HB 2583
Initials AG Page 1 Health & Human Services
ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Fifty-seventh Legislature
First Regular Session
House: HHS DPA 10-2-0-0
HB 2583: physical therapists; imaging; laboratory tests
Sponsor: Representative Bliss, LD 1
Caucus & COW
Overview
Allows physical therapists to order imaging rather than just musculoskeletal imaging.
Permits physical therapists to order laboratory tests and requires these tests to be performed
by an authorized health care practitioner.
History
The Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy (Board) protects the public from incompetent,
unprofessional and unlawful practices of physical therapy. The Board licenses and certifies
qualified applicants as physical therapists and physical therapist assistants and establishes
standards for the practice of physical therapy (A.R.S. § 32-2003).
A physical therapist may order musculoskeletal imaging consisting of plain film radiographs.
The imaging must be performed by a health care practitioner who is authorized to perform
the imaging and must be interpreted by a licensed medical doctor, osteopathic or
naturopathic physician trained in radiology interpretation.
A physical therapist must report results for all imaging tests the physical therapist orders to
the patient's health care practitioner of record or the referring health care practitioner, if
designated, within seven days after receiving the results. If the patient does not have a health
care practitioner of record, the physical therapist must refer the patient to an appropriate
health care practitioner if the physical therapist has reasonable cause to believe that any
symptoms or conditions are present that may require services beyond the physical therapist's
scope of practice (A.R.S. § 32-2041.01).
Provisions
1. Permits physical therapists to order imaging, rather than just musculoskeletal imaging
consisting of plain film radiographs. (Sec. 1)
2. Allows physical therapists to order laboratory tests. (Sec. 1)
3. Requires the laboratory tests to be performed by a health care practitioner who is
authorized to perform laboratory tests. (Sec. 1)
4. Requires a physical therapist to report the results for all laboratory tests that the physical
therapist orders to the patient's health care practitioner of record or the referring health
care practitioner if designated within seven days after receiving the results. (Sec. 1)
5. Makes a conforming change. (Sec. 1)
☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note HB 2583
Initials AG Page 2 Health & Human Services
Amendments
Committee on Health & Human Services
1. Allows a physical therapist to order imaging only for a patient with whom the physical
therapists has a physical therapist-patient relationship and for whom there is a clinical
need for the order.
2. Removes the ability for physical therapists to order laboratory tests and report the tests
results.
3. Makes technical and conforming changes.