§ 18.802. Definitions.
The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
ABC—American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics, Inc., a Board-approved organization with certification programs accredited by NCCA. The term includes a successor organization.
Accommodative—Designed with a primary goal of conforming to an individual’s anatomy.
BOC—Board of Certification/Accreditation International, Inc., a Board-approved organization with certification programs accredited by NCCA. The term includes a successor organization.
CAAHEP—Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit prosthetic and orthotic education programs.
Custom-designed or custom-fabricated device—A prosthesis, orthosis or pedorthic device that is designed or fabricated to comprehensive measurements or a patient model or mold for use by a patient in accordance with a prescription and which requires substantial clinical and technical judgment in its design, fabrication and fitting.
Custom-fitted or custom-modified device—A prefabricated prosthesis, orthosis or pedorthic device to accommodate the patient’s measurement that is sized or modified for use by the patient in accordance with a prescription and which requires substantial clinical judgment and substantive alteration in its design for appropriate use.
Hour of continuing education—At least 50 minutes of instruction, including relevant question and answer sessions, in an approved course of continuing education or an equivalent time that an online or correspondence course would be presented live.
ICE—The Institute for Credentialing Excellence, previously known as the National Organization for Competency Assurance. The term includes a successor organization.
Licensed prescribing practitioner—A physician, podiatrist, certified registered nurse practitioner or physician assistant, licensed by the practitioner’s respective licensing board, who may issue orders and prescriptions to a prosthetist, orthotist, pedorthist or orthotic fitter.
NCCA—National Commission for Certifying Agencies or its successor.
NCOPE—National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education, an organization that approves precertification education courses for pedorthists and accredits residency programs for prosthetists and orthotists.
Orthosis—A custom-designed, custom-fabricated, custom-fitted or custom-modified device designed to externally provide support, alignment or prevention to the body or a limb for the purposes of correcting or alleviating a neuromuscular or musculoskeletal disease, injury or deformity.
Orthotic fitter—An individual who is licensed by the Board to practice orthotic fitting.
Orthotic fitter trainee—An individual who holds an orthotic fitter temporary practice permit issued by the Board and who is authorized to practice in accordance with § 18.842 (relating to orthotic fitting care experience).
Orthotic fitting—The fitting, dispensing and adjusting of prefabricated orthotic devices pursuant to a written prescription of a licensed prescribing practitioner.
Orthotic and prosthetic assistant—An unlicensed individual who, under the direct supervision of the orthotist or prosthetist, assists with patient care tasks assigned by the orthotist or prosthetist.
Orthotic and prosthetic technician—An unlicensed individual who provides technical support to an orthotist or prosthetist and who may fabricate, assemble, modify and service devices to the specifications of a licensed orthotist or prosthetist.
Orthotics—The practice of evaluating, measuring, designing, fabricating, assembling, fitting, adjusting or servicing an orthosis for the correction or alleviation of neuromuscular or musculoskeletal dysfunction, disease, injury or deformity pursuant to a written prescription of a licensed prescribing practitioner.
Orthotist—An individual who is licensed by the Board to practice orthotics.
Orthotist resident—An individual who holds a graduate permit issued by the Board and who is authorized to practice in accordance with § § 18.821 and 18.822 (relating to graduate permit; and clinical residency).
Over-the-counter orthoses and pedorthic devices—Prefabricated, mass-produced items that are prepackaged and do not require professional advice or judgment in either size selection or use, including fabric or elastic supports, corsets, generic arch supports and elastic hose.
Pedorthic device—(i) Therapeutic shoes, shoe modifications made for therapeutic purposes, partial foot prostheses, foot orthoses and below-the-knee pedorthic modalities.
(ii) The term does not include the following:
(A) Nontherapeutic, accommodative inlays and nontherapeutic accommodative footwear, regardless of method of manufacture.
(B) Unmodified, nontherapeutic over-the-counter shoes.
(C) Prefabricated, unmodified or unmodifiable foot care and footwear products.
Pedorthic support personnel—An unlicensed individual who, under the direct onsite supervision of a pedorthist, assists a pedorthist in the provision of pedorthic care, or who provides technical support to a pedorthist, including fabricating, assembling, modifying and servicing pedorthic devices in accordance with the pedorthist’s specifications. Pedorthic support personnel may not practice prosthetics, orthotics, pedorthics or orthotic fitting.
Pedorthics—The practice of evaluating, measuring, designing, fabricating, assembling, fitting, adjusting or servicing necessary to accomplish the application of a pedorthic device for the prevention or amelioration of painful or disabling conditions related to the lower extremities pursuant to a written prescription of a licensed prescribing practitioner.
Pedorthist—An individual who is licensed by the Board to practice pedorthics.
Pedorthist trainee—An individual who holds a temporary practice permit issued by the Board and who is authorized to practice in accordance with § § 18.831 and 18.832 (relating to temporary practice permit; and patient fitting experience).
Podiatrist—An individual licensed under the Podiatry Practice Act (63 P.S. § § 42.1—42.21c) to practice podiatry.
Prefabricated orthosis—(i) A brace or support designed to provide for alignment, correction or prevention of neuromuscular or musculoskeletal dysfunction, disease, injury or deformity.
(ii) The term does not include fabric or elastic supports, corsets, arch supports, low-temperature plastic splints, trusses, elastic hose, canes, crutches, soft cervical collars, dental appliances or other similar devices carried in stock and sold as over-the-counter items.
Prosthesis—(i) A custom-designed, custom-fabricated, custom-fitted or custom-modified device to replace an absent external limb for purposes of restoring physiological function that is not surgically implanted.
(ii) The term does not include the following:
(A) Artificial eyes, ears, fingers or toes.
(B) Dental appliances.
(C) Cosmetic devices such as breast prostheses, eyelashes or wigs.
(D) Other devices that do not have a significant impact on the musculoskeletal functions of the body.
Prosthetics—The practice of evaluating, measuring, designing, fabricating, assembling, fitting, adjusting or servicing a prosthesis pursuant to a written prescription of a licensed prescribing practitioner.
Prosthetist—An individual who is licensed by the Board to practice prosthetics.
Prosthetist resident—An individual who holds a graduate permit issued by the Board and who is authorized to practice in accordance with § § 18.811 and 18.812 (relating to graduate permit; and clinical residency).
Provisionally-licensed orthotist—An individual who holds a provisional license issued by the Board and who is authorized to practice in accordance with § 18.823 (relating to provisional orthotist license).
Provisionally-licensed prosthetist—An individual who holds a provisional license issued by the Board and who is authorized to practice in accordance with § 18.813 (relating to provisional prosthetist license).
Cross References This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 18.842 (relating to orthotic fitting care experience).
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