The 2023 Florida Statutes (including Special Session C)

Title XXXII
REGULATION OF PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS

Chapter 486
PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE

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F.S. 486.161

486.161 Exemptions.—

(1) No provision of this chapter shall be construed to prohibit any person licensed in this state from using any physical agent as a part of, or incidental to, the lawful practice of her or his profession under the statutes applicable to the profession of chiropractic physician, podiatric physician, doctor of medicine, massage therapist, nurse, osteopathic physician or surgeon, occupational therapist, or naturopath.

(2) No provision of this chapter shall be construed to prohibit:

(a) Any student who is enrolled in a school or course of physical therapy approved by the board from performing such acts of physical therapy as are incidental to her or his course of study; or

(b) Any physical therapist from another state from performing physical therapy incidental to a course of study when taking or giving a postgraduate course or other course of study in this state, provided such physical therapist is licensed in another jurisdiction or holds an appointment on the faculty of a school approved for training physical therapists or physical therapist assistants.

(3) No provision of this chapter prohibits a licensed physical therapist from delegating, to a person qualified by training, experience, or education, specific patient care activities, as defined and limited by board rule, to assist the licensed physical therapist in performing duties in compliance with the standards of the practice of physical therapy. Specific patient care activities, as defined and limited by board rule, must be performed under the direct supervision of the licensed physical therapist or physical therapist assistant in the immediate area, if the person is not a licensed physical therapist assistant.

History.—s. 16, ch. 57-67; s. 2, ch. 65-170; s. 5, ch. 78-278; s. 2, ch. 79-116; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 21, 24, ch. 83-86; ss. 17, 18, ch. 86-31; s. 64, ch. 89-374; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 326, ch. 94-119; s. 472, ch. 97-103; ss. 219, 288, ch. 98-166.

F.S. 486.161 on Google Scholar

F.S. 486.161 on Casetext

Amendments to 486.161

Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 486.161

Level: Degree
Misdemeanor/Felony: First/Second/Third

Current data shows no reason an arrest or criminal charge should have occurred directly under Florida Statute 486.161.

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases from cite.case.law:

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES INSURANCE CO. v. QUALITY DIAGNOSTIC HEALTH CARE, INC., 369 F. Supp. 3d 1292 (S.D. Fla. 2019)

. . . . § 486.161 as the basis for allowing a massage therapist to perform physical therapy without a license . . . Stat. § 486.161(1). . . . Stat. § 486.161(1). Id. at 560. . . . Stat. § 486.161(1) is not an unfettered right for these enumerated professionals to practice physical . . . Stat. § 486.161(1), and further determined that Fla. . . .

STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE, INSURANCE CO. v. UNIVERSAL MEDICAL CENTER OF SOUTH FLORIDA, INC., 881 So. 2d 557 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2004)

. . . Section 486.161 requires the physical therapists to be licensed, unless the physical therapists are exempt . . . pursuant to section 486.161(1) which provides as follows: No provision of this chapter shall be construed . . . medical assistants performed in this case fell within the scope of the exemption outlined in section 486.161 . . . Furthermore, whether or not these medical assistants were licensed is of no consequence under section 486.161 . . .