Design and Implementation of an Online Medical Billing System
Chapter One
OBJECTIVE OF STUDY
This project aim primary at developing an online medical billing system that will prepare bills for patients in an area. A computer-based system can be “batched” or “interactive” a batched processing system is one where transaction are collected and prepared for input for processing as a simple unit. There may be some delay between the occurrence original event and the eventual processing of the transactions. Interactive system is those which allow the user to input data in response to the information displayed on the screen
The project however objectives include the following:
– A faster means of billing a patient
– Reducing redundancies of files
– Generation of monthly billing transaction information
– Increasing billing efficiency
– A faster means of calculating revenue
CHAPTER TWO
INTRODUCTION
LITERATURE REVIEW
The introduction of computer into the information technology has in no small measure improved the information need or organizations. However, the success in-depth knowledge of what a computer is its enormous capabilities and limitations. Such area of potentialities is in its application – the billing procedures. Hence the review of literature is in relation to this topic – billing system. As a prelude to the review, one then wonders what this computers. In his definition, FUNK et al (1980) defined computer as “electromechanical or electric device that can perform automatically and at a high speed a sequence of logical operation according to instructions given to it inform of a pre-arranged programs”.
CHIMEZIE F.O (1990) defined computer as “obedient servants who is ever ready to free man from tedious routine procedures and produce results quicker as compared with human computing time”. The operations especially in the billing system of power holding company Nigeria is manual and hence labour intensive, tedious routines and very slow. This therefore necessitates the use of computer for the billing procedure in the corporation for quicker results and production of bills.
“BILLS” is defined by HORNEY, A.S (1984) as a written statement to charge for goods delivered or service rendered.” This definition implies that “billing” is a process of preparing bills.
ROSENBERG (1987) also describes billing as “The process of preparing invoices to charge users of the energy system.” This concept forms of this topic, as the aim of this topic study is how to incorporate or integrate the use of computer in the production of invoice/ bills to charge subscribers for the goods they purchase and services rendered.
The above explanations encircle the topic, which is “design and analysis of automated billing system”. The essence of this study among afore-mentioned is also to create the awareness of the limitless potentialities of computer to every field of human Endeavour.
ALUKO, O. (1991) in his paper stated that in virtually any job whether clerical, technical, business or professionals, banking, manufacturing or medicine, access, store, retrieve, regulate and monitor information. “Any field of human endeavor is characterized by one or a combination of these processes. The billing system (procedure) in virtually commercial organizations involves manipulation of data like calculations, measurement, assessment among other, in order to get the required information.
This definition alone therefore buttresses the application of computers in handling these procedures which is the main focus of the topic.
EMERGE G.G (1980) in his analysis proved that every computing process in involves three steps or phases: The input phase, the execution phase and the output phase. These three steps are also the basic steps taken in bill preparation, it takes manual process. The manual method of bill preparation in prone to errors and it is also time consuming leading to late generation of customers bill as at when due. To eliminate all these problems associated with manual billing system and enhance proper billing, the use of computer is the best alternative to be adopted.
BILLING SYSTEM
A billing system is a combination of software and hardware that receives call detail and service usage information, groups this information for specific accounts or customers, produces invoices, creates reports for management, and records (posts) payments made to customer accounts. Most time and billing software applications also create billing cycle reports to display information such as hours worked, expenses incurred, how much to bill clients, and which clients owe money for specific projects.
Popular time and billing software tools include Sage Time slips, Intuit QuickBooks Time and Billing Manager, Billing Tracker and billing.
COMPUTERIZATION
The activity of facilitating or automating procedures or activities by means of electronic compute
BENEFITS OF COMPUTERIZATION
Computer has made a very vital impact on society. It has changed the way of life. The use of computer technology has affected every field of life. People are using computers to perform different tasks quickly and easily. The use of computers makes different task easier. It also saves time and effort and reduces the overall cost to complete a particular task. Many organizations are using computers for keeping the records of their customers. Banks are using computers for maintaining accounts and managing financial transactions. The banks are also providing the facility of online banking. The customers can check their account balance from using the internet. They can also make financial transaction online. The transactions are handled easily and quickly with computerized systems. Other benefits include:
CHAPTER THREE
SYSTEM ANALYSIS & DESIGN
INTRODUCTION
Systems are created to solve problems. One can think of the system approach as an organized way of dealing with a problem. One can think of the system approach as an organized way of dealing with a problem. In this dynamic world, the subject system analysis and design mainly deals with the software and development activities. In system analysis more emphasis is given to understand the details of an existing system or a proposed one and then deciding whether the proposed system is desirable or not and whether the existing system needs improvements. Thus, system analysis is the process of investigating a system, identifying problems and using the information to recommend improvements to the system.
METHODOLOGY
Methodology is the study of how to perform scientific research. It is the part of any analysis or research that is used to find to find out about the type of data that is to be maintained, how it is found and how it is recorded. To achieve these SSADM was used which means structured system analysis and design methodology which is an internationally accepted software engineering model mainly used in most result oriented analysis. With this structured system analysis and design methodology which is an internationally accepted software engineering model, I was able to achieve a wonderful and a successful software design and database design which was one of my main purpose of embarking on this project.
CHAPTER FOUR
SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION
INTRODUCTION
This chapter depicts how the system is designed; it shows the input and output requirement of the system, the hardware and software requirement and other requirements. It shows a system flowchart that shows how operations are carried out. There is also the training of the staff on how to use the new system that is to be implemented, its documentation, valuation and maintenance.
CHAPTERS FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Summary
This project work has described the design of an online medical billing system that has applications in the administration of Roseanna hospital. In theory, a context-based anomaly on billing System constructed as described in this research could offer a number of benefits to organization whose bills Payment methods are still not effective as it should be. Unfortunately, at this time, the system is far too underdeveloped to adequately judge. Several unexplored research topics remain, while other areas require further elaboration. The biggest question, however, is determining what roles this system would play in the billing process. The most basic role would be discovering the billing Payment information processes within the organization network. Deployed which concerned with sensitive data, given a number of sensitive keywords this system could help store and capture Payment information and monitor the reoccurring processes and detect when bills are paid or not and also how the information entered into the system is managed for report generation.
Conclusion
Usability testing was part of post implementation review and performance evaluation for Billing System in order to ensure that the intended users of the newly developed system can carry out the intended tasks effectively using real data so as to ascertain the acceptance of the system and operational efficiency. It caters for patient’s bills and also enables the administrator to generate monthly reports. It is possible for an administrator to know the patients that have made payment in respect to their medical bill, thereby improving the billing accuracy, reduce time consumption and workload on the organization employees or designated staff, to eliminates variations in bills and replenish based on market demand.
Recommendation
After conscientious consideration of high cost of computerizing the billing system of the board and its enormous advantages, the author is recommending full computerization of the system. It is believed that though the cost to be incurred which include personnel and equipment cost will be high, but if the new system is properly implemented following strictly the procedures, the cost can be offset at long run having considered the crucial role of the implementation stage of any system life circle, the author recommends the recruitment of qualified system analyst/ programmer to be responsible for the new system and to aid in training the existing staff. In order to get full maximization of the computer system in the board, other systems of the board like, payroll, inventory etc should as well be computerized. Lastly, due to new challenges facing every organization now, modification of the programming part of the project is imperative to enhance performance and to meet up with organizational changes.
References
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- Abubakar, S.M (2009). Design and Construction of a Computer Based Power Billing System. (Published Dissertation), Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria. AU J.T. 13(1): 39-46
- Byron, G.S (2002). Shaum’s Outline of Theory and Problems of Programming with Visual
- Basic: Essentials of Visual Studio.net. New York, NY; Mc Graw Hill Incorporation.
