The bill amends Section 5-40-23 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-40, which pertains to the practice of physical therapists. The amendment allows licensed physical therapists to order diagnostic imaging, as defined in § 5-40-1, to be performed and interpreted by other licensed healthcare professionals. It also requires physical therapists to report the results of any diagnostic imaging tests to the patient's primary care physician within seven days of receiving the results, unless the patient does not have a primary care physician. Additionally, managed healthcare plans are mandated to provide a utilization report to the general assembly by September 1, 2022, and annually thereafter.

The bill includes a sunset provision, which initially authorized physical therapists to order diagnostic imaging only until December 31, 2023. However, the bill proposes an extension of this authorization until December 31, 2025, by deleting the original sunset date and inserting the new one. The act will take effect immediately upon passage. This extension allows physical therapists to continue ordering diagnostic imaging for an additional two years beyond the original expiration date.

Statutes affected:
101: 5-40-23