Senate File 211 - Introduced SENATE FILE 211 BY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1046) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the referral of a patient for diagnostic 1 imaging by a physical therapist. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1677SV (3) 90 pf/rh

S.F. 211 Section 1. Section 148A.1, Code 2023, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 148A.1 Definitions —— referral —— authorization. 3 1. a. As used in this chapter , “board” : 4 a. “Board” means the board of physical and occupational 5 therapy created under chapter 147 . 6 b. As used in this chapter , “physical therapy” is that 7 “Physical therapy” means the branch of science that deals 8 with the evaluation and treatment of human capabilities and 9 impairments. Physical therapy uses the effective properties 10 of physical agents including , but not limited to , mechanical 11 devices, heat, cold, air, light, water, electricity, and sound, 12 and therapeutic exercises, and rehabilitative procedures to 13 prevent, correct, minimize, or alleviate a physical impairment. 14 (1) Physical therapy includes the interpretation of 15 performances, tests, and measurements, the establishment and 16 modification of physical therapy programs, treatment planning, 17 consultative services, instructions to the patients, and the 18 administration and supervision attendant to physical therapy 19 facilities. 20 (2) Physical therapy permits the referral of a patient 21 by a physical therapist for diagnostic imaging, including 22 plain radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging, provided 23 the diagnostic imaging is performed and the results are 24 interpreted by an appropriately licensed and qualified health 25 care professional. The physical therapist who ordered the 26 diagnostic imaging shall report the results of the diagnostic 27 imaging to the patient’s designated primary care provider 28 within seven days following receipt of the results to ensure 29 patient coordination of care, unless the patient does not 30 have a designated primary care provider or the health care 31 professional who performed and interpreted the diagnostic 32 imaging previously provided the results to the primary care 33 provider. 34 2. Physical therapy evaluation and treatment may 35 -1- LSB 1677SV (3) 90 pf/rh 1/ 2

S.F. 211 be rendered by a physical therapist with or without a 1 referral from a physician, podiatric physician, dentist, or 2 chiropractor, except that a hospital may require that physical 3 therapy evaluation and treatment provided in the hospital shall 4 be done only upon prior review by and authorization of a member 5 of the hospital’s medical staff. 6 EXPLANATION 7 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 8 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 9 This bill amends the definition of “physical therapy” to 10 permit the referral of a patient by a physical therapist for 11 diagnostic imaging, including plain radiographs and magnetic 12 resonance imaging, provided the diagnostic imaging is performed 13 and the results are interpreted by an appropriately licensed 14 and qualified health care professional. The physical therapist 15 who ordered the diagnostic imaging shall report the results of 16 the diagnostic imaging to the patient’s designated primary care 17 provider within seven days following receipt of the results 18 to ensure patient coordination of care, unless the patient 19 does not have a designated primary care provider or the health 20 care professional who performed and interpreted the diagnostic 21 imaging previously provided the results to the primary care 22 provider. 23 -2- LSB 1677SV (3) 90 pf/rh 2/ 2