This bill amends various sections of the Minnesota Statutes related to health-related licensing, specifically clarifying the scope of practice for athletic trainers. A new subdivision is added to section 148.7802, defining "athletic training" to include prevention and wellness promotion, risk management, emergency care, examination and diagnosis, therapeutic interventions, clinical decision-making, health care administration, and maintenance of professional responsibility. Additionally, section 148.7806 is revised to specify that athletic trainers must perform their duties under the direction or prescription of a licensed primary physician, and it removes previous language that outlined specific activities that athletic trainers could perform.

The bill also introduces new limitations on practice in section 148.7807, stating that athletic trainers cannot claim to practice other health professions unless they hold the appropriate licenses. It further clarifies that if a patient's needs exceed the athletic trainer's scope of practice, they must refer the patient to a licensed professional. Lastly, the bill repeals subdivisions 4 and 5 of section 148.7802, which defined "athlete" and "athletic injury," respectively, thereby removing these specific definitions from the statute.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 148.7802, 148.7806, 148.7807, 148.7814