Mercy News Room

January 21, 2008

Refer a Physician to Mercy Health Network – North Iowa and Earn $10,000

MASON CITY -- Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa is offering up to $10,000 to anyone who refers a qualified physician that is then hired to practice in Mercy Health Network – North Iowa.

“Iowa, as well as the entire nation, are experiencing physician shortages in some specialties. We, at Mercy, needed to get creative in our recruitment strategies so we can maintain the high quality level of health care available to area residents,” said Jim FitzPatrick, President/CEO, Mercy – North Iowa.

The Physician Referral Program expands on one of the organization’s programs, that up until now, has been offered only to Mercy associates. The total reward for a qualified referral is $10,000. When the referral candidate has been hired, the person submitting the referral is paid the reward according to the following schedule:

  • Completion of 30 days of employment: $2,000
  • Completion of 6 months of employment: $3,000
  • Completion of one year of employment: $5,000

“We wanted to offer a reward that was truly an incentive to people,” said Denise Siemers, Physician Recruitment Leader, Mercy – North Iowa. “And while $10,000 is a lot of money, it is a small price to pay for the quality of life a physician brings to a community.”

The procedure to refer a physician is:

  • Referring person completes the Physician Referral Reward Program form, found at   www.mercynorthiowa.com, or in Mercy – North Iowa’s Human Resources Department, 1000 4th Street SW, Mason City. A resume or curriculum vitae (CV) will need to be attached.

  • Referring person forwards the document to Physician Recruitment Department by e-mailing PRACTICE@mercyhealth.com or calling 641.422.5551 or toll-free 1.888.877.5551.

  • The Physician Recruitment Department approves the reward or determines ineligibility of the referral. If approved, and the referred physician is hired, the department forwards the documents to Human Resources to process payment.

“We invite you to partner with Mercy and your Mercy-affiliated hospital to assure access to high quality health care. We need parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends to tell the physicians in their lives to move here because Iowa offers a quality of life second to none; and because Mercy and its affiliated hospitals and clinics have state-of the-art facilities and truly care about the opinions of our medical staff,” FitzPatrick said.

There are many physician opportunities that are eligible to be included in this program. Please visit www.mercynorthiowa.com to find out more.

Physicians currently in Mercy Health Network – North Iowa and physicians previously sourced by the Physician Recruitment Department are not qualified referrals.