BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT

PATIENT RECORDS

Filing Systems
Whether the office uses traditional

(manual) paper files and filing cabinets or electronically stored & retrieves patient records, the philosophy & format of filing systems are similar A-alphabetic B- numeric C- chronologic

Filing Courtesy
A. Never leave a file drawer open;

it is a professional consideration and courtesy never to leave a patients file out in the open where other people may read the contents (confidentiality of patients record) B. Always return the file promptly to its proper position.

KINDS OF FILE
1. ACTIVE FILE
Those patient of record

who have been treated in the office within the past 12 months and or who owe outstanding fees

2. INACTIVE FILE
Are those patients of record

who have not been treated or made contact with the office for more than 12 months prior and have no outstanding balance.

We should conduct routine audits so that :

We

can keep patients from becoming lost in mid treatment To see that patients who may have cancelled appointments without reappointing are rescheduled to complete treatment and to ensure that patients are notified of their appointments when due

RECALL
LIFELINE OF THE

PRACTICE Makes sure that there is continues existence of the clinic and flow of patients

CONTENTS OF A PATIENT FILE

A. Clinical - contains pertinent

information resulting from oral examination conducted by the dentist, the patients report of pain or other complaints (if any) & treatment required or completed. Each entry must be legible, dated and initialed by the person making the entry.

B. Financial responsibility

- this information includes name, address, phone numbers and place of employment of the patient & the responsible party ( if different ) & specific insurance information

C. Informed consent

- it is a written, signed, dated form consenting the dentist to perform whatever dental treatment is needed.

D. Medical/ dental history - contains

prescribed drugs currently being taken by the px, name and tel. no. of the pxs family physician, recent hospitalization or surgeries, current medical condition (cardiac disease, diabetes, hypertension, hepatitis or HIV disease) and any known allergies. -name & tel. no. of a responsible party to contact in case of an emergency.

E. Dental radiographs

Ownership of Patient Records

While the patient has

the right to review records or to obtain copies of them, the practice owns the records

Transfer of Patient Records

When the patient changes dentist or

relocates, the px. may request the records be transferred to the new treating dentist. The previous dentist should request the patient or new dentist to send a written, signed & dated request for transfer of records. Only duplicates of records should be sent and NEVER the originals.

MANAGING ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

METHODS OF PAYMENT

1. Cash
- preferred method of payment - payment right after treatment

2. Personal check
-Advantages a. proof of payment through the cancelled check b. safer than carrying larger sums of cash

-Acceptance of any type of credit card costs the practice a percentage of the fee. -Advantage- payment is virtually guaranteed and paperwork, billing and collection time are reduced. -Any finance charges are assumed by the patient

3. Credit cards

4. Direct reimbursement
The patient may choose whomever he wishes as a provider for dental care The patient pays the dentist fee at the time of service and submits a copy of he paid receipt to his employers benefits administrator. Then the administrator reimburses to the employee the amount paid.

Direct reimbursement plans usually have a ceiling amount of reimbursement per employee or per family per year. In this kind of plan, the patient may arrange sequential phases especially on extensive dental treatment so as to maximize the patients return on direct reimbursement

5. Series of payment ( budget plans )

Down payment Arranged payment schedule for balance due Applicable for Ortho/Prostho treatment

-Thru HMOs or health maintenance offices -HMOs accredit services of some dentists

6. Third-party payment

The primary advantage for a dentist to sign up for a managed care program is guaranteed flow of new patients and cash flow. This is especially appealing to a new dentist just starting out a practice or trying to fix a practice

The primary disadvantage for the dentist participating in a capitation-based program is that the risk of utilization of services by patient beyond that anticipated falls on the dentist instead on the insurance company.

CAPITATION
Refers to a method of payment for services where the insurer pays providers a fixed amount for such patient treated, regardless of the type, complexity or number of services required