Create patient payments

Creating patient payments is a straightforward process that allows you to quickly record and apply payments to a patient’s account. By following a few simple steps, you can ensure payments are accurately posted, balances are updated in real time, and proper documentation is maintained for both financial tracking and patient records. While patient payments can be created from multiple locations within the system, the process remains consistent across all entry points, making it easy to manage payments efficiently.

To begin, click Patient Payments. 

From the Patient Payment tab, you can conveniently create new patient payments and manage existing ones all in one place. It provides a clear view of all Unposted, Posted, and Deleted patient payments within the selected date range, making it easy to monitor payment activity, review transaction history, and ensure every payment is accurately recorded and applied.

Click New Payment. 

Search for a patient by entering information into the available search fields, then click Search. If your search returns a single match, you will be taken directly to the Patient Payment screen. If multiple patients match the criteria entered, select the correct patient by clicking on the line containing their name.

The Patient Payment screen displays the ten most recent encounters that have either an insurance or patient balance in the Encounter section.

If the selected patient has more than 10 unsettled encounters, a banner will appear stating: "There are additional open balances that go beyond this screen. Toggle 'Show All' to view further balances." This allows you to access and manage all outstanding balances beyond the initial list of encounters.

Click Show All to view the remaining balances. Unsettled balances are highlighted in red, making them easy to identify at a glance.

Select the desired encounter from the list to apply a payment amount.

Enter a payment amount in the Amount field. To enter negative amounts, use the minus sign (-).

Select the payment Method from the dropdown.

If you are enrolled with Nuvei and choose Credit Card as the patient payment method, an Accept Payment icon will appear.

Select an existing credit card from the Select Payment dropdown list, or choose Add New Card to enter a new card and proceed with the payment.

Click Submit Payment. Once the credit card is processed, the reference number will be automatically displayed in the Check/EFT field.

Enter both the Payment Date and the Posted Date to ensure the transaction is recorded accurately. The Payment Date reflects when the payment was actually received, while the Posted Date indicates when the payment is entered and applied within the system.

Enter the payment amount for each line item in the Payment Amount field.

If the payment needs to be applied to a miscellaneous charge, scroll down to the Miscellaneous Payment section and enter the amount in the Payment Amount field.

Alternatively, you can click Auto Allocate to automatically apply the payment on line items. The system will distribute the amount starting with the oldest outstanding balance.

Adjustment codes can be entered at any time in the Adjustment Code field. If you need to add multiple adjustment codes, click the yellow folder icon to select and apply additional codes.

Click the Green + icon, choose an Adjustment Transaction Code from the dropdown menu, enter the amount in the Adjustment Amount field, and then click Save.

You’ll be navigated back to the patient payment screen and from here click Save to save the payment details without posting, or click Save and Post to both save and post the payment.

The total posted payment amount is displayed at the top of the screen, along with any remaining balance, giving you a clear, real-time summary of the transaction. Once the payment is either posted or saved, a unique payment number is automatically generated for tracking and reference purposes. This allows you to easily locate, review, and audit the payment at any time. 

Save or post patient payments

Click Save and Post to immediately post the payment, or click Save to save the payment without applying it to a charge. 

• If you choose Save, the payment will be placed in the Unposted tab, where it will remain until it is applied to a charge and formally posted. This is useful when you need to record a payment but are not yet ready to allocate it. 
• If you select Save and Post and the payment has been applied to one or more line items, the updated balance will be reflected right away on the payment screen. 
• If Save and Post is selected but the payment has not been applied to an line items, the system will automatically create a patient fund for the full amount. This ensures the payment is still accounted for and can be applied at a later time to any outstanding balance. Click here to learn more about Patient Funds!

Once the payment has been saved or posted, a unique payment number is automatically generated. If Save and Post is selected, the payment status will update from Unposted to Posted. If the payment is saved without posting, the status will remain Unposted until it is later applied and posted.

Patient payments can also be created from the Patient Dashboard and the Professional Encounter screen, giving you flexibility based on your workflow. Both options provide convenient access to the same payment workflow, ensuring consistency in how payments are recorded whether you;re working at the patient level or within a specific encounter. 

From the Patient Dashboard, click New Payment and follow the same steps outlined above to complete the payment entry. This option is ideal when working directly within a patient’s account and managing their overall billing activity. 

Within the Professional Encounter screen, navigate to the Payment Details section and click the green (+) icon next to Patient Payment. From there, follow the same steps outlined above to complete the payment entry. This method is especially useful when recording payments while reviewing or updating a specific encounter. 

Edit patient payments

Patient payments can be edited whenever corrections or updates are necessary to ensure accurate records and proper application of funds. Common reasons for editing include changes to the Payment Method, Payment Amount, Payment Date, Posted Date, or Check Number if “Check” was selected as the payment method. Making these updates helps maintain accurate account balances, ensures that payments are applied correctly to charges, and supports reliable reporting and auditing.

To edit a patient payment, navigate to the Patient Payment screen for the payment you wish to modify. Then, click Edit to update the payment details.

A notification message will appear on the top of the screen indicating that “You may update the Payment Method, Amount, Payment Date, Posted Date, and Check Number. Changing the payment amount will not update the patient fund created during posting. Please adjust the fund amount manually.”

If you edit the payment amount, make sure to update the Payment Amount field for that line item by entering the revised amount. The updated posted amount will then appear at the top of the screen.

After you’ve made the necessary edits, click Save to apply your changes.