Admin Apply Discount to Existing OPD Bill

Overview

This feature allows system administrators to apply or change discount schemes on OPD bills that have already been created and settled. This is typically used when a discount scheme was incorrectly applied or not applied at the time of billing, and there is a formal written request from hospital management to make the correction.

Important Notice

⚠️ WARNING: This feature modifies financial data that has already been recorded in the system. This action is IRREVERSIBLE and should only be used with proper written authorization from hospital management.

Who Can Use This Feature

• System Administrators with proper privileges
• Finance Administrators with written authorization

When to Use This Feature

This feature should be used only in the following situations:

1. A patient was eligible for a staff discount, but it was not applied at the time of billing
2. Wrong discount scheme was applied during billing
3. A patient's membership status changed retroactively with proper documentation
4. Written request from authorized hospital management to correct discount application

Prerequisites

Before using this feature, you must have:

1. ✓ Written authorization from hospital management
2. ✓ Request reference number and date
3. ✓ Clear reason for the discount change
4. ✓ Approval from the Finance Department
5. ✓ The bill must be of type "OPD Bill with Payment"
6. ✓ The bill must not be cancelled or refunded

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Navigate to Bill Administration

1. Go to OPD → View/Search → Bill Search
2. Search for and select the bill that needs discount adjustment
3. Click the Admin button for the selected bill
4. This will open the Bill Administration page

Step 2: Access the Apply Discount Feature

1. In the Bill Administration page, go to the Summary tab
2. You will see an Apply Discount button (visible only for OPD Bills with Payment)
3. Click the Apply Discount button

Step 3: Review Current Bill Information

The system will display:

• Bill Number and Bill Date
• Patient Name
• Current Payment Scheme (if any)
• Current Bill Values:
  • Total
  • Discount
  • Net Total
• Current Batch Bill Values (if applicable):
  • Total
  • Discount
  • Net Total

Step 4: Select New Discount Scheme

1. From the Select Discount Scheme dropdown, choose the appropriate discount scheme
2. Click the Calculate Preview button

Step 5: Review Preview

After clicking Calculate Preview, the system will show:

• New Bill Values after applying the discount:

  • Total
  • Discount
  • Net Total
  • Difference from current values

• New Batch Bill Values (if applicable):

  • Total
  • Discount
  • Net Total
  • Difference from current values

Important: Carefully review these values to ensure they are correct before proceeding.

Step 6: Provide Authorization Details

In the Authorization Details section:

1. Enter the mandatory comment with the following information:

   • Request reference number
   • Date of request
   • Name and designation of the authorizing person
   • Reason for the discount change

   Example:

   Request No: REQ-2024-001
   Date: 05-Nov-2024
   Authorized by: Hospital Director Dr. John Smith
   Reason: Patient is a staff member and was eligible for staff discount
   (50% discount scheme) but it was not applied at the time of billing
   due to system error. Patient has provided staff ID card as proof.
   Finance Department approval obtained on 04-Nov-2024.
   

Step 7: Apply the Discount

1. Click the Apply Discount Scheme button
2. A confirmation dialog will appear asking you to confirm
3. Click OK to confirm and apply the discount
4. The system will:
   • Update all bill fees with the new discount scheme
   • Recalculate bill item totals
   • Update bill totals
   • Update batch bill totals (if applicable)
   • Create an audit log entry
   • Add the comment to the bill

Step 8: Verify the Changes

After successful application:

1. You will be redirected back to the Bill Administration page
2. Verify that the new totals are displayed correctly
3. The bill's comments section will include your authorization details

Financial Impact

When you apply a discount scheme to an existing bill, the following values will change:

At Bill Level:

• Total (Gross Value)
• Discount Amount
• Net Total

At Bill Item Level:

• Gross Value
• Discount
• Net Value

At Batch Bill Level:

• Total (Gross Value)
• Discount Amount
• Net Total

Audit Trail

All discount changes are automatically logged in the system audit trail. To view the audit logs:

1. Go to Data Admin → Audit → Audit Event History
2. Select the date range when the discount was applied
3. Click Search
4. Look for event: "Admin Retroactive Discount Application"
5. The audit log will show:
   • User who made the change
   • Date and time
   • Bill number
   • Original values
   • New values
   • Authorization comment

Important Warnings and Limitations

⚠️ Critical Warnings:

1. IRREVERSIBLE ACTION: Once applied, the discount cannot be automatically reversed. You would need to manually create correcting entries.

2. FINANCIAL IMPACT: This changes recorded financial data that may already be included in financial reports.

3. BATCH BILL IMPACT: Changes to individual OPD bills will also affect the associated batch bill totals.

4. NO AUTOMATIC REFUNDS: If the new discount results in a lower net total, this feature does NOT automatically process refunds. Refunds must be handled separately through the standard refund process.

5. NO AUTOMATIC COLLECTION: If the new discount results in a higher net total, this feature does NOT automatically collect the additional amount. Additional collection must be handled separately.

Limitations:

• Only works with bills of type "OPD Bill with Payment"
• Cannot be used on cancelled bills
• Cannot be used on refunded bills
• Requires mandatory authorization comment
• Must calculate preview before applying

Troubleshooting

Issue: Apply Discount button is not visible

Solution:

• Check that the bill type is "OPD Bill with Payment"
• Check that you have administrator privileges
• Ensure the bill is not cancelled or refunded

Issue: Cannot apply discount - "Please calculate preview first"

Solution:

• Select a discount scheme
• Click the "Calculate Preview" button
• Review the preview values
• Only then click "Apply Discount Scheme"

Issue: Error when applying discount

Solution:

• Ensure authorization comment is filled
• Check that all required fields have valid data
• Contact system administrator if the problem persists

Best Practices

1. Always obtain written authorization before making any discount changes
2. Keep copies of authorization documents linked to the request number in your comment
3. Review the preview carefully before applying the discount
4. Document the reason clearly in the authorization comment
5. Inform the Finance Department after making discount changes
6. Inform the patient if the change affects their payment

Related Topics

• OPD Billing Process
• Discount Schemes Management
• Audit Trail Review
• Bill Cancellation and Refund

Support

If you have questions or issues with this feature:

1. Contact your System Administrator
2. Contact the HMIS Support Team
3. Check the HMIS User Guide

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Document Version: 1.0 Last Updated: November 2024 Feature: Admin Apply Discount to Existing OPD Bill