The article explains the options available on a patient's Account Enquiry screen.
To open Account Enquiry:
- Go to the patient's record.
- Select the Acc Enquiry menu.
Account Enquiry shows each invoice and includes the practice branch, doctor and outstanding balances. The balances are recalculated each time the screen is displayed, and fully paid invoices and services have green ticks against them. Each transaction/bill comprises an invoice (I), a service (S), and, if it's been paid, a receipt (R). Any adjustments will have an A.
Top of the screen
Payer
You can change to the patient's account payer by selecting the Payer field. If the Account Payer is the Head of the Family, you will be able to see debts for other linked family members as well and pay them from one payment.
Display Invoices
This drop-down filters the transactions shown to All, Outstanding only, Deferred or All invoices by Date Range.
Invoice Only
Shows one line representing each invoice – the invoice header line.
Full Details
Shows an expanded view of all invoices.
Curr (Balances)
The aged balances for the selected Account Payer are shown (for 30, 60, 90+ day periods) with the balance of Deferred invoices, which are not considered to be real debts until they are printed (finalised).
Account Payer Credits
If payments are not fully allocated, they remain as Credits for the Account Payer and may be Allocated at a later time by selecting the Allocation button. Note that Credits belong to the Payer, not to the patient.
Allocation
Brings up the Allocation screen to allocate Credits held in the Account Payer Credits field to existing invoices. The Credits field holds receipted values that have not been allocated to invoices yet (for various reasons). You can see that each invoice and each service item has an original and an outstanding value. When they are paid in part or full, only the outstanding value will be reduced. When Receipts have been allocated to Invoice services, you will see an "R" line attached to the Service Item and the receipt number so that it can be traced back to the original payment (visible through the Payments option).
Bottom of the screen
Adjustment
Takes you to the Adjustment screen, where you can write off Bad Debts, Void invoices, Increase or Discount Invoices. Having selected Adjustment, you must then select the Service item that you wish to adjust to activate the Adjustment buttons at the bottom of the form.
Re-invoice
Re- invoice is a quick way to cancel an incorrect invoice (which is automatically Voided for you) and create a new one, for the same Doctor and Payer. The service items in the original invoice are copied to the new one so you can Delete, Change or Add to them.
Re-assign
Re-assign allows you to move invoices from one account payer to another. The patients for whom you intend to move invoices must be linked to the new account payer already (by using Patient Details/Payers/Add New). Once you have moved all invoices to another payer, you are given the option to remove the Patient/Payer bill to link.
Payments
Shows the history and format of payments and permits the Reversal of a prior payment.
Receipt
Goes to the form for entering details of a Payment/receipt, followed by the "Allocation to Invoices" window.
MA Online
Takes you to the Medicare Australia Online system to allow the transmission of a patient claim after the processing of the bill (should the patient change their mind).
ECLIPSE
Opens the Eclipse screen, which is used to transmit ECLIPSE invoices. To learn more, see the ECLIPSE invoicing article.
View invoice
Opens a copy of the selected invoice.
Email Invoice
Emails the invoice to the payer if they have been set up for email.
Print
Prints a replica of the Account Enquiry screen for off-screen work.
Email
Used to set up email so that invoices can be emailed to the payer.
Close
Saves and closes the Account Enquiry screen.