3. Step 1: Demographics
The first screen in checkin shows demographic information and allows you to jump into other basic Partner programs. This screen is a great benefit to anyone using Partner, especially if they are at the front desk, answer phones, or need to use several different Partner programs with a patient at once.
3.1. Reading the Demographics Screen
The Demographics screen shows the patient's name, age, primary care provider, sex, and status line as well as four customizable patient fields. The screen also includes the status line, address, and phone information for any family account(s) associated with the patient.
Status Lines: Status lines contain status flags that you can assign to patients or accounts. In the example above, Pebbles Flinstone has the status of "Medicaid" and "Needs Extra Time," and his guarantor (Fred Flinstone) has the status of "Budget." To see the list of statuses on your system, enter an asterisk (*) in any Status field. PCC can teach you how to create new status flags that will help your office identify certain patients or accounts.
Use the Enter and Backspace keys to move among the fields and make changes. Press End to erase the text after the cursor. In some fields, you can use an asterisk (*) to get a list of possible choices.
For example, if you learned that Pebbles Flinstone is really the patient of Dr. Crusher, you could press Enter until your cursor was in the Physician field, press End to erase Dr. McCoy's name, and then enter a "C" for Crusher.
Get an Updated Encounter Form: After changing important information about a patient, press [F7 -- Reprint Enc Form] so the encounter form for the visit has the most up-to-date information. You may want to confirm insurance information on step two of checkin first.
One or Two Families? If your patient has only one family serving as both the guarantor and custodian, you will see only one family listed on this page. If the patient has one account as a custodian but a different account as a guarantor, you will see both accounts at the bottom of the screen. A two-account patient would look like this:
3.2. Function Keys on the Demographics Screen
From this screen, you can jump into the patient or family editors (notjane, fame), assign the patient a new guarantor or custodian, or reprint the encounter form. You can also run many basic Partner programs, including scheduling, charge posting, and billing programs. Whatever task you jump into, you can always return to this screen by pressing F12. Read the function key descriptions below to learn more.
- [F1 -- Next Step]
Press F1 (or Page Down) to continue the check-in process and move to the Insurance step. Any demographic changes will be saved. See below for more information about the Insurance page.
- [F2 -- Edit Patient]
Press F2 to run the Patient Editor (notjane) for the patient shown. From notjane you can view and edit immunization information, run reports on the patient's diagnosis and procedure history, and perform other patient related functions.
- [F3 -- Edit Account]
Press F3 to run the Family Editor (fame) for the guarantor or custodian of the patient. If the patient has two different accounts as custodian and guarantor, Partner will ask you which account you wish to edit.
In fame you can review and revise complete account information, run various reports on the billing history, and perform other account-specific actions.
- [F4 -- Reassign Account]
Press F4 to change the child's custodian or guarantor account. You will see the following:
After making your selection, Partner will ask you to find the new custodian or billing account. If the account is not in your system yet, you can add it immediately.
- [F5 -- CUSTOMIZABLE]
The F5 key can be set to any tool or function in Partner. For example, if your office uses the Phone Encounter Note (pen) program, PCC can change F5 so that it runs pen for the current patient.
- [F6 -- Make Appt]
Press F6 to run sam, the Partner scheduler. If your office does not use sam, or you need a function key for generating instant encounter forms, PCC can configure F6 to run encount instead.
- [F7 -- Reprint Enc Form]
Press F7 to print an encounter form for the appointment. Encounter forms are generally printed a day or more in advance of a visit, but if you have changed the patient's name or other important information, you may want to reprint the encounter form.
- [F8 -- Billing FKey Set]
Press F8 to change the function keys on the screen to billing-related programs. checkin is a great program for a biller who needs to hop among programs such as oops, pip, and checkout while still viewing important demographic information.
The new function keys that will appear look like this:
- [F1 -- Next Step]
Press F1 to save any changes and move to the Insurance page.
- [F2 -- Correct Mistakes]
Press F2 to run the oops program, where you can modify previously posted charges and fix mistakes.
- [F3 -- Post Charges]
Press F3 to run the checkout program and post charges.
- [F4 -- Post Ins Payments]
Press F4 to run the pip program and post insurance payments or adjustments.
- [F5 -- Post Reg Payments]
Press F5 to run the pam program and post personal payments or adjustments.
- [F6 -- Form Letters]
Press F6 to open the form letter screen for patients. You can generate an excuse letter or another patient form.
- [F7 -- Refund]
Press F7 to run the refund program and post refunds or adjustments.
- [F8 -- Checkin FKey Set]
Press F8 to switch the function keys back to the standard set for this screen.
- [Page Down] and [Page Up]
Press Page Down to continue to the Insurance screen. Press Page Up to go backward to the Balance and Copay screen. All changes on this page will be saved. If you do not wish to save changes, you should press F12.