E-payment under review

Mistaken payments and poor protection for small business have emerged as main issues in the Australian Securities and Investments Commission's review of the Electronic Funds Transfer code of conduct, reports Australian IT.

Consumer and business groups say the code should be made mandatory and applied to all electronic payment service providers, including Internet-based facilities such as PayPal and Google Checkout.

The Australian Bankers' Association says: "The EFT code is a valuable self-regulatory instrument providing consumers with the confidence and protection to take up the benefits of electronic funds transactions."

Therapy Partner, online billing provider to therapists, launched a new version of its online billing programme, reports Healthcare IT News.

The company says the software allows therapists to log into their accounts and automate their session fees from a credit card or checking account, authorised by their clients. Therapists are paid via direct deposit for any transactions processed through the account. The system also e-mails monthly statements to each client registered in a therapist's account.

Jessica Dolgan, Therapy Partner's CEO, says billing-related tasks consume much attention from therapists and ultimately have a negative impact on quality of care, as well as revenue collection.

With attorneys joining doctors, nurses, engineers and teachers on the "endangered professionals" list in the US, most law firms are updating their tactics to reach more law students, centring on electronic marketing, particularly on firms' Web sites, reports Arizona Republic.

Some firms have developed streaming videos about their work and culture, while others are offering podcasts on current legal topics, and some are active on social networking sites or sponsors of events at selected law schools.

Today's recruits have the ability to find an unprecedented amount of information on the Internet about prospective employers, says Scott Dewey, director of operations for Kerry's Referrals, a Phoenix-based recruitment firm. "And many firms are posting blogs and other material about their work culture."