Clinic and Public Accounting System: Where Does Each Range End?

A question that is repeated in every project: Do we need two systems? The answer is yes in most cases – because the revenue cycle of the service is one thing and the general accounting of the facility is another thing. Whoever tries to integrate them into one system usually gets one of them at a weak level.

The operational situation addressed by the topic

A center manager buys a clinic system and then discovers that he also needs an accounting system, so he feels like he paid twice. Or he buys an accounting system and tries to manage sessions and packages in it, but fails with the first package, half of which is consumed.

And early clarity saves you both.

The requirements you write for the resource

Concerning the clinic system:

• Defining services and their prices, issuing invoices, and recording payments.
• Packages, balances, entitlements, settlements and refunds.
• Entity contracts, limits, and bulk invoices.
• Arrears, collections, and revenue reports by service, specialist, and branch.

Concerning the accounting system:

• Manual of accounts, daily entries, and general ledger.
• Financial statements, budget, zakat and tax reports.
• Salaries, overheads, assets and suppliers.
• Bank reconciliations and receivables at the facility level.

And what links them: Periodic export or direct link transfers entries from the revenue cycle to accounting, depending on what your accounting system supports.

A practical example of testing the procedure

• Ask: What goes out of the system into accounting? In what format and periodicity?
• Request a sample export file: Is it suitable for your accounting system?
• Ask: Does it specifically support direct linking with our accounting system? What is the classification of this link?
• Request a revenue report by service: Is it sufficient for your financial needs?
• Ask about the accounting treatment of unexpended balances — and discuss it with your accountant.

And the practical rule for the chapter: What is related to a client and a service in its place is the clinic system, and what is related to an account and a cost center in its place is accounting. A session invoice pertaining to a client is here, and a monthly revenue entry pertaining to an account is there. This line resolves most questions without long discussion.

Controls and exceptions

• Beware of the comprehensive promise: A provider that promises a complete clinical and accounting system in one product is worth checking out — ask to view the accounting part in action.
• Small facility: A simple periodic export, handled by its external accountant, may suffice, without an expensive connection.
• Agree with your accountant early: Involve him in the requirements phase, not after commissioning — he’s the one who will receive the output.
• No input duplication: The goal of linking is to prevent numbers from being rewritten in two systems. If it does not achieve this, it has no value.

Next step for system review

Determine your accounting system and ask about the classification of linking to it. See Integrations page.