A. 1. Except for workers' compensation claims, any person licensed under the Physical Therapy Practice Act as a physical therapist shall be able to evaluate and treat human ailments by physical therapy on a patient without a referral from a licensed health care practitioner for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days. Treatment may be provided by a physical therapist assistant under the supervision of a physical therapist. Any treatment provided beyond the thirty-day period shall be only under the referral of a person licensed as a physician or surgeon with unlimited license, or the physician assistant of the person so licensed, and Doctors of Dentistry, Chiropractic and Podiatry and an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, with those referrals being limited to their respective areas of training and practice.

2. A physical therapist may provide services within the scope of physical therapy practice without a physician referral to children who receive physical therapy services pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, as may be amended, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as may be amended. Provided further, a plan of care developed by a person authorized to provide services within the scope of the Physical Therapy Practice Act shall be deemed to be a prescription for purposes of providing services pursuant to the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, as may be amended, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as may be amended.

3. Nothing in the Physical Therapy Practice Act shall prevent a physical therapist from performing screening and educational procedures within the scope of physical therapy practice without a physician referral.

4. Nothing in the Physical Therapy Practice Act shall prevent a physical therapist from performing services that are provided for the purpose of fitness, wellness, or prevention that is not related to the treatment of an injury or ailment.

5. Nothing in the Physical Therapy Practice Act shall be construed as authorization for a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant to practice any branch of the healing art.

6. Any person violating the provisions of the Physical Therapy Practice Act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor as per Section 887.16 of this title.

B. 1. The provisions of the Physical Therapy Practice Act are not intended to limit the activities of persons legitimately engaged in the nontherapeutic administration of baths, massage, and normal exercise.

2. The Physical Therapy Practice Act shall not prohibit students who are enrolled in schools of physical therapy approved by the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision from performing such work as is incidental to their course of study; nor shall it prevent any student in any recognized school of the healing art in carrying out prescribed courses of study; provided such school is a recognized institution by the statutes of Oklahoma, and its practitioners are duly licensed as prescribed by law.

3. Nothing in the Physical Therapy Practice Act shall apply to any person employed by an agency, bureau, or division of the federal government while in the discharge of official duties; however, if such individual engages in the practice of physical therapy outside the line of official duty, the individual must be licensed as herein provided.

Added by Laws 1965, c. 153, § 17, emerg. eff. May 26, 1965. Amended by Laws 1969, c. 345, § 11; Laws 1987, c. 13, § 16, eff. July 1, 1987; Laws 1987, c. 236, § 196, emerg. eff. July 20, 1987; Laws 2003, c. 135, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2003; Laws 2004, c. 543, § 6, eff. July 1, 2004; Laws 2005, c. 84, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2005; Laws 2008, c. 26, § 2, emerg. eff. April 11, 2008; Laws 2012, c. 29, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2012; Laws 2014, c. 324, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 2014; Laws 2019, c. 224, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2019 and Laws 2019, c. 475, § 46, eff. Nov. 1, 2019.

NOTE: Laws 2019, c. 224, § 1 and Laws 2019, c. 475, § 46 made identical amendments to this section.