Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024
(1) Delivery of Physical Therapy. Physical Therapy may only be delivered at a place, office, clinic, or establishment holding a current, valid Physical Therapy Facility license issued by the Board or in practices or facilities that are exempted under 259 CMR 6.02(3).
(2) License Required. Each Physical Therapy Facility within the Commonwealth shall be licensed by the Board before providing Physical Therapy and shall annually renew its license using an application provided by the Board.
The Board will consider the following in determining whether two or more places, offices, clinics or establishments (establishments) delivering Physical Therapy Treatment at the same address constitute one or more Physical Therapy Facilities:
1. The business structure of each establishment, including but not limited to overlap in areas of financing, management, or ownership;
2. The resources shared by the establishments, including but not limited to office space, staff, record storage and maintenance facilities; and
3. The overall impression created by advertising, signage, stationery, and office layouts.
(3) Exemptions.
(a) Solo Practices are exempted from the Physical Therapy Facility requirements but are held to all standards, rules and regulations of individual Physical Therapists.
(b) Physical Therapy Facility licenses are not required for healthcare facilities licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health including but not limited to hospitals, clinics, and home health care agencies, or institutions regulated by the Department of Education;
(c) Physical Therapy Facilities providing services at multiple locations may operate under a single license if all of the following conditions are met:
1. Services are provided at locations not within the control and custody of the physical therapy facility;
2. Services are not provided on a predicable or regular basis at any one location;
3. Healthcare delivery is not the primary purpose, activity, or business of the site(s) where the services are provided, and
4. No business or patient records are stored where the services are provided.
(d) The Board may require any place, office, clinic, or establishment at which Physical Therapy is delivered to provide satisfactory evidence why it is eligible for the exemption of Physical Therapy Facility licensure requirements. The burden of proving eligibility shall rest with the establishment.
(4) Required Displays. Current true copies of the following must be conspicuously displayed for the benefit of the public at each Physical Therapy Facility.
(a) The Physical Therapy Facility's license;
(b) The license of each licensed health care provider who provides any clinical services at the Physical Therapy Facility, whether licensed by this Board or any other licensing Board or licensing entity; and
(c) The most recent inspection report completed by the Board or its agents.
(5) PT Compliance Officer. Each Physical Therapy Facility must have a PT Compliance Officer.
(a) A Physical Therapy Facility shall designate a PT Compliance Officer, and such designation is subject to Board approval.
(b) A Physical Therapy Facility must notify the Board in writing within five business days of any change in its designation of a PT Compliance Officer.
(6) Employee Record. A Physical Therapy Facility shall provide a copy of its Employee Record to the Board upon application for licensure, annually upon renewal, and upon request by the Board or its designee(s).
(7) Record Retention. Patient Records and Business Records shall be maintained in a manner that protects them from foreseeable damage or destruction.
(a) A Physical Therapy Facility shall maintain Patient Records on the premises for each active patient.
(b) Business Records shall be maintained for a minimum of seven years.
(c) For a patient who is under the age of two when he or she receives Physical Therapy, Patient Records shall be maintained at least until the patient reaches the age of nine.
(d) For patients who receive Physical Therapy on or after the patient reaches the age of two, Patient Records shall be maintained for a minimum of seven years from the date of the last patient encounter.
(e) Patient or Business Records stored electronically shall have an established system of weekly back-up. Copies of the back-up records shall be maintained safely and securely at an off-site location, and back-ups shall be delivered weekly to the off-site location.
(8) Compliance Plan. The Physical Therapy Facility shall implement and maintain a business compliance plan, which shall include but not be limited to standards, procedures, and policies that address the Physical Therapy Facility's administrative and clinical protocols. The standards, procedures, and policies shall include but not be limited to addressing the following issues:
(a) A plan for ascertaining that all Physical Therapy Facility health care providers have current, valid licenses;
(b) The methods for training personnel regarding the Physical Therapy Facility's standards, procedures, and policies, including hazardous waste disposal, medical coding, proper documentation, patients' rights, and proper billing, on an ongoing basis;
(c) The methods of maintaining and encouraging open lines of communication among the Physical Therapy Facility's personnel;
(d) The methods of maintaining and ensuring that equipment is inspected on an annual basis, and is in safe operating condition;
(e) The mechanisms used to report and respond to violations or complaints in an appropriate manner;
(f) The implementation and maintenance of a schedule of practice compliance audits; and
(g) In the event of the dissolution of the Physical Therapy Facility, a plan for storage and retrieval of patient records for the dissolution of a Physical Therapy Facility or when a treating Physical Therapist leaves the facility.
(9) Sanitary Conditions. The Physical Therapy Facility shall be equipped with proper and adequate lighting and ventilation and kept in clean, orderly, and sanitary condition.
(10) Change in Physical Therapy Facility Ownership. A change in Physical Therapy Facility Ownership warrants a new Physical Therapy Facility license.
When there is a transfer of a controlling interest in a Physical Therapy Facility, the Physical Therapy Facility license expires and the new owner must apply for a new license within 30 days.
(11) Change in location. A facility license is valid only for the location stated on the license and is not transferable or assignable.
(a) The Board must be notified in writing at least 60 days prior to a change in location of a Physical Therapy Facility.
b) The license for the previous location will be cancelled and the PT Compliance Officer shall request a new facility license for the new location, that is subject to Board approval.
(12) Good Moral Character. Individuals engaged in the operation of the Physical Therapy Facility, including but not limited to, a person having more than ten percent ownership interest, company officers, principals in the Physical Therapy Facility, and the PT Compliance Officer must not engage in any activities that raise a question of his or her good moral character.
(13) Insurance Requirement. A Physical Therapy Facility must maintain general liability insurance in the amount of at least $500,000.
