(1) (a) A licensed physical therapist shall maintain continuing professional competency to practice.
(b) The board shall adopt rules establishing a continuing professional competency program. The rules shall set forth the following elements:
A self-assessment of the knowledge and skills of a physical therapist seeking to renew or reinstate a license;
Development, execution, and documentation of a learning plan based on the assessment; and
Periodic demonstration of knowledge and skills through documentation of professional development activities necessary to ensure at least minimal ability to safely practice the profession; except that a licensed physical therapist need not retake any examination required by section 12-285-110 for initial licensure.
The board shall establish that a licensed physical therapist satisfies the continuingcompetency requirements of this section if the physical therapist meets the continuing professional competency requirements of one of the following entities:
(I) A state department, including continuing professional competency requirements imposed through a contractual arrangement with a provider; (II) An accrediting body recognized by the board; or (III) An entity approved by the board.
(I) After the program is established, a licensed physical therapist shall satisfy therequirements of the program in order to renew or reinstate a license to practice physical therapy.
(II) The requirements of this section apply to individual licensed physical therapists, and nothing in this section requires a person who employs or contracts with a physical therapist to comply with the requirements of this section.
Professional development activities must be measured by a contact-hour-to-credithour ratio.
Records of assessments or other documentation developed or submitted in connection with the continuing professional competency program are confidential and not subject to inspection by the public or discovery in connection with a civil action against a licensed physical therapist. A person or the board shall not use the records or documents unless used by the board to determine whether a licensed physical therapist is maintaining continuing professional competency to engage in the profession.
As used in this section, "continuing professional competency" means the ongoingability of a physical therapist to learn, integrate, and apply the knowledge, skill, and judgment to practice as a physical therapist according to generally accepted standards and professional ethical standards.
Source: L. 2019: Entire title R&RE with relocations, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 1515, § 1, effective October 1.
Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 12-41-114.6 as it existed prior to 2019.