Standards of Practice for Massage Therapists in Ohio

PREAMBLE  

These Standards of Practice were developed to assist Massage Therapists licensed in Ohio to

·        Provide safe, consistent health care;

·        Evaluate the quality of the care they provide;

·        Maintain a common base to develop quality practice;

·        Support and preserve the basic rights of clients and of other professionals; and

·        Assist the public in understanding what to expect from professional Massage Therapists.

1. THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIPS

1.1.   The primary responsibility of Massage Therapists is to promote the integrity and well being of their patients.

1.1.1.Massage Therapists are individuals licensed by the State Medical Board of Ohio to engage in the practice of professional massage therapy.  Massage Therapists shall maintain high standards of professional conduct in accordance with the laws of Ohio, the rules of the State Medical Board of Ohio, the Code of Ethics for Massage Therapists in Ohio, and these Standards of Practice.

1.1.2. All massage or massage procedures performed by Massage Therapists licensed in Ohio shall be considered therapeutic and shall be subject to these Standards.

1.1.3. Massage Therapists shall obtain an adequate medical history with each patient to provide an optimal therapeutic outcome for the patient.

1.1.4. Massage Therapists shall seek consultation or professional supervision consistent with promoting and maintaining appropriate application of skills and knowledge.

1.1.5.      Massage Therapists are aware of the personal vulnerability of patients and shall not use that vulnerability for personal satisfaction or personal gain.

1.1.6.      Massage Therapists shall provide consistent high standards in all settings.  The same criteria shall apply whether the practitioner works in a business setting, in an on-site setting or in association with another medical professional.

1.2.   Massage Therapists shall state and imply only the professional skills they possess and shall assume responsibility for correcting any known alleged misrepresentations.

1.2.1.      Massage Therapists shall display their medical licenses in a prominent location visible to their patients in order to communicate to their patients proof of qualification to apply medical massage.

1.2.2.      Massage Therapists shall not allege to be certified in any modality with a national or international certification program or other service marked procedures unless they have successfully completed the certification program of the association holding the service mark or other authority for the procedures.

1.2.3.      Massage Therapists shall not represent themselves as Doctors of Massage or any other inappropriate title.

1.3.   Massage Therapists shall advise patients of the intended therapeutic protocol and obtain informed consent before beginning.

1.3.1.      Massage Therapists shall ensure the representation of their professional service, policies and procedures to be accurately communicated to patients prior to the initial application of massage.

1.3.2.      The Massage Therapist shall discuss with the patient all aspects of the intended treatment process including the taking of a history and financial policies, confidentiality policies, treatment protocol and draping procedures.  Professional policies directly affecting the patient shall be available in written form for the patient.

1.3.3.      Massage Therapists recognize the inexperience of patients and shall elicit the appropriate participation and feedback from patients to enhance the therapeutic outcome.

1.3.4.      Massage Therapists recognize the patient can question and request the termination of specific treatment protocols.  If the Massage Therapist determines the patient’s request unreasonable to a positive therapeutic outcome, the Massage Therapist may terminate the patient/therapist relationship and refer, if appropriate, to another licensed professional.

1.3.5.      Prior to the beginning of each treatment session, the Massage Therapist shall elicit updated information from the patient that may affect the treatment protocol.

1.3.6.      Massage Therapists shall maintain professional drapery with patients at all times to insure warmth and a respect for the patient’s privacy.  Professional draping refers to the covering of a patient with a sheet or towel except for the face and the specific area of the body being immediately treated.  Genital areas shall be covered at all times.  Draping shall be discussed with the patient prior to treatment so the patient is empowered to request draping which is comfortable.  The Massage Therapist shall be fully clothed at all times.

1.4.   Confidentiality of the patient-therapist relationship shall be maintained.  Information concerning the patient will be released only with a signed authorization from the patient or when required by law.

1.4.1.      Massage Therapists recognize the right to privacy of a patient and shall not divulge the existence of a therapeutic relationship without the consent of the patient.

1.4.2.      Massage Therapists recognize the importance of freedom of communication for patients and under no circumstances, except as required by law, shall the Massage Therapist report to anyone any information obtained from a patient within the therapeutic relationship.

1.4.3.      The Massage Therapist shall release information only after obtaining a signed Authorization to Release Information from the patient except when required by law.

1.4.4.      Massage Therapists shall not utilize patient testimonials to promote their practices, nor in any way divulge information publicly that would identify a patient.

1.4.5.      Prior to accepting third-party payments, the Massage Therapist shall discuss with the patient disclosures that are required by third-party payers for payments.  Massage Therapists shall obtain permission from the patient to communicate with the third-party payer only that information relevant to treatment of the patient.

1.4.6.      All patient information for use in massage therapy shall be considered part of the therapist’s records and not information of the institution, agency or corporation in which the Massage Therapist is employed unless specified by State statute, regulation or by a signed contract completed prior to the beginning of such a policy.

1.5.   Dual relationships with patients that might impair objective application of professional skills shall be avoided.  Massage Therapists shall not enter into relationships with patients that in any way exploit the therapist-patient relationship.

1.5.1.      Massage Therapists shall not professionally treat family members, recognizing that the Massage Therapist’s objectivity and the patient’s freedom of communication might be compromised.  Massage Therapists shall refer relatives to a licensed Massage Therapist when therapeutic massage is indicated and requested by a relative.

1.5.2.      Massage Therapists shall not utilize the therapeutic setting to develop intimate relationships.  Their intent in relating to the patient is to be as objective as possible for therapeutic purposes.

1.5.3.      Under no circumstances shall Massage Therapists engage in sexual conduct with any patient.  Sexual conduct is any overt or covert sexual act as defined in convention and law.  Patients should be thoroughly empowered to authorize or decline therapeutic applications involving traditionally sexual contact areas such as nipples, female breasts, pubic bone, genitalia and the gluteal cleft.  The termination of the appropriateness of working in the aforementioned areas requires careful and justifiable evaluation of symptoms and suspected dysfunction and the application of procedures recognized by national certifying bodies as an effective part of a modality in which the Massage Therapist is certified.  Where there appears to be a mutual desirability between a Massage Therapist and patient for an intimate relationship, the patient shall be dismissed from any therapeutic relationship.

1.5.4.      The Massage Therapist shall report to appropriate authorities when there is substantial evidence that a patient is being or shall be harmed by others or is planning to harm another person physically or sexually.  This refers specifically to child abuse, elder abuse, spousal abuse or the patient reporting any plan to sexually or physical abuse another person.

2. PATIENT RECORDS

2.1.   Massage Therapists shall maintain patient records appropriate for continuity of patient care.

2.1.1.      All medical records shall contain the following components:

a.      Identification data;

b.      Medical history of the patient;

c.      As appropriate to the age of the patient a summary of the patient’s psychological needs;

d.      Reports of relevant massage physical assessments;

e.      Evidence of appropriate informed consent for procedures and treatments;

f.        Clinical observations, including the results of therapy; and

g.      Conclusions at the time of termination of treatment or evaluation.

2.1.2.      All clinical entries in the medical records shall be accurately dated and signed.

2.1.3.      Written consent of the patient is required for release of medical information to persons or agencies not otherwise authorized to receive this information.

2.1.4.      Massage Therapists initiate and maintain patient financial accounts according to accepted accounting practices.

2.2.   Patient records shall be kept in a secure manner in accordance with legal requirements.

3. PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

3.1.   Massage Therapists shall refer patients to, and otherwise relate to, other professionals appropriate to the patient’s therapeutic needs.  Such communication shall be consistent with protecting the integrity and confidentiality of the patient as well as the integrity of the massage therapy profession.

3.1.1.      Massage Therapists relate to other reputable professionals with fairness and in good faith.

3.1.2.      Massage Therapists shall cooperate with other professionals to ensure the highest quality of care to the patients.

3.1.3.      Massage Therapists shall not solicit the patients of a colleague.

3.1.4.      Massage Therapists who administer massage therapy to a colleague’s patients during the colleague’s temporary absence shall return the patients to the colleague upon the colleague’s return to work.  The Massage Therapist shall continue to see a colleague’s patient upon the colleague’s return only with consent of the colleague and the patient.

3.1.5.      Massage Therapists who provide supervision or consultation for colleagues shall seek to act only in ways that enhance the well being, integrity and success of that colleague.  Massage Therapists shall fairly represent their professional supervisory skill and background to colleagues seeking such consultations.

3.1.6.      Confidentiality shall be maintained by the Massage Therapist and colleagues concerning information obtained during supervision or consultations.

3.2.   Massage Therapists’ referrals to and from other professionals shall be solely to benefit the patient.  Massage Therapists shall neither pay others for referrals nor receive payment from referring sources.

3.3.   Massage Therapists shall not engage in or support any practice that causes unjust prejudice or maligns or defames any other health care provider.

3.4.   Massage Therapists shall practice, condone and collaborate with others practicing professional massage therapy only in a manner that is in compliance with state and local laws pertaining to the practice of massage therapy.

4. FEES

4.1.   Massage Therapists shall charge and accept fees only as appropriate for treatment within the legal scope of practice.

4.2.   Massage Therapists shall inform patients of fees, including policies relating to cancellation and failure to appear, prior to charging and accepting fees.

5. ADVERTISING

5.1.   Massage Therapists shall present the practice of massage therapy accurately to the public.

5.2.   Massage Therapists shall accurately represent their expected outcomes of treatment, fees, educational qualifications and professional affiliations.

6.PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

6.1.   Massage Therapists shall participate in continuing education and in appropriate consultation and self care to assure high quality application of their professional skills.

6.2.   Massage Therapists who engage in study and research shall be guided by the conventions and ethics of scholarly inquiry and shall avoid financial or political relationships that may limit objectivity or create conflict of interest.

Standards of Practice for Massage Therapists in Ohio