Arkansas Administrative Code
Agency 007 - Arkansas Department of Health
Division 36 - Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy
Rule 007.36.20-001 - State Board of Physical Therapy Telehealth Rule
Universal Citation: AR Admin Rules 007.36.20-001
Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 9, September, 2024
Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy Pursuant to the Arkansas Telemedicine Act, Ark. Code Ann. §§ 17-80-401 et seq., the following rule applies to the provision of services via telehealth by physical therapists and physical therapy assistants when acting within their respective scopes of practice.
I. Requirement for all services provided by physical therapists using telehealth:
1. A
professional relationship shall be established in compliance with this rule to
provide physical therapy services through telehealth.
2. Once a professional relationship is
established, a licensee may provide healthcare services through telehealth,
including interactive audio, if the healthcare services are within the physical
therapy scope of practice.
3. The
practice of physical therapy via telehealth shall be held to the same standards
of care as traditional in person encounters.
4. All licensees providing care via
telemedicine to a patient located within the State of Arkansas shall be
licensed to practice physical therapy in the State of Arkansas.
5. Licensees utilizing telehealth must follow
applicable state/federal laws regarding informed consent, HIPAA, medical
records and confidentiality, and fraud/waste/abuse.
6. If a decision is made to provide physical
therapy through telehealth, the physical therapist accepts responsibility and
liability for the care of the patient
II. Patient/ Physical Therapist Relationship
1.
For purposes of this regulation, a professional relationship, at a minimum,
requires that:
A. The licensee performs a
history and an "in person" physical examination of the patient adequate to
establish a diagnosis and identify underlying conditions and/or
contraindications to the treatment recommended/provided, OR
B. The licensee personally knows the patient
and the patient's general health status through an "ongoing" personal or
professional relationship; and
C.
Appropriate follow-up be provided or arranged, when necessary, at medically
necessary intervals.
2.
For the purposes of this regulation, a professional relationship is deemed to
exist in the following situations:
A. When
treatment is provided in consultation with, or upon referral by, another
healthcare professional who has an ongoing relationship with the patient, and
who has agreed to supervise the patient's treatment, including follow up care
and the use of any prescribed medications.
B. On-call or cross-coverage situations
arranged by the patient's treating physical therapist.
3. "Professional relationship" does not
include a relationship between a licensee and a patient established only by the
following:
A. An internet
questionnaire;
B. An email
message;
C. Patient-generated
medical history;
D. Audio-only
communication, including without limitation interactive audio;
E. Text messaging;
F. A facsimile machine; or
G. Any combination thereof.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Arkansas may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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