MN SF3049

Expands the definition of physical therapy to explicitly include evaluation, diagnosis (other than medical diagnosis), treatment planning, prevention, wellness, fitness, health promotion, and education for all age populations

Modifies supervision requirements for physical therapist assistants, allowing supervising physical therapists to be off-site but easily available by telecommunications rather than requiring on-site presence

Changes student supervision standards from requiring "direct" supervision to "on-site" supervision, defined as the supervisor being "easily available for instruction" rather than "physically present and immediately available"

Replaces the requirement for on-site observation of physical therapist assistants every six sessions with a new requirement for real-time collaborative treatment sessions (in person or via telehealth) and documentation of plan of care appropriateness every six sessions

Removes several disciplinary grounds including the 90-day treatment limitation without physician referral and the one-year collaboration requirement for newly licensed therapists, while establishing violations of prohibited conduct as a gross misdemeanor with civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation