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Committee clears bill loosening supervision limits for physical therapy assistants
Summary
House Bill 159 was reported favorably with amendments; the bill redefines supervised personnel as 'therapy supportive personnel,' caps the number supervised at six, and requires treating physical therapists to reassess patients every 12th treatment or 30 days.
Representative Stagney presented House Bill 159 to clarify supervision language in the physical therapy practice act. The bill replaces the phrases 'therapist assistants and unlicensed supportive personnel' with a single category, 'therapy supportive personnel,' and makes supervision the responsibility of the licensed physical therapist to determine safe supervision levels, but caps supervision at six individuals per therapist.
An amendment that requires a supervising physical therapist to treat and reassess a patient every 12th treatment day or every 30 days, and at the patient’s final treatment session, was adopted. Sponsor and witnesses said the changes respond to a critical shortage of licensed physical therapists in many parts of Louisiana and aim to expand access to care and streamline service delivery.
The committee adopted technical amendments and reported the bill favorably with amendments by voice vote; no roll-call was recorded in committee.
