Who regulates professional practice settings to ensure compliance with scope and professional standards?

• A. The board regulates professional practice settings to ensure compliance with scope and professional standards.
• B. The hospital administration sets all clinical policies for PTs.
• C. Patients' advocacy groups regulate practice locations.
• D. The state medical department handles licensing only.

Answer: (A)

Regulation of professional practice settings to ensure adherence to scope and professional standards is handled by the professional licensing board for that field. This board establishes and enforces the rules that define what practitioners may do, the standards they must meet, licensure requirements, and the ongoing requirements like continuing education. It also has the authority to audit facilities and take disciplinary action to protect the public.

Hospital administration can set internal policies, but these don’t set the legal scope of practice across all settings. Patients’ advocacy groups may influence care quality, but they don’t regulate practice locations or enforce professional standards. The state medical department licensing physicians does not regulate physical therapy; PT licensing is governed by the physical therapy board.