What type of medical practitioner is required to provide a physical therapy referral?
With amendments to the Physical Therapy Practice Act in 1998, no referral is necessary prior to initiation of physical therapy intervention. Be advised that a physical therapist would be subject to discipline if the therapist has treated or undertaken to treat human ailments, otherwise than by physical therapy, or has practiced physical therapy and failed to refer to a licensed medical doctor or dentist any patient whose medical condition should have been determined at the time of evaluation or treatment to be beyond the scope of practice of a physical therapist. If physical therapy treatment is to continue beyond 30 days from the initial evaluation and the patient was not referred by a medical doctor or dentist, then the patient must be referred to a medical doctor or dentist.
