The Complaint Process
The Oregon Board of Physical Therapy (OBPT) licenses physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs).
The Board investigates all complaints received about physical therapists and physical therapist assistants, or complaints about people claiming to be licensed PTs or PTAs who are providing physical therapy without a license.
Complaints may be about inadequate or incompetent treatment, misconduct, failure to offer or provide interpreter services, discrimination or any other violation of the laws and rules governing physical therapy in Oregon. The Board cannot investigate fee disputes, other than fraud or misrepresentation.
Board staff conduct a confidential investigation of complaints received. This investigation may include:
- a review of the physical therapy record or other patient medical records
- interviews with the complainant, the physical therapist and other witnesses
- a review of any other records or documents related to the complaint
An investigation may take several weeks to several months to complete, depending on the nature of the complaint. The investigator completes a report of the investigation, then the Board reviews the report to decide whether a violation of laws or rules has occurred.
If the Board determines that a violation has occurred, the Board may discipline the licensee. Discipline can include:
- Reprimand
- Probation
- Payment of a civil penalty
- License Restrictions
- License Suspension
- License Revocation
If the Board decides to discipline the licensee, the licensee is entitled to a hearing to contest the decision. If they request a hearing, an Administrative Law Judge hears the testimony of the witnesses, considers the other evidence and prepares a proposed order for the Board's consideration. The hearing is closed to the public. The Board considers the proposed order, deliberates and issues a Final Order.
The case may also be resolved without a hearing through an agreement between the Board and the PT or PTA resulting in a Stipulation and Final Order.
If the Board determines from the investigation that no violation has occurred the Board will close the case.
Once the case is resolved, the Board notifies the complainant of the outcome of the case. The Board cannot tell the complainant anything that is not public information.
Complaint and Investigation Confidentiality
The Board is prohibited by law from telling a member of the public whether it has received a complaint about a particular licensee. The Board is also prohibited from disclosing the name of the person filing a complaint and from disclosing any information developed in the course of an investigation.
The Investigator may need to get records from other healthcare providers as part of the investigation. In order to access these records, the patient may need to complete the Authorization to Disclose Form. The form can be found below.
If you prefer to complete a form on paper, use the link below to download a paper copy of the form. You may mail, email, or fax it to the Board.