N.J. Admin. Code § 13:35-10.11 - Advertising and solicitation practices

(a) The following words and terms, when used in this section shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

1. "Advertisement" shall mean any attempt directly or indirectly by publication, dissemination or circulation in print or electronic media to induce directly or indirectly any person or entity to purchase or enter into an agreement to purchase services, treatment or goods related thereto from a licensed athletic trainer.

2. "Electronic media" shall include radio, television, telephone, facsimile machine or computer.

3. "Fee schedule" refers to the fees charged for services or goods offered by a licensed athletic trainer.

4. "Graphic representation" shall mean the use of drawings, animations, clinical photographs, dramatizations, music or lyrics.

5. "Print media" shall refer to newspapers, magazines, periodicals, professional journals, telephone directories, circulars, handbills, fliers or other publications, the content of which is disseminated by means of the printed word.

6. "Routine professional service" refers to a service that a licensed athletic trainer or professional association routinely performs.

(b) Subject to the limitation of (c) and (e) through (i) below, a licensed athletic trainer may provide information to the public by advertising in print or electronic media.

(c) A licensed athletic trainer who engages in the use of advertising that contains any of the following shall be deemed to have engaged in professional misconduct:

1. Any statement, claim or format including a graphic representation that is false, fraudulent, misleading or deceptive;

2. Any misrepresentation of a material fact;

3. The suppression, omission or concealment of any material fact under circumstances that the licensed athletic trainer knows or should have known is improper or prevents an athlete from making a full and informed judgment on the basis of the information set forth in the advertisement;

4. Any claim that the service performed or the materials used are superior to those ordinarily performed or used in the profession;

5. Any promotion of professional service that the licensed athletic trainer knows or should know is beyond the licensed athletic trainer's ability to perform;

6. A technique or communication that appears to intimidate, exert undue pressure or to unduly influence an athlete;

7. Any personal testimonial attesting to the quality or competence of service or treatment by a licensed athletic trainer involving medical or technical assessments that are beyond the athlete's competency to assess, or any testimonial not in compliance with 13:35-10.13;

8. The communication of any fact, data or information that may personally identify an athlete without the athlete's signed written permission obtained in advance;

9. An offer to pay, give or accept a fee or other consideration to or from a third party for the referral of an athlete;

10. Any print, language or format that directly or indirectly obscures a material fact; or

11. Any guarantee of results from any procedure.

(d) The Board may require a licensed athletic trainer to substantiate the truthfulness of any assertion or representation set forth in an advertisement.

(e) Any violations of (f) through (i) below shall be deemed professional misconduct.

(f) A licensed athletic trainer shall not engage, either directly or through the use of any agent, employee or representative, in solicitation of an athlete. This subsection shall not prohibit a licensed athletic trainer from offering services through materials provided to a community service organization that makes known the availability of all professional services listed; nor shall it prohibit the offering of services by a licensed athletic trainer to any bona fide representative of an athlete including, employers, labor union representatives or insurance carriers.

(g) Advertising making reference to or setting forth fees shall be limited to a stated fee for specifically described routine professional services or goods offered by licensed athletic trainers.

1. A licensed athletic trainer who advertises a fee shall disclose all relevant and material variables and considerations that are ordinarily included in such a service, so that the fee will be clearly understood by athletes.

2. In the absence of such disclosure referred to in (g)1 above, the stated fees shall be presumed to include everything ordinarily required for such a service. No additional charges shall be made for an advertised service unless the advertisement specifically delineates the additional services contemplated and the fee to be charged.

(h) The time period during which an advertised fee will remain in effect shall be set forth on the face of the advertisement. In the absence of such disclosure, the effective period shall be deemed to be 30 days from the date of the advertisement's final publication.

(i) Any licensed athletic trainer advertising a specialty certification shall have been certified by a certifying entity and shall maintain documentary proof of certification from the entity as part of his or her records. A licensed athletic trainer who advertises a specialty certification shall include the full name of the certification and the certifying entity in any advertisements and shall not use initials or acronyms for the certification or certifying entity. For example, a licensed athletic trainer may indicate in advertisements that he or she is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association but shall not indicate that he or she is a CSCS certified by the NSCA.

Notes

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:35-10.11

New Rule, R.2012 d.013, effective 1/3/2012.
See: 43 N.J.R. 26(a), 44 N.J.R. 104(a).