In this News Brief:
FSBPT's ELDD: Enhancing Public Protection and Operational Efficiency
FSBPT's Examination, Licensure, and Disciplinary Database (ELDD) has emerged as a pivotal tool for member jurisdictions, ensuring timely reporting of disciplinary actions and up-to-date licensure information. The ELDD serves as a comprehensive repository that supports public protection by facilitating data sharing among jurisdictions. It captures, aggregates, and shares examination, licensure, and disciplinary data across state lines, preventing individuals with disciplinary actions from evading consequences by moving to different states.
The effectiveness of the ELDD hinges on the participation and timely data updates from member boards. It provides critical and timely information about applicants being evaluated for licensure and alerts jurisdictions to sanctioned licenses and disciplinary actions finalized against licensees in other jurisdictions. The ELDD API further enhances data exchange by providing a secure REST API for jurisdictions to exchange data with FSBPT, improving security and efficiency. FSBPT has grants available to jurisdictions to help them leverage this valuable resource. Learn more about the ELDD on our website and learn about available grants in the article below.
FSBPT and the PT Compact at the APTA CSM
Both FSBPT and the PT Compact had booths at the recent American Physical Therapy Association's Combined Sections Meeting (APTA CSM) in Houston, Texas. The FSBPT booth provided information on our efforts to advance public protection and support our members with valuable resources. The PT Compact booth highlighted the benefits of compact privileges, which allow physical therapists and physical therapist assistants to more easily provide physical therapy services in multiple jurisdictions, thus increasing access to services and facilitating professional mobility. Thank you to everyone who visited our booths and talked with us!
Share Your Webinar and Annual Education Meeting Ideas!
We are accepting presentation ideas and proposals for 2025 webinars and in-person sessions at the 2025 Annual Education Meeting in Spokane, Washington.
If you have a specific idea, please submit a proposal. However, we are also interested in learning about jurisdictions' experiences with regulatory topics and your general ideas on what issues we should examine. We encourage all board members, administrators, and other stakeholders to share topics and ideas with us. You can also watch webinars and meeting sessions on FSBPT's YouTube Channel to learn what we've recently covered.
Excellence in Regulation Award Nominations Due May 30
The Excellence in Regulation Award recognizes jurisdictions that have made significant accomplishments toward increasing public protection for consumers of physical therapy services in a number of areas. To nominate a jurisdiction, including your own, submit a Nomination Form by Friday, May 30, 2025. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Model Practice Act Moment
We will focus on a different statute section from the Model Practice Act and its accompanying commentary each month. In 2025, we will be focusing on the twelve sections of Article 4.
Article 4: Regulation of Physical Therapy
4.02 Use of Titles and Terms; Restrictions; Classification of Violation
A. A physical therapist shall use the letters “PT” or the term “physical therapist” immediately following their name to designate licensure as a healthcare practitioner under this [act].
B. A person or business entity, its employees, agents or representatives shall not use in connection with that person’s name or the name or activity of the business, the words “physical therapy,” “physical therapist,” “physiotherapy,” “physiotherapist,” “physio,” “registered physical therapist,” “doctor of physical therapy,” the letters “PT,” “DPT,” “LPT,” “RPT,” or any other words, abbreviations or insignia indicating or implying directly or indirectly that physical therapy is provided or supplied, unless such services are provided by or under the direction of a physical therapist licensed pursuant to this [act]. A person or business entity shall not advertise or otherwise promote another person as being a “physical therapist” or “physiotherapist” unless the individual so advertised or promoted is licensed as a physical therapist under this act. A person or business entity that offers, provides, or bills any other person for services shall not characterize those services as “physical therapy” or “physiotherapy” unless the individual performing those services is a person licensed as a physical therapist under this [act].
Commentary
C. Physical therapists who have graduated from a DPT program may use the title Doctor of Physical Therapy. A physical therapist holding a DPT or other doctoral degree shall not use the title Doctor without also clearly informing the public of his or her profession as a physical therapist. Use of the title shall be in accordance with jurisdictional law.
D. A physical therapist assistant shall use the letters “PTA” immediately following his or her name to designate [certification/licensure] under this [act].
E. A person shall not use the title “physical therapist assistant,” the letters “PTA,” or any other words, abbreviations, or insignia in connection with that person’s name to indicate or imply, directly or indirectly, that the person is a physical therapist assistant unless that person is [certified/licensed] as a physical therapist assistant pursuant to this [act].
F. A person or business entity that violates paragraphs (B) or (E) of this section is guilty of a [cite specific legal sanction]. The board shall have authority to impose a civil penalty, in an amount not to exceed [specify number of dollars] per violation, against any person or business entity that violates paragraphs (B) or (E). In addition, the board shall seek an injunction against conduct in violation of paragraphs (B) or (E) in any court of competent jurisdiction. For purposes of this [act], the board, in seeking an injunction, need only show that the defendant violated paragraphs (B) and (E) of this section to establish irreparable injury or a likelihood of a continuation of the violation.F. A person or business entity that violates paragraphs (B) or (E) of this section is guilty of a [cite specific legal sanction]. The board shall have authority to impose a civil penalty, in an amount not to exceed [specify number of dollars] per violation, against any person or business entity that violates paragraphs (B) or (E). In addition, the board shall seek an injunction against conduct in violation of paragraphs (B) or (E) in any court of competent jurisdiction. For purposes of this [act], the board, in seeking an injunction, need only show that the defendant violated paragraphs (B) and (E) of this section to establish irreparable injury or a likelihood of a continuation of the violation.
Abbreviations or terms denoting educational degrees, certifications, or honorary status designations may follow, as applicable. These abbreviations should be used in all correspondence related to practice, including advertisements.
“PT” is the professional and regulatory designation required by practice acts and used by physical therapists in the United States. It should immediately follow the licensee’s name. The model statute language prohibits substituting but does not restrict adding other letter designations indicating an academic degree (e.g., MS, PhD), professional degree (e.g., DPT), certification (e.g., ATC), or honorary status (e.g., FAPTA). All these additional designations should follow the standard “PT” designation. For example, a board-certified orthopedic specialist with a doctoral degree in physical therapy would be appropriately designated as Jane Doe, PT, DPT, OCS.
The jurisdiction legislature grants scope of practice privileges and imposes certain restrictions on the use of titles and terms for public protection. The use of the title “physical therapist” connotes education and training in a unique body of knowledge and skills exclusive to physical therapists.
Title protection encompasses names and titles, as well as the letters and abbreviations that are associated with licensure. Paragraph B above addresses all such titles, designations and abbreviations applicable to physical therapy licensure, including archaic terms and some that shall be future terms.
Archaic designations such as RPT or LPT, while they should be protected, should not be used. Rules shall be considered that prohibit the use of these archaic designations
protecting the term “physiotherapy,” which is a historically significant as well as current international title of the profession, prevents the misleading use of this term by other individuals or professionals. A claim that physical therapy or physiotherapy is a generic term is misleading, and any terms implying that physical therapy is being provided should be protected. This term protection is not against the use of various physical agents, modalities or procedures by others but rather is against the inappropriate labeling of those modalities and procedures as physical therapy. Any violation of this term protection paragraph would be addressed in paragraph A of Article 4.09.
Those therapists holding a DPT or any doctoral degree such as a PhD or EdD, are entitled to use "Dr." as a prefix to their name in honor of the professional degree they have earned. However, DPT or PhD are academic degrees, not a clinical designator. It is important that the public perceive the critical difference between the word "physician" and the use of the title "Dr." Therefore, in order to minimize confusion, physical therapists should identify themselves and their profession when first meeting a patient. A physical therapist may not use the title of “Dr.” in a manner that would mislead a patient into assuming that he or she is anything other than a physical therapist.
Paragraphs D and E provide title protection for physical therapist assistants. In this instance, title protection is granted without a corresponding granting of a scope of practice. (See Definitions, Article 1.02.E; Examination and Licensure, Article 3.01-3.04; Patient Care Management, Article 4.03.)
Available Funding Opportunities
The FSBPT Board is committed to supporting its member jurisdictions in their mission to protect the public. Join the ranks of states, including Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, and the Virgin Islands, that have all taken a big step toward both administrative efficiency and protecting the public. They are currently leveraging FSBPT Grants to enhance the ELDD, improve compact privilege implementation, and collect workforce data.
Your state should be next! Learn more about our available grants to help jurisdictions with enhancing your participation in or communication with our Examination, Licensure, and Disciplinary Database (ELDD), improving compact privilege implementation, or collecting workforce data.
FSBPT offers grant funding to support its member jurisdictions in their mission to protect the public. If you are interested in receiving a grant, please send an email to FSBPT's CEO, William A. Hatherill summarizing what you would like to have funded and why it is important or how it can improve efficiencies for your board.
Upcoming Webinars
We are hosting multiple upcoming webinars within the FSBPT Portal, allowing you to easily access member resources, groups, and events all in one place! Be sure to register for these upcoming webinars:
April 2025 Regulatory Hour — Board Efficiencies: The Doctrine of Delegation
April 16, 4:00 p.m. ET
June 2025 Regulatory Hour — Board Meetings: Of Course "My" Board Does It Best
June 18, 4:00 p.m. ET
August 2025 Regulatory Hour — Proactive Boards: Relationships with the Legislature
August 20, 4:00 p.m. ET
October 2025 Regulatory Hour — Final Orders: Essential Elements
October 15, 4:00 p.m. ET
Expanding PT Practice into Health and Wellness Services
November 18, 4:00 p.m. ET
December 2025 Regulatory Hour — A Year in Review: Interesting Cases
December 17, 4:00 p.m. ET
To register, please log in to the FSBPT Portal, select "Events," and click on the event you'd like to register for.
Send Us Additional Recipients
Do you know of any individuals or groups that would be interested in receiving our monthly News Brief? Do you have new board members or staff starting in 2025? Or did someone forward this to you, and you'd like to be on our list?
Please send any referrals our way! Contact us via email at communications@fsbpt.org with information, ideas, or suggestions.
We appreciate your collaboration in our effort to further our mission to protect the public.
Learn about maintaining professional boundaries, understanding the consequences of misconduct, and discovering how you can contribute to a safer, more ethical healthcare environment. This article is based on a 2024 webinar presentation by Mira Mariano, Samantha Mohn-Johnsen, and Sherri Paru.
Spotlight on Member Resources: Authorized to Practice? Let's Show It on Our Licensure Lookup Page!
An increasing number of licensing boards are adding PT Compact Privilege holder information to their public-facing website. This webinar explored the benefits and methodologies of including compact privilege information in the lookup feature of your jurisdiction website, providing insights into the motivations behind this practice, its impact on public safety, and its transparency for stakeholders. Attendees gained practical guidance to enhance efficiency and accuracy, ensuring your licensure lookup page reflects the most accurate and complete information for all authorized practitioners in your state.
Many Thanks to Our Volunteers
This month, we thank our generous volunteer members for their support of our mission.
- Exam Development Committees
- PTA Tool 3 Task Force
- Coursework Tool 7 Development and Validation Task Force
In the News
FSBPT provides the following links for your education and awareness but does not endorse the content.
"Advisory Commission on Additional Licensing Models Issues Guidance Following Public Comment Period," Intealth, February 4, 2025
"The Advisory Commission on Additional Licensing Models, co-chaired by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), Intealth™, and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), has issued a guidance document following a period of public comment on its draft preliminary recommendations. The public comment period, which began in October 2024 and closed in December 2024, garnered valuable input from more than 150 individuals and organizations, helping to shape the Commission's recommendations."
"Panel of Expert Doctors Questions Conviction of 'the Killer Nurse' in Britain," The New York Times, Megan Specia, February 4, 2025
"An international panel of neonatal and pediatric specialists on Tuesday raised grave doubts about the evidence used to convict Lucy Letby, a British nurse who was found guilty in 2023 of murdering seven babies at the hospital where she worked and attempting to murder seven others."
"‘The Licensing Racket’ Review: There’s a Board for That," The Wall Street Journal, Alex Tabarrok, February 7, 2025
"The restrictions and costs of professional licensing don’t apply only to doctors and lawyers. Hairdressers, decorators and others must deal with them too."
"Why Does It Feel Like We Are Against Each Other This Season?" SoMeDocs, Santina Wheat, January 17, 2025
"Santina Wheat, MD explores the growing tensions and lack of respect among physicians in online and professional spaces, calling for renewed collaboration, gratitude, and leadership to rebuild trust and unity within the healthcare community."
Board Report
Recently, to advance the business of FSBPT, the board approved the motions listed. Please contact your jurisdiction board liaison if you have any questions or would like additional information.
To appoint the following persons to the following Committees:
Coursework Tool 7 Committee
- Amy Sinclair (IERF)
- Carrie Abdul-Mahlik (FCCPT)
- Heather Ross (ACAPT)
Workforce Data Structure Approaches Taskforce
FSBPT Board of Directors
Members of the board of directors serve as liaisons to multiple jurisdictions.
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Stephen Curley Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia
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Craig Miller Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Utah
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David Relling Hawaii, New Jersey, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, and Virgin Islands
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Steven Scherger Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas
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Michelle Sigmund-Gaines Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming
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Michele Thorman Delaware, District of Columbia, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, Virginia, and Wisconsin
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Krista Wolfe Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont
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Charles E. Reiter The public member of the board does not serve as a liaison to jurisdictions
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Did you know...?
FSBPT’s Board of Directors wants members to know staff is available to assist any jurisdiction with writing statutory or regulatory language. When you are crafting new laws or regulations/rules, especially involving FSBPT products such as the NPTE or Coursework Tool, or controversial topics such as dry needling, FSBPT is a resource to remember!
Staff Contact Information
Staff Contact Information
If you have questions, challenges or ideas, we want to hear from you!
(703) 299-3100
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Subject
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Point of Contact/Email Address
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ADA accommodations
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Christine Sousa
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Assessment or examination development questions
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Lorin Mueller npte@fsbpt.org
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Continuing competence
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Jeffrey M. Rosa
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Credentials review
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Jaime Nolan, FCCPT
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ELDD- Exam, Licensure and Disciplinary Database participation
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eldd@fsbpt.org
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Exam registration processing
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Christine Sousa
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Foreign educated issues
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Leslie Adrian
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Immigration
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Jamie Nolan
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JAM- Jurisprudence Assessment Module
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JAM@fsbpt.org
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Legislation or Model Practice Act
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Leslie Adrian
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Meeting arrangements
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Paul Delaney
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NPDB reports/questions
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Angela Burnham
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PTC- Physical Therapy Compact
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compact@fsbpt.org
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PEAT®- Practice Exam & Assessment Tool
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peat@fsbpt.org
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Reimbursement of expenses Other financial matters
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David Sigman, ext. 226
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School reports
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schoolreports@fsbpt.org
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Score transfer & reporting
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Christine Sousa
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SCP PET- Supervised Clinical Practice Performance Evaluation Tool
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scppet@fsbpt.org
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Security issues
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Susan Newman security@fsbpt.org
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Anything else, including news to share with members
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William A. Hatherill Caitlin Jennings Communications@fsbpt.org
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From the bountiful blue spruce banks of the Potomac, where the fish are faster, the fishing boats are longer, and the fishermen are still full of stories.
- William A. Hatherill, CEO
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