Chennai: Health officials are struggling to determine whether physiotherapy clinics must register under the Clinical Establishments Act — a regulatory ambiguity that has left hundreds of clinics operating in legal limbo across the state.
Officials at the Directorate of Medical Services say the uncertainty stems from a fundamental question: do physiotherapy clinics qualify as clinical establishments if no licensed medical doctor is on the premises? While hospitals have completed mandatory registration, and diagnostic laboratories fell in line following a court directive, physiotherapy clinics have quietly slipped through the cracks.
Legal Ambiguity
The Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, requires all institutions offering treatment or diagnostic services to register with state authorities. But officials say the law’s language was drafted with physician-led facilities in mind, leaving room for interpretation when it comes to allied health professionals. “It is for similar reasons we are unable to register beauty salons that offer massages and cupping therapy. But we have registered physiotherapy clinics attached to an orthopaedic clinic as there are doctors present there,” said a senior official.
Physiotherapists Push Back
Physiotherapists’ associations are pushing back. At least two associations have told the state that their practitioners hold advanced qualifications and function as independent clinicians. They point to a January 2026 Kerala high court single-bench order which ruled that physiotherapists may use the “Dr” prefix, holding that medical doctors hold no exclusive right to the title. State health authorities say they are awaiting legal guidance before initiating registrations.
Doctors’ associations have appealed against the single-bench order. “The Act at present does not mandate registration for physiotherapy clinics,” the official added.
Consumer Concerns
Consumer activists, however, say the stakes are too high to wait. “Thousands of standalone physiotherapy clinics operate out of small premises with little oversight. The registration gap creates real risks, particularly in post-surgical rehabilitation where clinical errors can have serious consequences,” said consumer activist Shankar R.
Stay updated with the latest Chennai news. Download the TOI App.
