Texas Occupations Code 453.302 – Treating Patient Without Referral
(a) In this section:
(1) “Emergency circumstance” means an instance in which emergency medical care is necessary.
(2) “Emergency medical care” means a bona fide emergency service provided after the sudden onset of a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity, including severe pain, such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in:
(A) serious jeopardy to the patient’s health;
(B) serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part; or
(C) serious impairment to bodily functions.
(b) In an emergency circumstance, including a minor emergency, a physical therapist may provide emergency medical care to a person to the best of the therapist’s ability without a referral from a referring practitioner.
Terms Used In Texas Occupations Code 453.302
- Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(c) A physical therapist may provide physical assessments or instructions to an asymptomatic person without a referral from a referring practitioner.