The College of Physiotherapists of Alberta has a regulatory role in the approval of practice settings in which physiotherapy services are provided. Section 10 of Schedule 20 of the Health Professions Act sets out where physiotherapists may provide professional services and gives the College the authority to approve certain practice settings in which physiotherapy services may be provided.
The College of Physiotherapists of Alberta has a regulatory role in the approval of Alberta practice settings where clinical physiotherapy services are provided to the general public*.
This approval process applies to any practice setting in which a physiotherapist delivers services unless the physiotherapist is employed by:
- an institution owned, operated or controlled by a government
- a nursing home
- an approved hospital as defined in the Hospitals Act
- a regional health authority
- an organization accredited by Accreditation Canada or the Commission for the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). [Confirmation of accreditation status must be provided to the College using this form.]
*If physiotherapy services are provided only to individuals directly associated with an organization and not accessed by the general public, the organization is exempt from this approval process. E.g., professional sporting teams, meat packing plants.
Independent business
Approval is not required for practice settings owned by a regulated member of the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta, provided the physiotherapist owner operates their business as an ‘independent business’.
Provide the following information to professionalpractice@cpta.ab.ca so the College can confirm that the business operates as an independent physiotherapy practice setting:
- Practice name.
- Address where professional services will be delivered. If services are delivered exclusively in patients' residences, provide the address where business administration tasks are completed.
- Practice phone number.
- Provide every website and social media profile where patients would find out about the services offered at this practice setting.
- List all owners of the practice setting and provide the CPTA registration number of each physiotherapist owner.
- Describe the physical site(s) where services will be delivered. Examples: Patient's home, single room within a shared location and specify location type (e.g., gym or recreation facility, multi-disciplinary clinic), single discipline physiotherapy clinic, physiotherapist’s home - designated treatment area.
- Describe how the patient will access the space where physiotherapy services will be delivered? Examples: There is an exterior public entrance to the space. Access is through another business.
- Who else shares or has independent access to the practice setting?
- What is the employment/ business/ professional relationship between the registered physiotherapist and the individual(s)?
Practice in association
Practice in association means a practice conducted in cooperation with another person.
The College of Physiotherapists of Alberta reviews a number of considerations, including the domains identified in Section 97(1) of the Health Professions Act, to determine if practice in association applies.
- Joint advertising
- Shared office telephone number
- Combined client billing for services
- Shared office reception area
- Shared office or clinic expenses
- Shared administrative functions or expenses
- Shared ownership or use of premises, equipment, furnishings, or other property
- Shared employees
- Physiotherapist compensation/payment method
- Responsibility for policy and procedure development and implementation including critical event management plans
- Contracts between the physiotherapist and the practice
- Third-party contracts
- Custodianship and storage of records
Contact the College’s Practice Advisor at professionalpractice@cpta.ab.ca if you have questions about the domains.
If a physiotherapist provides professional services “in association” with another person then approval of the “other person’s” practice setting is required. Select the application route below based on the ownership of the “other person’s” business.
Criteria to Meet
- The practice setting is owned, in whole or part, by a regulated member (other than a physiotherapist) of a College under the Health Professions Act.
- If the practice setting is owned and operated by more than one regulated member of a College or Colleges under the Health Professions Act, the practice setting has designated one owner (the Designated Owner*) who is a regulated member of a College under the Health Professions Act to be the designated contact person with the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta.
- The practice setting has appointed a Most Responsible Physiotherapist.
- The Most Responsible Physiotherapist appointed by the practice setting has signed the Most Responsible Physiotherapist Provision of Professional Service Agreement.
- The Most Responsible Physiotherapist appointed by the practice setting has completed the Roles and Responsibilities of the Most Responsible Physiotherapist learning module.
*The Designated Owner must be knowledgeable of regulatory responsibilities of registered physiotherapists and familiar with the physiotherapy-related business operations at the practice setting. They do not need to be the majority share holder of the business.
Most Responsible Physiotherapist
The “Most Responsible Physiotherapist” (MRPT) means a physiotherapist who has been appointed in writing to the role by the practice setting and who has accepted the appointment in writing. The Most Responsible Physiotherapist is responsible to provide oversight ensuring that the College Standards of Practice, Code of Ethical Conduct, and other professional obligations are met.
A Most Responsible Physiotherapist must provide services at the practice location for which they have agreed to assume this role. However, if an organization owns multiple practice sites and has the same policies and procedures for all practice sites they may appoint one Most Responsible Physiotherapist for the organization. In this case, the Most Responsible Physiotherapist may not work at every practice location; however, they are responsible to provide oversight to the organization ensuring physiotherapists may practice in accordance with the College Standards of Practice, Code of Ethical Conduct, and other professional obligations.
A Most Responsible Physiotherapist must be registered on the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta’s General Register without any practice restrictions.
The Most Responsible Physiotherapist must sign the Most Responsible Physiotherapist Provision of Professional Service Agreement with the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta agreeing to their appointment as most responsible physiotherapist for the practice setting named in the application and undertaking to fulfill the requirements of the Most Responsible Physiotherapist. A PDF copy of this agreement must be uploaded with the application submitted by the Designated Owner.
Assess your readiness to apply
You are ready to apply when you have:
- Identified a Designated Owner for the practice setting.
- Collected the names and registration numbers of all owners of the practice setting.
- Appointed a Most Responsible Physiotherapist.
- Obtained a signed Most Responsible Physiotherapist Provision of Service Agreement from the Most Responsible Physiotherapist.
- Obtained a valid certificate of completion of the Most Responsible Physiotherapist Learning Module from the appointed Most Responsible Physiotherapist
Learning module certificates of completion are valid for two (2) years from the date of completion.
Apply for approval
Application: Ownership by a regulated member (other than physiotherapist) of a College under the Health Professions Act, completed via the online application portal.
Upload the required supporting evidence as separate PDF documents within the online application portal.
If you do not have all the supporting documents, then you are not ready to apply for approval.
All documents must be submitted in PDF format, via the online application portal. Documents will not be accepted if submitted separately.
What to expect after you apply
Staff review applications in the order in which they are received. We try to deal with applications within six business days. However, processing does take longer when there is a high volume.
When your application is approved, you will receive an email notifying you of the approval.
No physiotherapy services may be provided at the practice setting until the application has been approved by the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta.
Cost
- $250 non-refundable application fee.
- The application fee is waived for additional practice settings with the same owner(s).
- Once your application is received, the College will generate an invoice for the application fee unless it is waived as described above.
Conditions
Change of Most Responsible Physiotherapist
If the Most Responsible Physiotherapist ceases to provide services at the practice setting or resigns from the role of Most Responsible Physiotherapist, then both the Designated Owner and Most Responsible Physiotherapist are responsible for notifying the College immediately.
The Designated Owner is responsible for appointing a new Most Responsible Physiotherapist for the practice setting and submitting a Change of Most Responsible Physiotherapist Application to the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta within 30 days.
The new Most Responsible Physiotherapist must be eligible to accept the role, meaning that before submitting the application, the Most Responsible Physiotherapist must provide a valid** certificate of completion of the Roles and Responsibilities of the Most Responsible Physiotherapist or the Provision of Professional Services learning module and have signed the Most Responsible Physiotherapist Provision of Professional Service Agreement. Evidence of fulfilling these requirements must be submitted with the Change of Most Responsible Physiotherapist application.
**Learning module certificates of completion are valid for two (2) years from the date of completion.
Should the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta not receive an application appointing a new Most Responsible Physiotherapist within 30 days, physiotherapy services can no longer be provided at the practice setting until this condition is met.
Staff review applications in the order in which they are received. We try to deal with applications within six business days. However, processing does take longer when there is a high volume.
Practice setting name
The practice setting name may only include the term ‘physiotherapy’ or variants thereof if a physiotherapist is providing services in the practice setting. Physiotherapy must be removed from the practice setting name as per the Health Professions Act, section 128(1) if no physiotherapist is providing services in the practice setting.
Criteria to meet
The practice setting is owned by one or more owners, none of whom are regulated members under Alberta’s Health Professions Act.
The following criteria must be met:
- The practice setting has appointed a Most Responsible Physiotherapist.
- If the practice setting is owned and operated by more than one owner, none of whom are regulated members under Alberta’s Health Professions Act, the practice setting has designated one owner (the Designated Owner) to be the designated contact person with the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta.
- The Designated Owner has completed the Provision of Professional Services learning module.
- The Most Responsible Physiotherapist appointed by the practice setting has signed the Most Responsible Physiotherapist Provision of Professional Service Agreement.
- The Most Responsible Physiotherapist appointed by the practice setting has completed the Provision of Professional Services learning module.
- The practice setting has appropriate policies and procedures in place to enable physiotherapists working in the practice setting to adhere to the expectations established in legislation, the College Standards of Practice, Code of Ethical Conduct, and other physiotherapist professional obligations.
- The practice setting has a plan for how the policies and procedures are/will be communicated to physiotherapists and monitored.
The Designated Owner must be knowledgeable of regulatory responsibilities of registered physiotherapists and familiar with the physiotherapy-related business operations at the practice setting. They do not need to be the majority share holder of the business.
Most Responsible Physiotherapist
The “Most Responsible Physiotherapist” (MRPT) means a physiotherapist who has been appointed in writing to the role by the practice setting and who has accepted the appointment in writing. The Most Responsible Physiotherapist is responsible to provide oversight ensuring that the College Standards of Practice, Code of Ethical Conduct, and other professional obligations are met.
A Most Responsible Physiotherapist must provide services at the practice location for which they have agreed to assume this role. However, if an organization owns multiple practice sites and has the same policies and procedures for all practice sites they may appoint one Most Responsible Physiotherapist for the organization. In this case, the Most Responsible Physiotherapist may not work at every practice location; however, they are responsible to provide oversight to the organization ensuring physiotherapists may practice in accordance with the College Standards of Practice, Code of Ethical Conduct, and other professional obligations.
A Most Responsible Physiotherapist must be registered on the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta’s General Register without any practice restrictions.
The Most Responsible Physiotherapist must sign the Most Responsible Physiotherapist Provision of Professional Service Agreement with the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta agreeing to their appointment as Most Responsible Physiotherapist for the practice setting named in the application and undertaking to fulfill the requirements of the Most Responsible Physiotherapist.
A PDF copy of this agreement must be uploaded with the application submitted by the Designated Owner.
Assess your readiness to apply
You are ready to apply when you have:
- Identified a Designated Owner for the practice setting
- Have the Designated Owner's valid certificate of completion of the Provision of Professional Services learning module
- Appointed a Most Responsible Physiotherapist and obtained from them
- a signed Most Responsible Physiotherapist Provision of Service Agreement
- a valid certificate of completion of the Provision of Professional Services learning module
- Collected the following information regarding the practice setting
- the names of all additional owners
- all social media profiles of the practice setting
- a copy of the sample contract with physiotherapy staff
- the privacy statement
- the fee guidelines or fee schedule
- patient safety incident management plans
- operational policies related to
- privacy safeguards and records management
- infection prevention and control
- use of unregulated health providers in the delivery of physiotherapy services
- a copy of the Privacy Impact Assessment if one has been completed
Provision of Professional Services learning module certificates of completion are valid for two (2) years from the date of completion.
Apply for approval
Application: Ownership by a non-regulated individual completed via the online application portal.
Upload the required supporting evidence as separate PDF documents within the online application portal, e.g., one PDF document for the sample contract, one PDF document for the privacy statement, etc.
Applications must be accompanied by all required supporting documents. If you do not have all the supporting documents, then you are not ready to apply for approval.
Application and supporting documents must be received together in one package. All documents must be submitted in PDF format, via the online application portal.
Incomplete applications will not be processed.
What to expect after you apply
Staff review applications in the order in which they are received. In approximately six business days after receiving a complete application, staff will start to review your application. Staff will review all supporting documents submitted with the application in detail to determine if there is sufficient evidence that the practice setting has the appropriate policies and procedures as listed in the Assess Your Readiness to Apply section.
If evidence is lacking, staff will communicate directly with the Most Responsible Physiotherapist for further information or revised documentation.
The Most Responsible Physiotherapist has accepted the appointment and in this role must ensure the organization’s policies and procedures align with the College Standards of Practice, Code of Ethical Conduct, and other professional obligations.
The timeline to render a decision on approval or denial depends on the completeness of the application package and quality of supporting documentation provided. This process can take several weeks if information is lacking or insufficient.
No physiotherapy services may be provided at the practice setting until the application has been approved by the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta. This does not prevent the owner from entering into a contractual relationship with a physiotherapist for the purpose of completing the application.
Cost
- $2,500 non-refundable application fee for reviewing and processing the application.
- The application fee is waived for additional practice settings with the same owner(s) and using the same supporting documents.
- Once your application is received, the College will generate an invoice for the application fee unless it is waived as described above.
- The application fee, if applicable, must be paid before staff will review the application.
Conditions
Change of Most Responsible Physiotherapist
If the Most Responsible Physiotherapist ceases to provide services at the practice setting or resigns from the role of Most Responsible Physiotherapist, then both the Designated Owner and Most Responsible Physiotherapist are responsible for notifying the College immediately.
The Designated Owner is responsible for appointing a new Most Responsible Physiotherapist for the practice setting and submitting a Change of Most Responsible Physiotherapist application to the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta within 30 days.
The new Most Responsible Physiotherapist must be eligible to accept the role, meaning that before submitting the application, the Most Responsible Physiotherapist must provide a valid certificate of completion of the Provision of Professional Services learning module and a signed copy of the Most Responsible Physiotherapist Provision of Professional Service Agreement. Evidence of fulfilling these requirements must be submitted with the Change of Most Responsible Physiotherapist application.
Provision of Service learning module certificates of completion are valid for two (2) years from the date of completion.
Should the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta not receive an application appointing a new Most Responsible Physiotherapist within 30 days, physiotherapy services can no longer be provided at the practice setting until this condition is met.
Staff review applications in the order in which they are received. We try to deal with applications within six business days. However, processing does take longer when there is a high volume.
Practice Setting Name
The practice setting name may only include the term ‘physiotherapy’ or variants thereof if a physiotherapist is providing services in the practice setting. Physiotherapy must be removed from the practice setting name as per the Health Professions Act, section 128(1) if no physiotherapist is providing services in the practice setting.
If the ownership of the practice setting does not fall within one of the above three categories, a conversation with the College is required to determine if the provision of service approval requirements apply. Contact the College’s Practice Advisor at professionalpractice@cpta.ab.ca.
For the purpose of administering the provision of service requirements, primary care networks are deemed to be an institution owned, operated or controlled by a government or an agency or department of a government and are therefore exempt from requiring approval from the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta.
Health Professions Act
Section 10 of Schedule 20 of the Health Professions Act sets out where physiotherapists may provide professional services.
10(1) A regulated member of the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta shall not provide a professional service except
(a) for or on behalf of a person who is a regulated member of the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta,
(b) at or in association with a practice setting approved by an accreditation body approved by the council of the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta, or
(c) at or in association with a practice setting approved by the council of the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a regulated member of the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta employed by
(a) an institution owned, operated or controlled by a government or an agency or department of a government,
(b) a nursing home, whether or not it is owned, operated or controlled by a government or an agency or department of a government,
(c) an approved hospital as defined in the Hospitals Act,
(d) a regional health authority, or
(e) other employers approved by the council of the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta.
Delegation
The College of Physiotherapists of Alberta's Council delegates to the Registrar the authority to determine whether or not the conditions are met. The Registrar may, on behalf of Council, grant an indefinite approval of the practice setting, approval for a specified time period, and an approval subject to specified conditions.
Appeal to Council
Practice settings that do not receive approval by the Registrar because they do not meet the required conditions may apply to Council in writing asking that the practice setting be approved despite non-compliance with all conditions. Council has the discretion to accept or reject such applications and if Council grants an approval then Council may impose any conditions it considers appropriate.
