Create an Encounter from the Patient Chart
If a patient does not have an appointment but has services performed by a provider in the practice, then an encounter is required for the patient. For example, you can create an encounter from the Patient Chart for a patient seen by a provider in a hospital or nursing home.
- From Patient Chart, select the Encounters tab, and then select the General sub-tab.
- Do one of the following:
- In the Encounter Information section, select the open menu
and then select New.
- In the Encounters section, right-click and then select New.
The Create Encounter window opens. - In the Encounter Information section, select the open menu
- In the Billable Date field, enter the encounter date. The date is selected from one of the following by default and can be changed as required:
- The service date selected in session settings.
- The current system date.
- In the Billable Time field, enter the encounter time. The time is set to 12:00 AM by default.
Note: The billable time changes to the current system time if you select the Default Enc Billable Time to System Time check box in the Encounters preference on the Practice Preferences window.
- In the Rendering field, select the rendering provider.
- In the Service Location field, select the encounter location.
- In the Program field, select a program for the encounter, if applicable.
Note: The Program field appears only if you select the Enable Programs check box on the Programs preference in Practice Preferences.
When the program access right for a user is set to No in System Administrator > Rights > Operations > Chart/Demographics/Employer > Program, the user cannot access the Program field.
- Enter all the additional information to complete the patient's encounter. The fields displayed in red are required.
Note: In the Practice Preferences window, on Encounters practice preference, the Default previous payer(s) to encounters created in PM option is selected by default. If you clear this option, new encounters that you create from NextGen® Enterprise PM will not have previous encounter insurance added to the new encounters and when you save the new encounter without selecting an insurance, it will default to self -pay. However, if you select the Last Enc button to create a new encounter, all the payers from the previous encounter will be added to the new encounter irrespective of the setting for Default previous payer(s) to encounters created in PM option.
The Default previous payer(s) to encounters created in PM option is only for the encounters created in NextGen® Enterprise PM
Note: The Last Enc button appears on the Create Encounter window if you select one or more options on the When copying from last encounter section on the Encounters preference in Practice Preferences. To copy the encounter details, diagnoses and insurance from the patient's last encounter, select the Last Enc button when you create a new encounter for the patient. - To save changes and close the window, select OK.
A message appears stating that the encounter has been created and would you like to attach an insurance.
- Do one of the following:
- If you want to bill the encounter to the patients insurance, select Yes.
The Encounter Insurance Selection window opens.
Note: The payer that is hidden in the person/patient record is not listed under Available Insurance. - If you want to bill the encounter to the guarantor, select No. For example, self-pay.
- If you want to bill the encounter to the patients insurance, select Yes.