In todays world, the population in a variety of countries is increasing speedily each year, the Medical Billing System has grown-up in importance. The reason behind this is that we now have far more individuals which may have need of some variety of health care, whether or not it is physical or mental. In order to obtain these services patients need to pay for the assistance rendered by a healthcare facility. This task requires a billing system that can create expenses of services to patients. Medical professionals are facing problems regarding the billing issue.
My project for BSc Computing is to develop a web based patient billing software that is worth focusing on to a hospital. . PHP was determined as the terms for implementation and PL/SQL server as the repository. The individual information will be stored in the repository. Any new patient information can be stored in the databases with a patient information suggestions screen. The screen will take as input all the details of the patient, the amount to be paid, etc. The system is designed with the intension of enabling scalability, portability, and re-use. The look of the system is so that it would allow future integration with other systems like online insurance billing for an individual that has a medical insurance, or perhaps a completely different program. This technique is also likely to provide a maximum level of security and reliability.
Aim
This job is targeted at developing a patient billing software system that is worth focusing on to a hospital. The individual billing system is an area software system. This technique may be used to maintain the location and the foundation number of each patient either in the ward or the Intensive Attention Units (ICU). Information about the individual and the charges to be paid is also stored.
OBJECTIVE
Research objective
To analysis the feasibility of employing a useful billing system for a medical center mainly focusing on scalability issues. As a healthcare facility is speedily getting bigger the machine should have the ability support any future expansions such as working with patients with health insurance.
To conduct series of interviews to be able to comprehend the organisational framework and the prevailing infrastructure service in a healthcare facility and its problems and develop an alternative solution scenario for the machine.
To understanding advantages and cons of the existing infrastructure service and how does indeed the new system is a benefits to a healthcare facility?
To conduct research about how exactly patients billing systems can be used in other clinics?
To examine the necessary tools which will be needed for the implementation of the proposed system and also study whether the proposed system will be appropriate for the existing system within the budget.
Eg: Which kind of program writing language can be followed?
What type of repository would be best suited to the machine?
To do an interview with a healthcare facility data accessibility operator and the bill department to be able to discover the difficulties they can be facing when generating bills to their patients.
Practical objective
The system is developed using PHP as leading end and SQL Server / Oracle as the back end.
The following steps will be helpful to start off the task.
Study and be comfortable with technology such as
PHP, SQL server / Oracle, Apache and ODBC Connection.
Decide on the amount of wards and the amount of mattresses in each ward.
Make a data source of all furniture and load some test data in the furniture which can establish helpful for running / evaluation of the project.
Assign a clinic data entry operator who will enter all the individual details, make updating to the table entries via front-end screens as so when a patient is being admitted to the hospital, transferred from a general ward to the ICU and vice versa and discharged from the hospital.
Since the real-time job needs to be examined in real-time, you may take 'hours' as 'days' for screening the machine. However, the screen it's still in 'days' only.
Create the front-page of the PBS system providing a brief explanation about the machine and a login box
Create the help-pages of the machine in the form of Q&A. This can help you also when implementing the machine.
Create other sub-systems like screens for various functions (new patient access, enjoying existing patient details, transfer of an individual between ward and ICU, etc).
Research about consumer area and server side programming languages
HTML, XHTML, ASP. NET, JSP, PHP, ASP
Research about online data foundation applications like Oracle, Mysql
Research about Unified Modelling Language, Activity diagram, Use case diagram, Category diagram, Series diagram, Cooperation diagram
Rationale of the job:
Outsource medical billing system company is doing great help in terms of making medical billing services that could be of help to the doctors in order to concentrate more on their patients. The idea of medical billing outsourcing initiated from the need to hire experts in order to perform a minor process related to the medical career. However, the most concerned issues of hiring an authorized to manage the medical billing services are because secrete information about the business can be leaked out by outsourcing employees, even with their competitor as well as do not provide good quality services as most of their employees have limited health background and all these issues can cause serious damage to the medical practice and finance. However with the introduction of my proposed system, it'll result in the entire improvement of the medical billing functions.
Significance:
The proposed job can have great significance on the funding of the hospital and also reduce the work load from the bank account department. This does not only limit on the users, but will also be of great help to my studies and my profession as well, as it could give me coverage needed to be able to build up my skill on PL/SQL, PHP, HTML and RDBMS.
Overview:
My proposed online application is totally focused is being user-friendly, simple, but highly correct at exactly the same time. My program involves different stages (web pages). These can be described as follows.
The project provides a web-based platform where the hospital data access operator can
Login to the machine through the first site of the application
Enter the ward number for the patient either in the overall ward or the ICU.
Settle all expenses pending to be paid by a patient prior to the patient's discharge.
Keep a track of all mattresses occupied / free in both ward and the ICU.
View information of most patients details, their acknowledge time and the total amount to be paid.
Update the table domains (patient details, the total amount to be paid / any balance left over, the ward number, the bed amount, the registration number, case number, etc. ) as soon as a fresh patient is being admitted into the hospital or being discharged from the hospital.
REQUIREMENTS
System requirement
The system requirements offers more details and explain how the customer requirements should be provided by the machine and can be used as part of the contract for the implementation of the machine and really should therefore be considered a complete and regular specification of the system. (Sommerville, 2007pg. 130) Therefore, Because of the characteristics of the project, the machine is web basic software that interacts with an individual (medical center data admittance operator and the bank account office) on customer side and all the control will be completed on the server area. Therefore, both customer and the Server aspect have to meet the following minimum amount requirements.
Software
User is going to open the net page of the business that will contain the actual application form and they have to load it to make application for the assistance.
Internet Explorer or any browser.
Internet Interconnection.
Data Bottom part -MySQL server/Oracle (Optional)
Client-side and Server-side scripting technologies
PHP, ASP. NET, AJAX, Visual basic 6. 0
WAMP.
Security - SSL,
Hardware
PC with Hard disk space more than 1 GB free always for data source. (Optional)
Minimum memory of 1GB (Optional)
Back up operating.
Literature View:
New technology creates new opportunities for forward-thinking companies. Higher level of automation, high-speed communications and improved access to information can provide significant advantages to a modern business company (Paul Boucij, Andrew Greasley, Simon Hickie 2008). Computer technology has highly changed people's lives immensely. This technology changes just how of the thinking and the way we perform our day by day activities. Computer-based information systems are now used to carry out all functions and activities of organisation. Nowadays, increased improvements are being put in place in other to help a modern business organisation to make more efficient and automate business procedures. Nevertheless, Medical procedures are not overlooked of this great change. In order to run a medical practice properly, medical billing should be automated. Let's imagine that there is absolutely no appropriate medical billing set up. What will eventually the problem of billing in medical methods? Of course, the traditional way of billing will be implemented. Traditional way does all the medical billing like mailing invoices and producing patients bills personally. This technique is good if the medical practice desires to remain small. However, the issue of medical billing is very sensitive in clinic management as the clinics cannot afford deficits because of careless billing made from traditional way of billing.
According to Charles Darwin, the visible scientist of dynamics, said, 'It is not the strongest of the kinds that survive, nor the most smart, but the one most responsive to change (Case, 2006 pg 27) The fact about dynamics is also true in today medical practice that works in a fast changing environment. The most efficient and successful hospitals run their budget with modern medical billing software. There can be an urgent have to have a good way of managing the billing concern in a medical practice and this issue can only just be managed by making use of good billing software. A good billing software is expected to ensure that the billing computation are done successfully and accurately. In addition, it is likely to be accessible to the users on internet so that doctors can be able to have full access to their billing system anywhere in the world. Therefore, a web based medical billing is necessary.
A Web application is a software program that is deployed on the web. It allows users to perform a task like obtaining information about the outstanding bills of a patient or any of the many activities possible on the web (Susan, Melanie, Solomon, Benjamin, 2003). The user can view, change and control the software application by way of a Web browser linked to a web server via a network such as INTERNET. In 1989, CERN (the Western Lab for Particle Physics in Switzerland) proposed the introduction of the internet in order to enable high-energy physicists across the world to collaborate through the simple provision and ease of access of information (Graham Curtis and David Cobham, 2002 pg 128). Another essential requirement of web program is that there is a real-time revise of produced content/data plus they can be universally utilized via internet/web by an individual.
However, The effectiveness of any computerised system would depend on the soundness of its design which is specially true for the databases application. The need for database system cannot be overlooked in medical billing system. For most business organisations, information organised in databases can frequently be more valuable than tangible varieties of asset, that are accounted for in monetary terms. To work most effectively for the organisation or company, data stored electronically must be properly been able and protected. (Domanski, peter, Philip, 2000). Thus, a consistence data source must maintain place in order to avoid inaccurate analyses of stored information, poor cashflow for the hospital and Patient dissatisfaction with a healthcare facility. A web based billing software part comprises the Repository Management system and the application program
Methodologies:
Different methodologies can be used for a task. Nevertheless the appropriate you can increase the likelihood of better results.
I have chosen to use the Unified Process way and the reason why are;
It specializes in detailed documentation
It minimises back again tracking
It maintains a full frequent control on each level of development
We have a definite notion of all the issues during each level thereby eliminating chance of bigger problems after coding
I are certain to get to learn useful tools do design Used case diagrams
Enhancing my understanding of class diagrams
Strategic Issues
Strategic concern can be described as the company planning options in responding to crucial business issue, engaging in collaborative decision making.
The strategic issue that the school of Technology and Management will benefit from the new system are;
For the organisation
Reduce the amount of paper usage e. g. task submission forms
Reduce the amount of storage usage cost
Reduce the number of manpower utilization cost
It will certainly reduce the stress levels of the staff
It save time for staffs
For Student
It eliminate project printing costs
It reduce the long queues at the university e. g. during enrollment or at the registry.
It will save time as well for the student
Manpower requirements
The project can be completed within 3 - 4 calendar months if i work fulltime onto it.
Milestones and Timelines
Number
Milestone Name
Milestone Description
Timeline
Week no.
from the start
of the project
Remarks
1
Requirements Specification
Complete specs of the machine (with appropriate assumptions) including the framing of copy policy of the individual between the ward / IBU, the payment / balance to be made by the individual etc constitutes this milestone. A document describing the same should be written and a demonstration on that be made.
2-3
Attempt should be made to add some more relevant functionality apart from the ones that are stated in this record.
3
Database creation
A database of atleast 25 entries of patients with some patients accepted in wards and the remaining in IBU should be got into.
5-7
It is important to finalize on the databases at this time itself so that development and tests can move forward with the real databases itself.
4
High-level and Detailed Design
Listing down all possible situations (like new patient, copy of a patient between general ward and IBU, some balance remaining to be paid at the time of release etc) and then discovering flow-charts or pseudocode to handle the scenario.
7-9
The cases should map to the requirement specs (i. e. , for each requirement that is specified, a corresponding circumstance should be there).
5
Implementation of the front-end of the system
Implementation of the key screen providing the login, display that comes after the login giving various options, displays for each and every of the options (moving of patients, use of mattresses).
10-12
During this milestone period, it would be a good idea for the team (or one person from the team) to start out working on a test-plan for the complete system. This test-plan can be modified as and when new scenarios come to mind.
6
Integrating the front-end with the database
The front-end developed in the earlier milestone will now be able to update the repository when a patient discharges. In a nutshell, the machine should be equipped for integration testing.
12-13
7
Integration Testing
The system should be thouroughly tested by jogging all the testcases written for the machine (from milestone 5).
14-15
Another 2 weeks should be there to handle any issues found during screening of the system. After that, the ultimate demo can be organized.
8
Final Review
Issues found through the prior milestone are fixed and the machine is ready for the final review.
16-18
During the final overview of the project, it should be checked that all the requirements specified during milestone number 1 1 are satisfied (or appropriate reasons given for not satisfying the same)
