Channel Agent Payments - hmislk/hmis GitHub Wiki
Agent Payments (Channelling)
Channelling agencies (also called agents) book patients on behalf of the hospital, typically through their own referral networks. The agency bills the hospital or is owed a commission, and separately, the hospital collects payment from the agency for outstanding balances. This article covers the agent payment workflow.
Navigation
Menu → Channelling → Payment → Pay Agent
Path: /channel/channel_payment_agent_bill
Requires the ChannellingPaymentPayDoctor privilege (same privilege as Pay Doctor).
How Agent Bookings Work
When a booking is made via an agent:
- The payment method is set to Agent during booking.
- The booking bill is linked to the agent (credit company).
- The agent reference number is recorded.
- The bill shows "Agent Ref - [ref no]" and the agent's name.
The agent's outstanding balance accumulates until settled.
Paying an Agent (or Collecting from an Agent)
Step 1 — Select the Agent
In the Pay Agent screen:
- Select the credit company / agency from the Agent field.
Step 2 — Review Outstanding Bookings
The screen shows all bookings made through this agent that have not yet been settled:
| Column | Content |
|---|---|
| Bill Number | Channel booking bill number |
| Date | Booking date |
| Patient | Patient name |
| Consultant | Doctor |
| Agent Ref No | Agent's own reference number |
| Amount | Bill amount due from the agent |
Select the bookings to include in this settlement.
Step 3 — Record the Payment
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Payment Date | Date of receipt from agent |
| Payment Method | Cheque, Bank Transfer, Cash, etc. |
| Reference No | Cheque or transfer reference |
| Notes | Optional memo |
Click Pay / Settle to create the payment bill.
Payment Due Search (Agent)
Menu → Channelling → Payment → Payment Due Search
Lists unsettled agent bills. Filter by agent name or date range to see what is outstanding.
Payment Done Search (Agent)
Menu → Channelling → Payment → Payment Done Search Menu → Channelling → Payment → Payment Done Search (Agency)
Path for agency-specific search: /channel/channel_payment_agency_bill_search
Shows completed agent payment bills for audit and reprinting.