225 ILCS 110/3

(225 ILCS 110/3) (from Ch. 111, par. 7903)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)

Sec. 3. Definitions. The following words and phrases shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this Section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(a) "Department" means the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

(b) "Secretary" means the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation.

(c) "Board" means the Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology established under Section 5 of this Act.

(d) "Speech-Language Pathologist" means a person who has received a license pursuant to this Act and who engages in the practice of speech-language pathology.

(e) "Audiologist" means a person who has received a license pursuant to this Act and who engages in the practice of audiology.

(f) "Public member" means a person who is not a health professional. For purposes of board membership, any person with a significant financial interest in a health service or profession is not a public member.

(g) "The practice of audiology" is the application of nonsurgical methods and procedures for the screening, identification, measurement, monitoring, testing, appraisal, prediction, interpretation, habilitation, rehabilitation, or instruction related to audiologic or vestibular disorders, including hearing and disorders of hearing. These procedures are for the purpose of counseling, consulting and rendering or offering to render services or for participating in the planning, directing or conducting of programs that are designed to modify communicative disorders involving speech, language, auditory, or vestibular function related to hearing loss. The practice of audiology may include, but shall not be limited to, the following:

(1) any task, procedure, act, or practice that is necessary for the evaluation and management of audiologic, hearing, or vestibular function, including, but not limited to, neurophysiologic intraoperative monitoring of the seventh or eighth cranial nerve function;

(2) training in the use of amplification devices;

(3) the evaluation, fitting, dispensing, or servicing of hearing instruments and auditory prosthetic devices, such as cochlear implants, auditory osseointegrated devices, and brainstem implants;

(4) cerumen removal;

(5) performing basic speech and language screening tests and procedures consistent with audiology training; and

(6) performing basic health screenings in accordance with Section 8.3 of this Act.

(h) "The practice of speech-language pathology" is the application of nonmedical methods and procedures for the identification, measurement, testing, appraisal, prediction, habilitation, rehabilitation, and modification related to communication development, and disorders or disabilities of speech, language, voice, swallowing, and other speech, language and voice related disorders. These procedures are for the purpose of counseling, consulting and rendering or offering to render services, or for participating in the planning, directing or conducting of programs that are designed to modify communicative disorders and conditions in individuals or groups of individuals involving speech, language, voice and swallowing function.

"The practice of speech-language pathology" shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following:

(1) hearing screening tests and aural rehabilitation procedures consistent with speech-language pathology training;

(2) tasks, procedures, acts or practices that are necessary for the evaluation of, and training in the use of, augmentative communication systems, communication variation, cognitive rehabilitation, non-spoken language production and comprehension;

(3) the use of rigid or flexible laryngoscopes for the sole purpose of observing and obtaining images of the pharynx and larynx in accordance with Section 9.3 of this Act; and

(4) performing basic health screenings in accordance with Section 8.3 of this Act.

(i) "Speech-language pathology assistant" means a person who has received a license pursuant to this Act to assist a speech-language pathologist in the manner provided in this Act.

(j) "Physician" means a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches under the Medical Practice Act of 1987.

(k) "Email address of record" means the designated email address recorded by the Department in the applicant's application file or the licensee's license file, as maintained by the Department's licensure maintenance unit.

(l) "Address of record" means the designated address recorded by the Department in the applicant's or licensee's application file or license file as maintained by the Department's licensure maintenance unit.

(m) "Neurophysiologic intraoperative monitoring" means the process of continual testing and interpretation of test results using electrodiagnostic modalities to monitor the seventh and eighth cranial nerve function during a surgical procedure. Neurophysiologic intraoperative monitoring does not include testing and interpretation of test results using electrodiagnostic modalities to monitor the spinal cord, peripheral nerves (other than the seventh and eighth cranial nerve), cerebral hemispheres, or brainstem. Neurophysiologic intraoperative monitoring may be performed by an audiologist only if authorized by the physician performing the surgical procedure.

(Source: P.A. 100-530, eff. 1-1-18.)