4. I work in more than one facility. Can I display a duplicate of my license in each facility?
NO. The PT rules (§337.1) forbid hanging a second license or copy of a license, so you can’t display a duplicate or a photocopy. Whether you work in two places or 20, here are the requirements: Hang your license in the facility where you work most often. Make photocopies of your license to keep on […]
3. Can I use the initials “MPT” or “DPT” after my name to indicate that I am a licensed physical therapist?
No. The only letters that legally signify licensure as a physical therapist in Texas are the letters “PT”. If you wish to highlight your degree, it is appropriate to put them after the letters “PT” – for example, Jane Doe, PT, DPT, or John Deer, PT, PhD.
2. May a PT or PTA use the generic title “therapist”?
Use of the term “therapist” is not authorized by a license from the PT Board. The PT must use the term “physical therapist” to identify himself, while the PTA must use “physical therapist assistant.” You are required to identify yourself to the patient with those words, and not just as a “therapist”, so that it […]
1. Can I use the title “doctor” if I have a DPT, PhD, or other doctoral level degree?
The use of the title “Doctor” in front of your name is not authorized by your physical therapy license. Correct licensure designation in the provision of physical therapy is the title “physical therapist” and the initials “PT”. However, the Healing Arts Identification Act states that if a person has an academic or honorary degree, they […]
5. Can the last treatment note be the Discharge Summary?
In the case where the PT renders the last treatment, the treatment note and the discharge summary can be in the same document, but the PT should clearly identify treatment given that day and any other information pertinent to that treatment session as well as the information expected in the Discharge Summary. If the PTA […]
4. What’s the difference between discharge and discontinuation?
As far as the Board’s rules are concerned, there is no difference. The purpose of the summary is to record all of the pertinent information at the time treatment ends – regardless of whether the patient met goals, quit coming to therapy, or transitioned to another setting. In some settings, such as the ECI or […]
3. What must be in the Discharge Summary?
The purpose of the discharge document is to summarize a patient’s/client’s progress toward goals, status at discharge, and future plans for self-management. Essentially, as the APTA puts it, it is “the last opportunity a therapist has to convey the outcome of physical therapy services. It is also a time to justify the medical necessity for […]
2. Who can complete the Discharge Summary?
Only the PT can complete the discharge summary, because it is based on the PT’s analysis of the patient’s/client’s achievement of the predicted goals and expected outcomes. The PTA may provide subjective and objective information for the discharge summary, but may not complete the evaluative portion of the discharge summary or develop the follow-up plan. […]
1. Is a Discharge Summary always required?
Documentation of patient care is incomplete without a discharge summary – in every setting, for every patient.
1. Are there any advertising guidelines for my physical therapy practice?
The Board may take disciplinary action against a licensee who advertises in a manner that is “false, misleading, or deceptive.” (§322.4(b)(12)) The following guidelines are provided to assist licensees in determining how to advertise their services. (1/11)Examples of appropriate advertising statements: ABC Therapy provides physical therapy services by licensed professionals in a clean, safe and friendly environment. […]