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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...

Workspace Bar

If you have it configured as an option, click the icon on your workspace bar:

Appointment Book

Click the Payment button at the bottom of the Appointment Book window:

Patient File

From the Patient File, Patient Transactions window:

1. Click the currency button , then
2. Click the Payment button.

Edit Appointment Screen

From the Edit Appointment screen:

1. Click the button and then
2. Click the Payment button.

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.

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:

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

1. Click once to select the patient’s appointment.
2. Click on the Payment button below the Appointment area.

   This will display the Patient Payments window with the patient already selected:

   

3. Enter the required details: Payment Amount, Payment Type and any additional information such as the bank/branch for cheque payments.
4. 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 keys or the (List) button.

To process a Payment for a Patient without an appointment

1. Highlight any patient’s appointment.
2. Click on the Payment button to display the Patient Payments window with the arbitrarily selected patient’s details.
3. Now select the correct patient: Click on the patient’s code and use the keys or List button to select the correct patient.
4. Enter the required details including Payment amount, Payment type and any additional information such as the bank/branch for cheque payments.
5. 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

TIP: The last three methods listed below 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.

• Transactions > Take Payments...

  

• 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:

  

• From the Patient File, Patient Transactions window:
  1. Click the currency button , then
  2. Click the Payment button.

  

• From the Edit Appointment screen:
  1. Click the button and then
  2. 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

Some of these may not be present on your screen if not specifically configured to appear.

Refunding Patient Payments

1. In the Patient File, with the correct patient selected, click the button to open the Patient Transactions window

   NOTE: The following example describes the refund of a deposit (for a crown that was not fitted) to the patient, where the patient has a credit of $485.80 listed in their transactions window.

2. Click on the button to open the refunds wizard as shown below:

   

3. Click in the correct option button to select whether the refund is for a discount, for work not yet done, or for work done.
4. Enter the amount of the refund (a refund is allowed even if the patient’s balance is zero).
5. Enter a short reason for the refund in the ‘Refund Reason’ field, similar to the sample shown below:

   

6. Click ‘Next’ to start. A window will appear, similar to the following:

   

7. 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.
8. Use the button in the Method of refund field to select the method from the list below:

   

9. 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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Payment types

This area lists the available payment methods. The button allows new payment methods to be added, whereas the button allows existing payment types to be edited. The “dustbin” icon deletes the selected payment method. The Up and Down arrows allow the order of the listed methods to be changed.

Note that if you are using HICAPS without using the EFTPOS option, you will need to edit the EFTPOS payment type to use 'Debit Card as the payment method'.

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Auto Discounts

No Auto Discounts: The Discount and Reason fields are removed from the ‘Patient Payments’ window. Discounts cannot be processed unless they are processed using the adjustments button.

Percentage Discount: Will automatically allocate a discount based on a percentage of the patient’s balance if the account is paid within the specified number of days.

Fixed Discount: Will automatically allocate a fixed discount if the account is paid within the specified number of days.

Discount If Paid Within: Specifies the number of days the account needs to be paid within to qualify for a discount. If the invoice is older than the specified number of days the discount will not automatically appear in the Processing window. It can however be manually entered if required.

Discount Reason: Is the default reason for allocating a discount, e.g. Prompt Payment Discount

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Stock Items

A Tick in the ‘Display Stock Items’ enables stock items to be viewed and added to a patient’s account directly through the payment screen. If this option is not activated all Stock Items will have to be charged through the Patient Chart Tab.

Stock Items can be set to ‘Charge to’ a particular provider. A practice may choose to ‘Charge all Stock Items’ to the Principal Provider, or alternatively a provider can be added on to the system and all stock items charged to this provider, e.g. Mr Stock. This enables Practices to keep Stock payments separate to Treatment payments.

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Edit Allocations

There are three options for the displaying of Allocations:

No Editing of Allocations - this will hide the allocations, thus not allowing these to be edited. All payments will be automatically allocated to the oldest open invoice.

Button to Edit Allocations - an Edit Allocation button will be displayed to the right of the Payment Due Amount (as displayed in the earlier picture of the ‘Patient Payments’ window). If clicked on, the Allocations can be viewed/edited.

Always Display Allocation List - this option displays a list of open invoices for the patient and the tick indicates which invoice the receipt will be allocated against.

Note that if HICAPS is enabled, the only available allocation option is to always display the allocation list when processing HICAPS payments.

When activated, this option allows you to specify cost centres to track payments against. When payments are processed you will be prompted to indicate the cost centre(s) the payment should be recorded against. A report which can be run from the ‘Transactions’ Menu, ‘List Items’, ‘Payments’ window will include a breakdown of payments by cost centre.

This feature is not widely used.

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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

1. Select Transactions > List Items > List Invoices...

   

   The List Invoices desktop displays:

   

2. Take further actions on a selected invoice by means of the right-click menu or the button bar at bottom right:

   

3. Select the [ i ] button or double-click an invoice to show allocations for it:

   

   In this screen you can show details of the selected allocation, add further allocations or delete the selected allocation.

4. Select the Print button to print the selected Invoice through the normal print dialogue.
5. Select the Print List button to print the entire list.
6. Select the Delete button 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

• 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 

• At each appointment stage the clinician charges the treatment completed to create an invoice.
• 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.
• If the patient fails to pay, print an invoice with a suitably worded footer explaining that payment is required within seven days.
• 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.
• 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.
• If contracting a Debt Recovery Agency, ensure that they are a commission-only agency (pay them for results only; do not pay in advance).
• 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.
• If debt is a big issue for your practice, consider taking payments in advance, especially with patients who have a history of bad payments.