New Fax Regulations Effective August 1st

(Source: Federal Communications Commission Release)

NAPR/NALTO members must comply with the FCC's latest round of fax regulations, which include limiting the ability to send faxes to individuals without an existing business relationship (EBR), beginning August 1st.

The new regulations, which the FCC released in April 2006, would require senders of commercial faxes that utilize the EBR provision, to have an "opt-out" mechanism to allow recipients to decline future faxes. Among other things, the opt-out notice must be listed on the front page of the fax, and must include a toll-free telephone number, fax number, email address or website that would allow the recipient a cost-free mechanism to opt out of future faxes. If the recipient requests to opt out of future faxes, the sender must accommodate the request within 30 days and may no longer send unsolicited fax messages unless the recipient directly requests to receive them.

The regulations implement the fax legislation that passed Congress and was signed into law in June 2005. The legislation did not alter the previously existing provision that allows for a private right of action by a recipient to file civil lawsuits in state court against the party that sends illegal faxes, with penalties of up to $1500 for each violation.

For complete details, click below for the FCC Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/unwantedfaxes.html

10 Commandments of Ethics

The National Association of Physician Recruiters recognizes as professionals all individuals who provide physician recruiting and other healthcare services whether they recruit for clients or for their own organizations. The NAPR stresses honesty, objectivity, integrity, quality and competency. Members of NAPR are obligated to conduct business in a manner which reflects positively on their profession and the Association. We are, first and foremost, all professionals in the healthcare field.

• NAPR members shall only make a Candidate referral to a Client with both the Candidate’s and Client’s knowledge and permission.

• NAPR members shall only accept placement fees from Clients.

• NAPR members shall comply with all federal, state and local laws.

• NAPR members shall preserve all confidences of the Candidate and Client.

• NAPR members must compete in a fair and honorable manner.

• NAPR members must honor all contractual agreements.

• NAPR members shall maintain regular contact with Candidate and Client for the purposes of updating and consummating the placement (Procuring Cause).

• NAPR members shall withdraw a referred Candidate’s name immediately upon learning that another Recruiter has previously and properly referred the Candidate.

• NAPR members shall only present thoroughly screened Candidates to Clients.

• NAPR members, when clearing a Candidate’s name with a Client, must immediately (by end of next business day) submit the Candidate’s Curriculum Vitae to the Client.

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A Case of First Impression...

Out of New Jersey may prompt more employers to become tight-lipped when it comes to giving out employment references.

For the first time in the Garden State, an appellate court has applied the tort of negligent misrepresentation to a situation where an employer allegedly gave false information in an employment reference.

Lawyers say the decision by the intermediate New Jersey Appellate Division is worrisome for employers and will have far-reaching consequences.

Singer v. Beach Trading, No. A-1617-04t5.

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A Simple Math Lesson or How I Learned to Love the World Job Bank

I am a small recruitment firm (or small in-house department) with a limited sourcing budget.  Where can I get the best “bang from my buck?” The answer is simple. The NAPR World Job Bank!

Let’s do the math.
Total cost for 12 months (based on three recruiters or less) = $800
Number of days in the year = 365
Average cost per day: $800/365 = $2.19
Average number of job listings = 10
Average cost per job per day = $2.19/10 = 22 cents

Yes, for an average of 22 cents per day per job listing, your openings can be seen by thousands of physicians per month. You cannot mail a postcard for 22 cents.

For this unbelievably low price, you can access to the World Job Bank physician database of thousands of doctors looking for new opportunities and you get direct responses from physicians interested in your opportunities.

This is a real no-brainer. To sign up for the World Job Bank, call NAPR Headquarters at 800-726-5613 or email Victor Fernandez...Do it today!

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Ask Miss Deed...


Dear Miss Deed:

I enjoy, from a financial point of view, splitting candidates with other recruiting firms;  however, I have run into a very troublesome circumstance which involves my initial “clearing” of the name with the other firm.

It seems that when I recently called another firm and presented the name, the other recruiter accepted the name, but two days later called back to say he found he already had the doctor in his database.

What’s the story here? I have lost several possible placements and fear I could lose more.  When is my referral for a split valid?

Yours truly,
Getting Irritated

Dear Getting:

What seems like a rather straightforward issue is complicated. The Code of Ethics does not specifically address when a name is officially “cleared” as it pertains to another firm. It is addressed as it relates to presenting a candidate to a client. What is essential here is that while the language may be absent, the spirit of the intent is crystal clear!

When a recruiter approaches his or her client and attempts to “clear” the name in anticipation of referring the candidate, the Code of Ethics states that the referral is “unacceptable” if the client has been in contact with the referred candidate within the past thirty (30) days and has scheduled or is in the process of scheduling an interview.” (There is other language in the Code which also deals with “clearing” names but the foregoing language represents an important concept with which I want to deal here.)

The language quoted above relates very specifically to in-house members who own a database. It was incorporated into the Code with the proliferation of databases wherein in-house recruiters were searching all inactive candidates in an attempt to negate a valid referral. By the way, most in-house recruiters were glad to have the above definition for deciding on the validity of a referral.

What is key here is the principle! When you attempt to “clear” a name with another recruiting firm, they either are actively working with the doctor or they are not. They are “marketing” the doctor to potential clients or they are in the process of setting up an interview or have already set the interview. Those are basically the only conditions which will invalidate your referral.

A firm which searches their files to find your candidate’s name and is not actively working with the candidate is stealing your split.

Remember it is the “spirit” of the issue that is important here. It is not necessary to find specific Code of Ethics language; it is the intent that NAPR is striving to communicate here.  Either a firm is working with the doctor or they are not. It should not take several days to find out if the doctor is “active.”

My advice is if your split partner will not abide by a sense of “fair play”, you are probably better, by far, calling another firm.

Cordially,
Miss Deed

Miss Deed is an expert on all things ethical, and is ready to answer your questions. All questions to Miss Deed must be accompanied by the individual's name, telephone, and e-mail address. If the individual does not want his or her name published, we will publish the question with the statement: "Name Withheld by Request." No questions will be considered without verifying who the sender is. Send your questions to Miss Deed at the following e-mail address: DearMissDeed@napr.org and your question may appear in an upcoming NewsFlash!

Websites that offer upcoming conference information:
 
The Journal of American Medical Association Calendar of Events:
http://pubs.ama-assn.org/cgi/calendarcontent

If you have questions or comments about NewsFlash, please contact: Bill Kautter at bkautter@napr.org (800-726-5613) or NewsFlash Editor Ron Watson at watson_16252@msn.com

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The National Association of Physician Recruiters (NAPR), headquartered near Orlando, Florida, was founded in 1984, for the purpose of creating a national organization through which professional physician recruiters could work together to maintain standards of excellence within the industry and ensure the highest degree of quality in recruitment services. Today, the NAPR represents over 400 members, including recruitment firms, in-house staff physician recruiters, as well as contract staffing and management, trying to make a difference in the physician recruiting industry.

NAPR, 222 S. Westmonte Dr, Ste 101, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, 800-726-5613.