Collecting Payment at Check-In

Purpose

This procedure outlines the standardized steps required to effectively manage patient collections at the start of a visit within CareStack. By standardizing this workflow, practices can increase same-day collections, maintain financial transparency, and reduce errors in billing records. This proactive approach ensures timely follow-up on outstanding balances while maintaining a professional and seamless experience for the patient. 

Step 1: Access the Appointment Details

The check-in process begins by identifying the correct patient and appointment to ensure all subsequent financial actions are linked to the proper record.

1	Navigate to the Schedule Locate the patient's scheduled appointment on the main dashboard or schedule view.

2	Open Appointment Panel Click on the appointment to open the slide-out panel containing specific appointment details.

3	Initial Balance Review Perform a preliminary review of the patient's responsibility, noting any "Bal Due Pat" (Balance Due Patient) or "Account Unapplied Credits" listed in the summary.

Step 2: Review and Verify Fee Estimates

Before requesting payment, it is critical to verify the projected costs for the day's services to ensure accuracy.

1	Select Show Fee Estimates Check the box for "Show Fee Estimates" to display the calculated costs for the scheduled procedures.

2	Analyze Patient Responsibility Review the "Pat. Payable" amount, which reflects the estimated financial responsibility for the procedures scheduled for that specific visit.

3	Initiate Payment Workflow Once the estimate is confirmed, click the Pay Now button to transition to the payment processing screen.

 

Step 3: Execute Payment Collection

Collecting payment at check-in is handled as a proactive financial step to secure funds before clinical treatment begins.

Scenario 1 - Patient has no outstanding balance or a credit , 

• Confirm Collection Amount: Input the verified patient responsibility amount into the payment field.

• Select Advance Payment: This will be preselected if the patient has no previous  balance. Process this transaction as an Advance Payment.
   

Scenario 2 - Patient has an outstanding balance 

• Select Advance Payment: This will be preselected if the patient has no previous  balance. Process this transaction as an Advance Payment.

• Confirm Collection Amount: Input the verified patient responsibility amount plus past due balance into the payment field.

Collect Payment

• Utilize Integrated Processing: Use the preferred CS Pay gateway to process credit or debit cards directly within the platform for streamlined reconciliation.

Step 4: Manage Unapplied Credits

Payment collected at check-in is held in the system as a credit until the treatment is clinically finalized to be applied at check out. Please see check out process

• Entry as Unapplied Credit: The system will record the advance payment as an unapplied credit on the patient's account.

Best Practices

Verify Before Initiating	Always cross-check the patient's current ledger for existing credits or outstanding balances before asking for a new payment to avoid over-collection.
Card on File	Encourage patients to save their card information (Save Card For Later Use) during this step to simplify future checkouts and payment plan processing.
Clear Communication	Maintain transparency by explaining that the payment is an estimate based on scheduled procedures and will be finalized upon treatment completion.
Prioritize Oldest Balances	If the patient has an existing outstanding balance from a previous visit, apply payments to the oldest balance first to keep accounts receivable accurate.
Immediate Receipt Delivery	Even for advance payments, send a receipt immediately to the patient's email to provide professional documentation of the transaction.
Credit Verification	Always check the "Manage Credits" tab to ensure no prior prepayments exist that could be used instead of collecting new funds.