Criteria For Standards of Practice for Physical Therapy

 

CRITERIA FOR STANDARDS OF PRACTICE FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY

BOD S03-06-16-38 (Program 32) [Amended HOD 06-99-18-22; HOD 06-96-16-31; HOD 06-91-21-25; HOD 06-85-30-56; Initial HOD 06-80-04-04; HOD 06-80-03-03] [Standard] [Amended BOD S03-05-14-38; BOD 03-04-19-44; BOD 03-00-22-53; BOD 11-99-20-53; BOD 03-99-15-45; BOD 02-97-03-05; BOD 03-95-22-58; BOD 11-94-30-100; BOD 03-93-21-58; BOD 03-91-31-79; BOD 03-89-28-88; Initial BOD 11-85-13-56] [Standard]

The Standards of Practice for Physical Therapy are promulgated by APTA’s House of Delegates; Criteria for the Standards are promulgated by APTA’s Board of Directors. Criteria are italicized beneath the Standards to which they apply.

Preamble

The physical therapy profession’s commitment to society is to promote optimal health and function in individuals by pursuing excellence in practice. The American Physical Therapy Association attests to this commitment by adopting and promoting the following Standards of Practice for Physical Therapy. These Standards are the profession’s statement of conditions and performances that are essential for provision of high quality professional service to society, and provide a foundation for assessment of physical therapist practice.

I. Ethical/Legal Considerations

A. Ethical Considerations

The physical therapist practices according to the Code of Ethics of the American Physical Therapy Association.

The physical therapist assistant complies with the Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant of the American Physical Therapy Association.

B. Legal Considerations

The physical therapist complies with all the legal requirements of jurisdictions regulating the practice of physical therapy.

The physical therapist assistant complies with all the legal requirements of jurisdictions regulating the work of the assistant.

II. Administration of the Physical Therapy Service

A. Statement of Mission, Purposes, and Goals

The physical therapy service has a statement of mission, purposes, and goals that reflects the needs and interests of the patients/clients served, the physical therapy personnel affiliated with the service, and the community.

The statement of mission, purposes, and goals:

• Defines the scope and limitations of the physical therapy service.
• Identifies the goals and objectives of the service.
• Is reviewed annually.

B. Organizational Plan

The physical therapy service has a written organizational plan.

The organizational plan:

• Describes relationships among components within the physical therapy service and, where the service is part of a larger organization, between the service and the other components of that organization.
• Ensures that the service is directed by a physical therapist.
• Defines supervisory structures within the service.
• Reflects current personnel functions.

C. Policies and Procedures

The physical therapy service has written policies and procedures that reflect the operation, mission, purposes, and goals of the service, and are consistent with the Association’s positions, standards, guidelines, policies, procedures, and Code of Ethics.

The written policies and procedures:

• Are reviewed regularly and revised as necessary.
• Meet the requirements of federal and state law and external agencies.
• Apply to, but are not limited to:

• Care of patients/clients, including guidelines
• Clinical education
• Clinical research
• Collaboration
• Collection of patient date
• Competency assessment
• Criteria for access to care
• Criteria for initiation and continuation of care
• Criteria for referral to other appropriate health care providers
• Criteria for termination of care
• Documentation
• Environmental safety

• Equipment maintenance
• Fiscal management
• Improvement of quality of care and performance of services
• Infection control
• Job/position descriptions
• Medical emergencies
• Personnel-related policies
• Rights of patients/clients
• Staff orientation

D. Administration

A physical therapist is responsible for the direction of the physical therapy service.

The physical therapist responsible for the direction of the physical therapy service:

• Ensures compliance with local, state, and federal requirements.
• Ensures compliance with current APTA documents, including Standards of Practice for Physical Therapy and the Criteria, Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, Code of Ethics, Guide for Professional Conduct, Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant, and Guide for Conduct of the Physical Therapist Assistant.
• Ensures that services are consistent with the mission, purposes, and goals of the physical therapy service.
• Ensures that services are provided in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Ensures that the process for assignment and reassignment of physical therapist staff supports individual physical therapist responsibility to their patients and meets the needs of the patients/clients.
• Reviews and updates policies and procedures.
• Provides for training of physical therapy support personnel that ensures continued competence for their job description.
• Provides for continuous in-service training on safety issues and for periodic safety inspection of equipment by qualified individuals.

E. Fiscal Management

The director of the physical therapy service, in consultation with physical therapy staff and appropriate administrative personnel participates in planning for, and allocation of, resources. Fiscal planning and management of the service is based on sound accounting principles.

The fiscal management plan:

• Includes a budget that provides for optimal use of resources.
• Ensures accurate recording and reporting of financial information.
• Ensures compliance with legal requirements.
• Allows for cost-effective utilization of resources.
• Uses a fee schedule that is consistent with the cost of physical therapy services and that is within customary norms of fairness and reasonableness.
• Considers option of providing pro bono services.

F. Improvement of Quality of Care and Performance

The physical therapy service has a written plan for continuous improvement of quality of care and performance of services.

The improvement plan:

• Provides evidence of ongoing review and evaluation of the physical therapy service.
• Provides a mechanism for documenting improvement in quality of care and performance.
• Is consistent with requirements of external agencies, as applicable.

G. Staffing

The physical therapy personnel affiliated with the physical therapy service have demonstrated competence and are sufficient to achieve the mission, purposes, and goals of the service.

The physical therapy service:

• Meets all legal requirements regarding licensure and certification of appropriate personnel.
• Ensures that the level of expertise within the service is appropriate to the needs of the patients/clients served.
• Provides appropriate professional and support personnel to meet the needs of the patient/client population.

H. Staff Development

The physical therapy service has a written plan that provides for appropriate and ongoing staff development.

The staff development plan:

• Includes self-assessment, individual goal setting, and organizational needs in directing continuing education and learning activities.
• Includes strategies for lifelong learning and professional and career development.
• Includes mechanisms to foster mentorship activities.
• Includes knowledge of clinical research methods and analysis.

I. Physical Setting

The physical setting is designed to provide a safe and accessible environment that facilitates fulfillment of the mission, purposes, and goals of the physical therapy service. The equipment is safe and sufficient to achieve the purposes and goals of physical therapy.

The physical setting:

• Meets all applicable legal requirements for health and safety.
• Meets space needs appropriate for the number and type of patients/clients served.
• The equipment:

• Meets all applicable legal requirements for health and safety.
• Is inspected routinely.

J. Collaboration

The physical therapy service collaborates with all disciplines as appropriate.

The collaboration when appropriate:

• Uses a team approach to the care of patients/clients.
• Provides instruction of patients/clients and families.
• Ensures professional development and continuing education.

Relationship to Vision 2020: Professionalism
(Practice Department, ext. 3176)

This information was obtained via: http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=29748&TEMPLATE=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm