol, drugs, or a mental condition must not treat patients and must not permit an impaired colleague to treat.

Initial evaluation content

The record includes examination findings, impairment-based diagnosis, prognosis, measurable goals, interventions, frequency and duration, and any consultation or referral the patient needs.

Late entry documentation

Notes written after the fact are dated with the actual date and time of entry, labeled as late entries, and never back-dated to the date the treatment occurred.

Patient record retention

Physical therapy records must be kept for the period required by board rule, commonly applied as a minimum of seven years, with longer retention for records of minor patients.

Records release authorization

Patient records are released on a written, signed authorization identifying the information, recipient, and purpose, unless a statute, subpoena, or payer contract authorizes the disclosure.

Informed consent elements

Before treatment the patient receives the nature of the intervention, expected benefits, material risks, reasonable alternatives, and the consequences of refusing, all documented in the record.

Consent for minors

Treatment of a minor generally requires the consent of a parent or legal guardian; an unemancipated minor cannot consent to physical therapy independently.

HIPAA treatment payment operations

Disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations may be made without written authorization, while all other uses and disclosures require a valid patient authorization.

Mandatory disclosure exceptions

Confidentiality yields when law requires reporting, including suspected child abuse, elder or vulnerable adult abuse, certain communicable diseases, and responses to valid court orders.

Grounds for board discipline

Causes include unlicensed practice, fraud in obtaining a license, negligence or incompetence, practicing beyond scope, substance impairment, sexual misconduct, patient abuse, and inadequate records.

Board disciplinary sanctions

The board may censure or reprimand, impose probation, suspend or revoke a license, assess a civil penalty, order restitution, and require additional continuing education.

Child abuse reporting

A licensee who suspects child abuse or neglect must report to the Missouri Children's Division hotline, and a good faith report carries immunity from civil liability.

Elder abuse reporting

Suspected abuse or neglect of a senior or vulnerable adult must be reported to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, and failure to report is itself a violation.

Continuing education requirement

Missouri physical therapists complete 30 contact hours of board-approved continuing education per biennial renewal cycle, subject to content and category limits set by board rule.

CE approval sources

Acceptable providers include board-recognized organizations such as APTA and its components, accredited physical therapy programs, and other sponsors the board approves; unapproved coursework does not count.

CE record retention

Certificates of completion and course documentation are kept for the period required by board rule and produced on audit or random review at the time of renewal.

Continued competence beyond CE

Competence requires ongoing practice and training in each technique performed; a therapist should not use a modality or procedure not maintained through current education and active practice.