As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) ACCREDITED FACILITY. A facility where prosthetic, orthotic, prosthetic and orthotic, or pedorthic care is provided to patients needing such care and has met the requirements of the board for such designation. The board shall require that all accredited facilities meet the requirements of a national certifying board, recognized by the state board in prosthetics, orthotics, and pedorthics accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) in the discipline or disciplines for which the application is made and meet any other requirements of the board. The requirements may include custom and non-custom items the board may determine are necessary to perform quality care and are typical in the course of business.

(2) ACCREDITED PEDORTHIC FACILITY. A facility where pedorthic care may be provided that has met the requirements of the board for such designation. An accredited pedorthic facility shall contain a site that includes at least the following equipment: Sanding/grinding equipment suitable for use, an oven for plastics and foams used in the fabrication of pedorthic devices, and a vacuum device for forming pedorthic devices.

(3) AUTHORIZED HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER. A physician licensed to practice medicine or a person licensed or authorized to practice podiatry pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 34-24-230) of Chapter 24.

(4) BOARD. The Alabama State Board of Prosthetists and Orthotists.

(5) CHIROPRACTOR. A person licensed and acting within the definition as found in Section 34-24-120.

(6) MASTECTOMY FITTER. A health care professional who is specifically educated and trained in the provision of breast prostheses and post-mastectomy services, including patient assessment, formulation of a treatment plan, implementation of the treatment plan, and follow-up and practice management, which is consistent with nationally recognized programs which are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

(7) OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST/OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT/OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST AIDE. A person who is licensed as an occupational therapist, or occupational therapist assistant, or occupational therapist aide as defined in Section 34-39-3.

(8) ORTHOSIS. A custom-fabricated, definitive brace or support that is designed for long-term use. Custom-fabricated orthoses, also known as custom-made orthoses, are devices designed and made from raw materials or commercially available components for a specific patient and require the generation of an image, form, or mold that replicates the patient's body or body segment and involves the rectification of dimensions, contours, and volumes to achieve proper fit, comfort, and function for that specific patient. Except for the treatment of scoliosis, orthosis does not include prefabricated or direct-formed orthotic devices, as defined in this subdivision and does not include any of the following items: Commercially available knee orthoses used following injury or surgery; upper extremity adaptive equipment; finger splints; leather wrist gauntlets; face masks used following burns; wheelchair seating that is an integral part of the wheelchair and not worn by the patient independent of the wheelchair; fabric or elastic supports; corsets; arch supports, also known as non-custom or prefabricated orthotics; low-temperature formed plastic splints; trusses; elastic hose; canes; crutches; cervical collars; dental appliances, and other similar devices as determined by the board, such as those commonly carried in stock by a pharmacy, hospital, rehabilitation facility, department store, corset shop, or surgical supply facility. Prefabricated orthoses, also known as custom-fitted or off-the-shelf, are devices that are manufactured as commercially available items for no particular patient, but those devices that can be formed or shaped by a person licensed under this chapter are considered custom made. Direct-formed orthoses are devices formed or shaped during the molding process directly on the patient's body or body segment.

(9) ORTHOTIC FITTER. A health care practitioner, licensed with the board, who is specifically educated and trained in the provision of certain orthoses, including patient assessment, formulation of a treatment plan, follow-up, and practice management, consistent with nationally recognized programs accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

(10) ORTHOTICS. The science and practice of evaluating, measuring, designing, fabricating, assembling, fitting, adjusting, or servicing, as well as providing the initial training necessary to accomplish the fitting of, an orthosis for the support, correction, or alleviation of neuromuscular or musculoskeletal dysfunction, disease, injury, or deformity. The practice of orthotics encompasses evaluations and consultation and continuing care, with basic observational gait and posture analysis. Orthotists assess the need for and measure, design, manufacture, and fit orthoses to maximize function and provide not only the support but the alignment necessary to either prevent or correct deformity or to improve the safety and efficiency of mobility or locomotion, or both. Orthotic practice includes periodic evaluation and consultation to assess its effect on the patient's tissue and assure proper fit and function of the orthotic device.

(11) ORTHOTIC SUPPLIER. A person registered with the board who is employed by or has a contractual relationship with a manufacturer of orthoses or orthosis components and who has complied with the registration requirements of the board.

(12) ORTHOTIST. A person licensed to practice orthotics under this chapter.

(13) ORTHOTIST ASSISTANT. A person licensed under terms to be defined by the board and employed by the same agency as his or her licensed referring evaluator.

(14) PEDORTHIC DEVICE. Custom therapeutic shoes, diabetic shoes if prescribed by an authorized health care practitioner for the treatment of partial or complete amputation of the foot, foot ulceration, pre-ulcerative callous, or foot deformity, shoe modifications made for therapeutic purposes, partial foot prostheses, and foot orthoses and orthoses for use from the knee and below used for the treatment or alleviation, or both, of a condition that has its origin in the foot. A pedorthic device, custom or non-custom, addresses a medical condition of the foot below the ankle and is prescribed by an authorized health care practitioner.

(15) PEDORTHICS. The design, manufacture, modification, or fit of custom shoes, orthoses, and pedorthic devices to prevent or alleviate foot problems caused by disease, congenital defect, overuse, or injury.

(16) PEDORTHIST. A person who is licensed to practice pedorthics under this chapter.

(17) PHYSICAL THERAPIST/PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT/PHYSICAL THERAPIST TECHNICIAN. A person who is licensed to practice as defined in Section 34-24-191.

(18) PHYSICIAN. A person who is a doctor of medicine or a doctor of osteopathy licensed to practice.

(19) PODIATRIST. A person licensed or authorized to practice podiatry pursuant to Article 6 of Chapter 24.

(20) PROSTHESIS. A definitive artificial limb that is alignable or articulated or, in lower extremity applications, capable of bearing weight. Prosthesis means an artificial medical device that is not surgically implanted and that is used to replace a missing limb, appendage, or other external human body part and that includes an artificial limb, hand, or foot. The term does not include artificial eyes, ears, dental appliances, ostomy products, devices such as artificial breasts or eyelashes, wigs, or other devices as determined by the board that do not have a significant impact on the musculoskeletal functions of the body.

(21) PROSTHETICS. The science and practice of evaluating, measuring, designing, fabricating, assembling, fitting, aligning, adjusting, or servicing, as well as providing the initial education necessary to accomplish the wearing and use of a prosthesis, through the replacement of external parts of a human body lost due to amputation or congenital deformities or absences. The practice of prosthetics also includes the generation of an image, form, or mold that replicates the patient's body or body segment and that requires rectification of dimensions, contours, and volumes for use in the design and fabrication of a socket to accept a residual limb to create an artificial appendage that is designed either to support body weight or to improve or restore function or cosmesis, or both. Involved in the practice of prosthetics is observational gait analysis and clinical assessment of the requirements necessary to refine and mechanically fix the relative position of various parts of the prosthesis to maximize the function, stability, and safety of the patient. The practice of prosthetics includes evaluation, consultation, and providing continuing patient care in order to assess the effect of the prosthetic device on the patient's tissues and to assure proper fit and function of the prosthetic device.

(22) PROSTHETIST. A person who is licensed to practice prosthetics under this chapter.

(23) PROSTHETIST ASSISTANT. A person licensed under terms to be defined by the board and employed by the same agency as his or her licensed referring evaluator.

(24) PROSTHETIST/ORTHOTIST. A person licensed to practice prosthetics and orthotics under this chapter.

(25) THERAPEUTIC SHOE FITTER. A health care professional who is licensed by the board and who is specifically educated and trained to provide non-custom therapeutic shoes and non-custom multi-density inserts. This includes patient assessment, formulation of a plan, implementation of the treatment plan, follow-up, and practice management.