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Opening the Patient Payments Window
TIP: The last three methods listed above automatically display the details for the current patient, so you don't have to locate and select the patient, as the system has done this for you
File Menu
Transactions > Take Payments...
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Workspace Bar
If you have it configured as an option, click the icon on your workspace bar:
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Appointment Book
Click the Payment button at the bottom of the Appointment Book window:
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Patient File
From the Patient File, Patient Transactions window:
Click the currency button
, then
Click the Payment button.
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Edit Appointment Screen
From the Edit Appointment screen:
Click the
button and then
Click the Payment button.
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Processing Payments
Using the Appointment Book
As shown below, a Payment button is located at the bottom of both the Multi Column and the Single Column Appointment Books.
This allows payments to be processed directly from the Appointment Book instead of having to switch to another window.
Multi Column Appointment Book showing the Payment Button
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Single Column Appointment Book showing the Payment Button
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Through the Menu or Workspace Bar
To take Payments
Select Transactions > Take Payments
or
Select the Take Payments option on the Workspace bar (you can add it to the workspace bar by right-clicking the bar, selecting "Customise" and moving the Take Payments option from the left pane to the right pane).
Whichever method you use, a Patient Payments window will appear:
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NOTE:
Your Patient Payments window may have different fields to the above image, depending what available options your practice has activated.
Configure the options and fields via the spanner button
...
in the toolbar at the top of the Patient Payments window.
For a Patient with an Appointment
To process a payment for a patient with an appointment
Click once to select the patient’s appointment.
Click on the
Payment button below the Appointment area.
This will display the Patient Payments window with the patient already selected:
Enter the required details: Payment Amount, Payment Type and any additional information such as the bank/branch for cheque payments.
Click
to complete the payment entry.
For a Patient without an Appointment
Scenario:
If a patient arrives solely to pay an account, they will not have an appointment booked, so a payment is unable to be actioned by highlighting their appointment and clicking the Payment button.
In this case, to use the appointment book to take their payment, you will need to select any patient to activate the Payment button, then select the correct patient using the CTRL+L keys or the
...
(List) button.
To process a Payment for a Patient without an appointment
Highlight any patient’s appointment.
Click on the Payment button to display the Patient Payments window with the arbitrarily selected patient’s details.
Now select the correct patient: Click on the patient’s code and use the CTL+L keys or List button to select the correct patient.
Enter the required details including Payment amount, Payment type and any additional information such as the bank/branch for cheque payments.
Click
to complete the payment entry.
Alternatively, you can use one of the other methods to open the Patient Payments window, then enter the payment details as above.
Patient Payments Window options and fields
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Transactions > Take Payments...
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If you have it configured as an option, click the icon on your workspace bar:
...
...
Click the Payment button at the bottom of the Appointment Book window:
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...
From the Patient File, Patient Transactions window:
Click the currency button
, then
Click the Payment button.
...
From the Edit Appointment screen:
Click the £ button and then
Click the Payment button.
TIP: The last three methods listed above automatically display the details for the current patient, so you don't have to locate and select the patient, as the system has done this for you.
Payment window options and fields
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Sort By
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You can sort patient records in many ways.
Click the
...
button to view the list of options available.
Click the required option to select. This field is consistent across many windows that have patient selection.
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Patient Code
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This field is used to select the patient making a payment. Use the
...
or
...
button to select a patient.
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Patient Tool Bar
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This includes any or all of the following buttons:
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View a patient’s transactions.
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Link this window to the previous window. The patient displayed in the previous window will automatically be displayed in this window.
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Edit the patient’s details.
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To configure the ‘Patient Payments’ window, e.g. if adding or removing a payment method.
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Paid By
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A patient name can be displayed in this field. This could be useful if the person paying the account is not the patient who owes the money.
This name will appear in: ‘Transactions’, ‘List Items’, ‘List Payments’ - and will be printed on the Cashing Up report.
It could also be useful if the patient is paying by a cheque labelled with a different name, such as a company cheque.
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Date
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This is the date the payment is processed and will automatically default to the current date. This field can be modified if necessary, e.g. for post-dated cheques or when processing Automatic Payments from the bank statement.
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Provider
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This field is used to select which provider the payment will be processed under and can be changed using the scroll arrows, List button or the F4 key.
The Provider field (if displayed), will automatically suggest which provider should receive the payment. The provider with the oldest open invoice is EXACT’s first choice but if there are no open invoices (e.g. none unpaid), the patient’s usual provider is displayed. This can also be changed using the scroll arrows, List button or the [Ctrl][L] key.
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Bank Account
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This will be set to the default for the practice (if set) but can be overridden if required by clicking in the field and choosing another account from the drop-down menu.
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Family Members
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Any patients that have been set up as family members will be listed here, and payments made for them by ticking the checkbox beside their name.
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Stock Items
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To add stock items (such as toothbrushes, dental floss, etc.) to be sold to the patient at payment time, highlight the item in the right-hand box, and click the
...
button. The cost stored against the item will be added to the amount owed by the patient.
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Current Owing
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The current amount owing, before treatment.
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Add Completed
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Additional amount for any treatment completed since the last bill. Will be included only if the checkbox is ticked.
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Add Planned
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Additional amount for any planned treatment. This will be included only if the checkbox is ticked.
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Payment Due
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Total payment due. If (as in the case of non-cash payments) the Set tendered amount to payment due checkbox is ticked, the Amount Tendered field (see below) will be equal to this.
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Edit Allocations: This button opens a dialog window and allows you to specify how the payment is to be allocated across current patient charges.
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Amount Tendered
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Enter the amount tendered by the patient.
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Less change Owed
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The change to be given (Amount Tendered less Payment Due). This is only displayed if the checkbox is ticked AND the checkbox next to the "Payment Due" field is not ticked.
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Today's Payment
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This is equal to the Payment Due or the Amount Tendered (whichever is the smaller amount).
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Payment Type
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Use the
...
button to select the appropriate method of payment (Cash, Credit Card, Cheque, etc)
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Bank + Branch
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You can use these fields to enter the bank and branch names (where configured).
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Comment
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If the Bank/Branch fields are not displayed, this field allows you to enter any comment relevant to the patient payment.
Refunding Patient Payments
In the Patient File, with the correct patient selected, click the £ button to open the Patient Transactions window
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Click on the
...
button to open the refunds wizard as shown below:
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Click in the correct option button to select whether the refund is for a discount, for work not yet done, or for work done.
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Enter the amount of the refund (a refund is allowed even if the patient’s balance is zero).
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Enter a short reason for the refund in the ‘Refund Reason’ field, similar to the sample shown below:
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Click ‘Next’ to start. A window will appear, similar to the following:
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The window will list all the patient’s previous receipts. If the refund is for all or part of an amount already paid (as in this case), select that receipt.
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Use the
...
button in the Method of refund field to select the method from the list below:
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Click ‘Finish’ to return to the transactions window, where the patient’s balance is now zero.
Configure Patient Payments
Select Configure > Patient Payments to display the Patient Payments window:
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Other Options
The first option defaults to "On", and shows the amount owing by family members, in the Patient Payments window for all family members.
The second option defaults to "Off", but if checked will cause all family members’ accounts to be ticked when the payments window is opened.
If it is not ticked then only the patient whose account it is will be ticked.
This box will be “greyed out” if the first box is not ticked.
‘Calculate Change’ adds additional fields to the payment window. The user will enter in the payment window the amount tendered, e.g., a $20 note. The system can then calculate the change that should be given to the patient.
This option will default the Payment Amount field to the total balance owed by the patient. It means that this field does not need to be entered if the patient is paying the remainder of the account. If they are not, don’t forget to change this field otherwise the payment will be processed incorrectly and the banking will not be accurate.
This feature does not operate when the Calculate Change feature is activated. Instead users are presented with a checkbox in the payment window which when ticked will ‘Set Tendered Amount to Payment Due’.
With this option ticked, the Bank Account field is available to change on the Processing window. If this option is not ticked, the payment will be automatically banked into the selected Providers bank account.
Not widely used, as most Providers bank into one account for the practice.
The 'Make all payments to' option is used where all patient payments are made to the bank account of one provider, such as the principle provider in a practice, rather than to individual dentists who might be paid a salary or just for treatment provided.
If this check box is ticked the amount for any planned treatment will be displayed in the payment window and can be added to the payment due amount.
If this check box is ticked the completed amount for treatment will be displayed in the payment window and can be added to the Payment Due amount.
These two options are mutually exclusive, and allow you to have either the 'Bank' and 'Branch' fields or the 'Comment' field displayed on the "Patient Payments" window.
Quicktip: As it is not necessary to restart EXACT for changes made in this screen to take affect, you can switch between these two settings whenever you wish to change which format is shown in the Payments window
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The Patient Payments window varies in size based on which options are activated. The following picture shows the Patient Payments window in its simplest state with the following areas turned off:
Discounts
Stock Items
Allocations
Bank Account
Provider
Show planned and completed treatment amounts
Calculate Change
Allow selection of bank account
'Bank' and 'Branch' fields displayed instead of the 'Comment' field.
List Invoices
Purpose
List invoices and perform actions with selected invoices in the list:
Show allocations for the selected invoice
Print an invoice
Print the list of invoices
Delete selected invoice/s
Add further allocations to an invoice
To list Invoices
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Select Transactions > List Items > List Invoices...
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The List Invoices desktop displays:
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Take further actions on a selected invoice by means of the right-click menu or the button bar at bottom right:
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Select the [ i ] button
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or double-click an invoice to show allocations for it:
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In this screen you can show details of the selected allocation, add further allocations or delete the selected allocation.
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Select the Print button
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to print the selected Invoice through the normal print dialogue.
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Select the Print List button
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to print the entire list.
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Select the Delete button
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to delete the selected Invoice.
Strategies to Reduce Patient Debt
Most dental practices have patients who have not yet paid for treatment.
Software of Excellence's Thrive Program consultants recommend the following standard procedures as a best strategy for controlling patient debt and ensuring that it doesn't grow out of control.
To reduce patient debt - strategies
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Ask all patients to sign a copy of their treatment plan, which details
the cost of each treatment item
when payment for each item is due
the acceptable payment methods
Either scan this agreement into the patient's file or complete it via Clinipad for automated storage
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At each appointment stage the clinician charges the treatment completed to create an invoice.
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Before making the next appointment Receptionists ask the patient which payment method they are going to use to settle the balance and process the payment.
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If the patient fails to pay, print an invoice with a suitably worded footer explaining that payment is required within seven days.
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Monitor the List Invoices report weekly and send an SMS or email reminder to settle the account to any patients who still have an open amount.
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Generate the Debtors List Report monthly with 30 day aging and create appropriate account letters or emails (with statements attached) for 30, 60 and 90 day outstanding accounts.
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If contracting a Debt Recovery Agency, ensure that they are a commission-only agency (pay them for results only; do not pay in advance).
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Write off historical debt and mark the patient as a bad debt risk. Generate an annual report to list written off account values. Create two ‘write off’ categories to split treatment debt and debt incurred from failed / cancel charges.
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.