Description:
A Balance Status is a feature that allows you to make notes for the future about where a patient is in their financial journey with your practice. It will appear on select reports to provide a templated reminder to users behind the desk of what action may need to be taken that may not otherwise be obvious.
Key features:
- Make templated notes that appear on your reports
- Streamline the collections process with stages for review
- Create multiple statuses to communicate a variety of patient account needs
Technical specifications:
- New options for this menu can be added from 'Setup' > 'Misc Setups' > 'Balance Status'.
- Each Balance Status added requires a code [10-digit short-hand, alphanumeric only] and description [short-form text description of the status].
- Press Add before saving to ensure others in the office will have access to the Balance Status.
- 'Setup - Misc. Screen Full Control' is the required permission to access this screen under 'Setup' > 'Security' > 'Groups'.
- Ledgers can have Balance Statuses added from the 'Balance Stat' button at the top of the screen.
- Any user with the 'Transactions - Patient Ledger Screen Full Control' permission can edit all Balance Statuses.
- There is not a separate permission for Balance Status updates made on the Ledger screen.
- Balance Status can be included on the 'Aging Report' or 'Aging Report by Home Office' when reviewing patients who owe a balance.
- These reports can be found under 'Reports' > 'Monthly Reports'.
- It is also found on the 'Reports' > 'Office Reports' > 'DCA Reports' > 'Balance Status Report'.
Best Practices:
When adding a new status, clear the details with other teams whose work may be impacted by Balance Statuses to ensure they understand what you adding and why. There may be an existing entry already.
Before editing an existing balance, check with the team member who made it if possible to ensure that the step is complete. You can add a secondary Balance Status using the 'Add New' button if needed.
If you have a multi-office practice, be sure to run the 'Aging Report by Home Office' to review the Balance Statuses of you patients.