Charge Item
Summary
The Charge Item resource in the CARE system captures financial details associated with services rendered or products supplied to a patient. It serves as a self-contained record, detailing the origin of the charge, the amount, applied discounts, taxes, and other relevant financial information.
Key Purpose
- Document financial charges for services or products provided to patients.
- Enable automated billing processes by linking clinical activities to financial records.
- Support detailed breakdowns of charges, including taxes, discounts, and surcharges.
Core Data Structure
Essential Fields
| Field | Description | Technical Notes |
|---|---|---|
| id | Internal system identifier | Primary key, auto-generated |
| definition | Reference to the Charge Item Definition | Links to the catalog entry for this service/item |
| status | Current state in the billing lifecycle | Controls whether the item can be invoiced |
| code | Billing code for the service | Often derived from the definition |
| patient | Reference to the patient | Person receiving the service |
| encounter | Reference to the healthcare encounter | Links to the clinical context |
| facility | Reference to the healthcare facility | Location where service was provided |
| quantity | Number of units provided | Default is 1 for most services |
| unitPriceComponent | Price breakdown per unit | Includes base, surcharges, discounts, taxes |
| totalPriceComponent | Price breakdown for all units | Unit price × quantity with all components |
| total_price | Final calculated amount | Sum of all price components |
| account | Reference to the billing account | Where this charge accumulates |
Supported Fields
Monetary Component:
type: Type of price component (e.g., base, surcharge, discount, tax, informational).code: Code differentiating kinds of taxes, surcharges, discounts, etc.factor: Factor used for calculating this component.amount: Monetary amount associated with this component, including value and currency.
Functional Workflow
- Charge Item Creation: When a service is rendered or a product is supplied, a Charge Item is automatically generated, capturing all relevant financial details.
- Association with Encounter and Account: The Charge Item is linked to the specific patient encounter and their billing account, ensuring accurate financial tracking.
- Pricing Calculation: Using the associated Charge Item Definition, the system calculates the unit and total prices, factoring in any applicable taxes, discounts, or surcharges.
- Manual Overrides: If necessary, authorized personnel can override standard pricing, with the reason documented in the
overrideReasonfield. - Billing and Invoicing: Charge Items feed into the billing system, facilitating invoice generation and payment processing.
- Audit and Reporting: Detailed records of Charge Items support financial audits and reporting requirements.