Patient Deposits - hmislk/hmis GitHub Wiki

Patient Deposits

Overview

Patient Deposits allow patients to pre-pay money into their account before receiving services or products from the hospital. When patients use hospital services (consultations, pharmacy purchases, lab tests, etc.), charges can be deducted from their existing deposit balance. Patients can also request refunds for unused deposits, and staff can cancel deposit transactions if made in error. This system provides convenience for regular patients, ensures faster billing, and gives patients flexibility in managing their healthcare payments.

When to Use

Use Patient Deposits when you need to:

  • Accept advance payments from patients before they receive services
  • Process payments for services using a patient's existing deposit balance
  • Refund unused deposit amounts to patients
  • Cancel deposit transactions made in error
  • View deposit history and utilization records
  • Check a patient's current deposit balance
  • Generate reports on deposit collections and usage

Accepting Patient Deposits

Accessing the Feature

  1. Navigate to Payment in the main menu
  2. Select Patient Deposit Management
  3. Click Accept Patient Deposits

Processing a Deposit

  1. Search for the patient by name, phone number, or patient ID
  2. Select the patient from the search results
  3. Enter the deposit amount in the Amount field
  4. Select the payment method:
    • Cash - For cash payments
    • Credit Card - For card payments
    • Cheque - For cheque payments
  5. Click Accept Deposit to process the transaction
  6. Print the deposit receipt for the patient

Note: Each deposit is recorded with the date, time, amount, payment method, and the staff member who processed it.

Using Deposits for Payments

Patient deposits can be used to pay for hospital services across different departments.

Paying with Patient Deposit

When billing a patient for services:

  1. Search and select the patient
  2. Add items/services to the bill
  3. In the payment section, select Patient Deposit as the payment method
  4. The system displays the patient's current deposit balance
  5. If the balance is sufficient, click Settle Bill
  6. The bill amount is automatically deducted from the deposit balance

Partial Payments with Multiple Methods

When the deposit balance doesn't cover the full bill amount:

  1. Select Multiple Payment Methods from the payment dropdown
  2. Click Add Payment and select Patient Deposit
  3. Enter the amount to use from the deposit (up to available balance)
  4. Click Add Payment again for additional payment methods (Cash, Card, etc.)
  5. Enter amounts for each payment method
  6. Verify the total equals the bill amount (Balance Amount should be 0.00)
  7. Click Settle Bill to process

Where Deposits Can Be Used

  • OPD Billing - Consultation fees and OPD services
  • Pharmacy - Retail sales and prescription medications
  • Laboratory - Lab tests and investigations
  • Radiology - X-rays, scans, and imaging services
  • Other Departments - Any department with billing capability

Refunding Patient Deposits

When to Refund

Process a refund when:

  • Patient requests return of unused deposit amount
  • Patient is discontinuing treatment
  • Patient is transferring to another facility
  • Excess deposit remains after treatment completion

Processing a Refund

  1. Navigate to Payment > Patient Deposit Management > Return Patient Deposits
  2. Search for the patient
  3. View the patient's current deposit balance
  4. Enter the refund amount (cannot exceed available balance)
  5. Select the refund method:
    • Cash - Return cash to patient
    • Cheque - Issue refund cheque
  6. Click Process Refund
  7. Print the refund receipt for the patient's records
  8. Have the patient acknowledge receipt of the refund

Important: Keep proper documentation of all refund transactions for audit purposes.

Cancelling Patient Deposits

When to Cancel

Cancel a deposit only when:

  • The deposit was recorded in error (wrong patient, wrong amount)
  • Duplicate entry was created
  • Payment method was recorded incorrectly
  • Transaction was made by mistake before completion

Processing a Cancellation

  1. Navigate to Payment > Patient Deposit Management > Search Patient Deposits
  2. Search for the deposit transaction to cancel
  3. Select the deposit record from the search results
  4. Click Cancel Deposit
  5. Enter the reason for cancellation (required for audit trail)
  6. Confirm the cancellation
  7. The deposit is marked as cancelled and balance is adjusted

Warning: Cancellation cannot be undone. Verify the transaction details carefully before cancelling. For deposits that have already been partially used, consider processing a refund instead.

Viewing Deposit History

Accessing Deposit History

  1. Navigate to Payment > Patient Deposit Management > Search Patient Deposits
  2. Search by patient name, date range, or deposit number
  3. View the list of all deposit transactions

Information Available

The deposit history shows:

  • Date and Time - When the deposit was made
  • Deposit Number - Unique reference number
  • Patient Name - Patient identification
  • Amount - Deposit amount received
  • Payment Method - Cash, card, or cheque
  • Status - Active, Used, Refunded, or Cancelled
  • Received By - Staff member who processed the deposit
  • Balance - Remaining unused amount

Viewing Utilization Details

To see how a deposit has been used:

  1. Select a deposit record from the search results
  2. Click View Details or expand the record
  3. View the list of bills paid using this deposit
  4. See dates, bill numbers, and amounts deducted

Reports

Available Reports

Patient Deposit Summary

  • Shows total deposits received by date range
  • Breaks down by payment method
  • Shows department-wise collection

Deposit Utilization Report

  • Lists all deposits used for payments
  • Shows which bills were paid from deposits
  • Tracks utilization percentage

Outstanding Deposits Report

  • Lists all patients with unused deposit balances
  • Shows deposit age (how long funds have been held)
  • Helps identify deposits pending refund or utilization

Deposit Balance Report

  • Current balance for each patient
  • Historical balance changes
  • Useful for patient inquiries

Generating Reports

  1. Navigate to Reports > Financial Reports or Cashier Reports
  2. Select the desired report type
  3. Enter filter criteria:
    • Date Range - From and To dates
    • Department - If applicable
    • Patient - For individual patient reports
  4. Click Generate Report
  5. Export to Excel or PDF if needed

Understanding Messages

Success Messages

  • "Deposit Accepted Successfully" - Deposit has been recorded
  • "Balance Updated" - Deposit balance has been modified after payment
  • "Refund Processed Successfully" - Refund has been completed
  • "Deposit Cancelled" - Cancellation is complete

Warning Messages

  • "No Sufficient Patient Deposit" - Available balance is less than required amount; use multiple payment methods or top up the deposit
  • "Deposit Already Used" - Cannot cancel a deposit that has been partially or fully utilized

Error Messages

  • "Patient has NO Patient Deposit" - Patient doesn't have a deposit account; accept a deposit first
  • "No Patient Deposit" - No deposit found for the selected patient
  • "Invalid Amount" - Enter a valid positive amount
  • "Cancellation Failed" - Check if the deposit has been used or already cancelled

Best Practices

Accepting Deposits

  • Always verify patient identity before accepting deposits
  • Issue printed receipts for all deposits
  • Count cash in front of the patient
  • Verify card payment approval before confirming

Using Deposits for Payment

  • Inform patients of their current balance before billing
  • Suggest deposit top-up if balance is low
  • Print receipts showing deposit deduction details

Processing Refunds

  • Verify patient identity before processing refunds
  • Get patient signature acknowledging receipt
  • Keep copies of refund documentation
  • Process refunds promptly when requested

Record Keeping

  • Maintain accurate records of all transactions
  • Reconcile deposits daily
  • Report discrepancies immediately
  • Keep audit trail documentation accessible

Department-Specific Deposits

Configuration Options

The system can be configured for either:

Application-Wide Deposits (Default for some installations)

  • Patient's deposit balance is shared across all departments
  • One balance can be used anywhere in the hospital

Department-Specific Deposits

  • Each department maintains separate deposit balances
  • Deposits accepted in OPD can only be used in OPD
  • Provides better departmental financial control

Note: Check with your system administrator for which mode is enabled at your facility.

Troubleshooting

Problem: Cannot Find Patient Deposit Record

Cause: Searching with incorrect criteria or deposit not in current department Solution: Try different search parameters; verify you have access to the correct department

Problem: Deposit Balance Shows Zero But Patient Claims They Deposited

Cause: Deposit may have been used, refunded, or made in different department Solution: Check deposit history for utilization; verify department-specific settings

Problem: Cannot Use Deposit for Payment

Cause: Insufficient balance or department mismatch Solution: Check current balance; verify deposit department matches billing department

Problem: Refund Button Not Available

Cause: No balance available or insufficient privileges Solution: Check deposit has unused balance; verify your user privileges include refund processing

FAQ

Q: Can a patient deposit money in one department and use it in another? A: This depends on your system configuration. If "Department-Specific Deposits" is enabled, deposits can only be used in the department where they were accepted. Otherwise, deposits can be used anywhere.

Q: What happens to unused deposits if a patient doesn't return? A: Unused deposits remain in the patient's account until they are used or refunded. The Outstanding Deposits Report helps track these balances. Follow your hospital's policy for handling dormant deposits.

Q: Can I cancel a deposit that has been partially used? A: No, deposits that have been used (even partially) cannot be cancelled. Process a refund for any remaining balance instead.

Q: Is there a limit on deposit amounts? A: There is typically no system-imposed limit, but your hospital may have policies on maximum deposit amounts. Check with your supervisor.

Q: Can deposits be transferred between patients? A: No, deposits are linked to specific patients and cannot be transferred. If a deposit was recorded for the wrong patient, cancel it and create a new one for the correct patient.

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