PatNG

With the PatNG module, invoiceR processes invoices for external services, that is invoices for services that external providers performed for patients. invoiceR assigns each invoice line to a patient case, records it as a service and does the accounting for financial accounting.

Patient data

Invoices for external services contain patient data. Only pass documents on to people who need them for their work.

Flow at a glance

Invoice intake → text recognition → service recording → case assignment → accounting → approval → financial accounting

Invoices that cannot be assigned automatically end up in the error queue (Fehlertopf) and are processed manually there.

Note

Invoices for external services need their own intake, that is a separate email address. This keeps them apart from the other invoices.

Roles

There are two roles in the PatNG flow. The exact role names may differ in your setup.

Role	Tasks
Service recording (for example “PAT-Admin”)	Record and check service lines and assign them to cases. Works on the error queue.
Accounting (for example “PAT-Kontierung”)	Do the accounting for recorded services, check cost centres and accounts, release to financial accounting. Can see service recording but not change it.

For the flow to run fully automatically, both roles must be set up and assigned to people.

Prepare master data

Automatic assignment only works as well as the master data. Maintain it before the first invoices arrive.

Record service numbers

Service numbers are the basis for assigning invoice lines.

1. Open the list of service numbers in the master data.
2. Add a new service number with +.
3. Enter the description (for example “Physiotherapy single session”) and the number.
4. Save the entry.

Store service number and accounting with the creditor

For each creditor, assign the matching service numbers and the accounting:

1. Open the creditor in the master data.
2. Enter the matching service number.
3. Define the cost centre:
   • KST (collective cost centre): fixed cost centre for all invoices of this creditor.
   • EKST (provider cost centre) and AKST (ordering cost centre): taken automatically from the case history.
4. Save the assignment.

Process steps

Your administrators set up the names of the steps. The following are common.

PAT-Leistungserfassung (service recording)

invoiceR reads the invoice and matches it with the master data and the cases:

1. Text recognition reads creditor, service date, order date and patient details.
2. Using name, date of birth and service date, invoiceR looks for the matching case in PatNG. If there is exactly one match, the case is assigned.
3. The service number is filled in based on the creditor, AKST and EKST come from the case history.
4. You check the assignment and confirm or correct it.

Field	Source
Service number	Creditor master data
Service date	Text recognition
Order date	Text recognition
AKST / EKST	Case history of the assigned case
Case	Text recognition and matching with PatNG

PAT-Kontierung (accounting)

After service recording, the invoice is accounted automatically:

1. invoiceR creates the accounting lines from the assignment of creditor and service number.
2. Expense account, cost centre and further details are set.
3. The person with the accounting role checks the accounting for completeness and correctness.
4. After release, the posting is passed to financial accounting.

For a service to be passed on, each line needs case, order date, service date, service number, AKST, EKST and quantity. If something is missing, invoiceR reports that the service is not completely recorded.

PAT-Fehlertopf (error queue)

If an invoice cannot be processed automatically, it ends up in the error queue. Reasons include:

• Patient details are missing on the invoice, such as name or date of birth.
• There is no matching case or more than one.
• The creditor is unknown or has no service number.

How to process an invoice in the error queue:

1. In the task list, open the invoice in the PAT-Fehlertopf step.
2. Check the recognised data and add or correct: patient name and date of birth, case number, service number and cost centre (KST, EKST, AKST).
3. Once everything is recorded, forward the invoice so that the accounting can be done.

Tip

If invoices from one creditor keep ending up in the error queue, check its master data. Completely maintained service numbers and accounting save a lot of manual work later.

Frequently asked questions

Problem	Possible cause	Solution
The case is not assigned automatically.	Patient details on the invoice are missing or differ.	Add the details in the error queue. If it happens often, raise the invoice quality with the supplier.
No accounting line is created.	The service number or accounting is missing for the creditor.	Check and complete the creditor’s master data.
The invoice ends up in the error queue despite correct data.	There are several possible cases.	Select the correct case manually in the error queue.
The service date is recognised incorrectly.	Poor scan quality or unusual invoice format.	Correct the date manually and clarify the invoice format with the supplier.

Terms

Term	Meaning
KST	Collective cost centre, fixed per creditor
EKST	Provider cost centre, from the case history
AKST	Ordering cost centre, from the case history
Case history (Fallchronik)	Chronological overview of all relevant data of a patient case
Error queue (Fehlertopf)	Collection point for invoices that could not be processed automatically