Patient Billing Software System Information Technology Essay

Patient Billing Software System Information Technology Essay In todays world, the population in various countries is increasing speedily every year, the Medical Billing System has grown-up in importance. The reason for this is that there are far more individuals that have need of some variety of health care, regardless of whether it is physical or mental. In order to receive these services patients need to pay for the services rendered by the hospital. This task requires a billing system that can generate bills 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 of importance to a hospital. . PHP was selected as the language for implementation and PL/SQL server as the database. The patient information will be stored in the database. Any new patient information can be stored in the database via a patient information input 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 allowing for scalability, portability, and re-use. The design of the system is such that it would permit future integration with other systems like online insurance billing for a patient that has a medical insurance, or even a completely different application. This system is also expected to provide a maximum level of security and reliability. Aim This project is aimed at developing a patient billing software system that is of importance to a hospital. The patient billing system is a local software system. This system can be used to maintain the location and the bed number of each patient either in the ward or the Intensive Care Units (ICU). Information about the patient and the charges to be paid is also stored. OBJECTIVE Research objective To study the feasibility of implementing a practical billing system for a hospital mainly focusing on scalability issues. As the hospital is speedily getting bigger the system should be able support any future expansions such as dealing with patients with health insurance. To conduct series of interviews in order to understand the organisational structure and the existing infrastructure service in the hospital and its problems and develop an alternative scenario for the system. To understanding the advantages and disadvantages of the current infrastructure service and how does the new system will be a benefits to the hospital? To conduct research about how patients billing systems is used in other hospitals? To examine the necessary tools that will be needed for the implementation of the proposed system and also examine whether the proposed system will be compatible with the existing system within the budget. Eg: What type of programming language can be adopted? What type of database would be best suitable for the system? To conduct an interview with the hospital data entry operator and the account department in order to find out the difficulties they are facing when generating bills to their patients. Practical objective The system is developed using PHP as the front end and SQL Server / Oracle as the back end. The following steps will be helpful to start off the project. Study and be comfortable with technologies such as PHP, SQL server / Oracle, Apache and ODBC Connectivity. Decide on the number of wards and the number of beds in each ward. Make a database of all tables and fill some sample data in the tables which can prove helpful for running / testing of the project. Assign a hospital data entry operator who will enter all the patient details, make updating to the table entries via front-end screens as and 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 project needs to be tested in real-time, you can take hours as days for testing the system. However, the display will still be in days only. Create the front-page of the PBS system giving a brief description about the system and a login box Create the help-pages of the system in the form of QA. This will help you also when implementing the system. Create other sub-systems like screens for various functions (new patient entry, viewing existing patient details, transfer of a patient between ward and ICU, etc). Research about client side and server side programming languages HTML, XHTML, ASP.NET, JSP, PHP, ASP Research about web based data base applications like Oracle,Mysql Research about Unified Modelling Language, Activity diagram, Use case diagram, Class diagram, Sequence diagram, Collaboration diagram Rationale of the project: Outsource medical billing system service provider is doing great help in terms of rendering 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 task related to the medical profession. However, the most concerned issues of hiring a third party to manage the medical billing services are because secrete information about the company can be leaked out by outsourcing employees, even to their competitor and also they do not provide good quality services as most of their staff have limited medical background and all these issues can cause serious damage to the medical practice and finance. However with the introduction of my proposed system, it will result in the overall improvement of the medical billing processes. Significance: The proposed project can have great significance on the finance of the hospital and also reduce the work load from the account department. This does not only limit on the users, but will also be of great help to my studies and my career as well, as it would give me exposure needed in order to develop my skill on PL/SQL, PHP, HTML and RDBMS. Overview: My proposed web based application is fully focused is being user friendly, simple, but highly accurate at the same time. My program consists of different stages (pages). These can be described as follows. The project will provide a web-based platform where the hospital data entry operator can Login to the system through the first page of the application Enter the ward number for the patient either in the general ward or the ICU. Settle all bills pending to be paid by a patient before the patients discharge. Keep a track of all beds occupied / free in both the ward and the ICU. View information of all patients details, their admit time and the amount to be paid. Update the table fields (patient details, the amount to be paid / any balance remaining, the ward number, the bed number, the registration number, case number, etc.) as soon as a new patient is being admitted into the hospital or being discharged from the hospital. REQUIREMENTS System requirement The system requirements gives more details and explain how the user requirements should be provided by the system and can be used as part of the contract for the implementation of the system and should therefore be a complete and consistent specification of the system.(Sommerville, 2007pg.130) Therefore, Due to the nature of the project, the system is web base application that interacts with the user (hospital data entry operator and the account department) on client side and all the processing will be carried out on the server side. Therefore, both the client and the Server side have to meet the following minimum requirements. Software User is going to open the web page of the company that will contain the actual application form and then they have to fill it to make an application for the services. Internet Explorer or any web browser. Internet Connection. Data Base -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 database. (Optional) Minimum memory of 1GB (Optional) Back up running. 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 benefits to a modern business organisation (Paul Boucij, Andrew Greasley, Simon Hickie 2008). Computer technology has highly transformed peoples lives tremendously. This innovation changes the way of our 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 an organisation. Nowadays, improved innovations are being put in place in other to help a modern business organisation to make more efficient and automate business processes. Nevertheless, Medical practices are not left out of this great change. In order to run a medical practice appropriately, medical billing has to be automated. Lets imagine that there is no appropriate medical billing in place. What will happen to the issue of billing in medical pra ctices? Of course, the traditional way of billing will be adopted. Traditional way is doing all the medical billing like sending invoices and generating patients bills manually. This system is good if the medical practice wants to stay small. However, the issue of medical billing is sensitive in hospital management as the hospitals cannot afford losses because of careless billing generated from traditional way of billing. According to Charles Darwin, the prominent scientist of nature, said, It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change (Case, 2006 pg 27) The fact about nature is also true in today medical practice that works in a fast changing environment. The most efficient and successful hospitals run their finances with modern medical billing software. There is an urgent need to have a good way of managing the billing issue in a medical practice and this issue can only be managed with the help of good billing software. A good billing software is expected to make sure that the billing calculation are done efficiently and accurately. In addition, it is expected to be available to the users on internet so that medical practitioners can be able to have full access to their billing system anywhere in the world. Therefore, a web based medical billing is required. A Web application is a software application that is deployed on the web. It allows users to accomplish 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, manipulate and control the software application through a Web browser connected to a web server through a network such as World Wide Web. In 1989, CERN (the European Laboratory for Particle Physics in Switzerland) proposed the development of the World Wide Web in order to enable high-energy physicists across the world to collaborate through the easy provision and accessibility of information (Graham Curtis and David Cobham, 2002 pg 128). Another important aspect of web application is that there is a real-time update of generated content/data and they can be universally accessed via internet/web by the user. However, The effectiveness of any computerised system is dependent on the soundness of its design and this is particularly true for the database application. The importance of database system cannot be overlooked in medical billing system. For most business organisations, information held in databases can often be more valuable than tangible forms of asset, which are accounted for in monetary terms. To work most effectively for the organisation or company, data stored electronically must be properly managed and protected. (Domanski, peter, Philip, 2000). Thus, a consistence database must be in place in order to avoid inaccurate analyses of stored information, poor cash flow for the hospital and Patient dissatisfaction with the hospital. A web based billing software component comprises the Database Management system and the application program Methodologies: Different methodologies can be used for a project. However the appropriate one can increase the chances of better results. I have chosen to use the Unified Process approach and the reasons are; It concentrates on detailed documentation It minimises back tracking It maintains a full constant control on each stage of development We have a clear idea of all the problems during each stage thereby eliminating chance of bigger problems after coding I will get to learn useful tools do design Used case diagrams Enhancing my knowledge of class diagrams Strategic Issues Strategic issue can be explained as the organisation planning options in addressing 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. assignment submission forms Reduce the amount of storage usage cost Reduce the number of manpower usage cost It will reduce the stress levels of the staff It save time for staffs For Student It eliminate assignment printing costs It reduce the long queues at the college e.g. during registration or at the registry. It saves time as well for the student Manpower requirements The project can be completed within 3 4 months if i work fulltime on it. Milestones and Timelines Number Milestone Name Milestone Description Timeline Week no. from the start of the project Remarks 1 Requirements Specification Complete specification of the system (with appropriate assumptions) including the framing of transfer policy of the patient between the ward / IBU, the payment / balance to be made by the patient etc constitutes this milestone. A document detailing the same should be written and a presentation on that be made. 2-3 Attempt should be made to add some more relevant functionality other than those that are listed in this document. 3 Database creation A database of atleast 25 entries of patients with some patients admitted in wards and the remaining in IBU should be entered. 5-7 It is important to finalize on the database at this stage itself so that development and testing can proceed with the actual database itself. 4 High-level and Detailed Design Listing down all possible scenarios (like new patient, transfer of a patient between general ward and IBU, some balance remaining to be paid at the time of discharge etc) and then coming up with flow-charts or pseudocode to handle the scenario. 7-9 The scenarios should map to the requirement specification (i.e., for each requirement that is specified, a corresponding scenario should be there). 5 Implementation of the front-end of the system Implementation of the main screen giving the login, screen that follows the login giving various options, screens for each of the options (shifting of patients, usage of beds). 10-12 During this milestone period, it would be a good idea for the team (or one person from the team) to start working on a test-plan for the entire system. This test-plan can be updated 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 database when a patient discharges. In short, the system should be ready for integration testing. 12-13 7 Integration Testing The system should be thoroughly tested by running all the testcases written for the system (from milestone 5). 14-15 Another 2 weeks should be there to handle any issues found during testing of the system. After that, the final demo can be arranged. 8 Final Review Issues found during the previous milestone are fixed and the system is ready for the final review. 16-18 During the final review of the project, it should be checked that all the requirements specified during milestone number 1 are fulfilled (or appropriate reasons given for not fulfilling the same) Project: Internet based admission finder http://www.buzzle.com/articles/medical-billing-outsourcing.html

The Transformation of Hong Kong Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing

The Transformation of Hong Kong A drastic change came over Hong Kong during my supposed three month long business trip. This was not my first time in Hong Kong since I work for Walt Disney Imagineering and my team of engineers had been spending years planning the creation of the fourth Disney resort in Hong Kong. I had arrived in Hong Kong in mid-February 2003. My coworkers and I were staying at the Island Shangri-La which is located in the heart of Hong Kong, overlooking Victoria Harbor. My first week and a half in Hong Kong could be classified as normal. Restaurants were packed when I would go to dinner with coworkers. Starbucks was bustling in the morning as I got coffee on my way to work, and Pacific Place, an amazing entertainment and shopping complex on the Island, was full of people from open to close. The only thing that might have seemed unusual to the outsider was the occasional individual wearing a surgical mask, which having spent a lot of time in Hong Kong and Japan, I came to realize was common in Asia. If an individual was sick they protected themselves and others by wearing the mask. All in all, this appeared as if it was going to be a typical stay in Hong Kong until the first week of March when things changed. I distinctly remember the news reports which appeared about this mysterious disease that had appeared in the Guangdong Province of China beginning in November 2002. I remember my daughter worrying about me traveling to Asia with this unknown "killer." Yet, I reassured her that there was nothing to worry about since Hong Kong was quite a distance away from Guangdong Province. It turns out, that I should have taken my daughter a bit more seriously because, in hindsight, I know that on F... ...on again if there was a major world health concern. It is hoped that if SARS occurs again, as it has in isolated cases, that the societies of the world will not be thrown into as drastic of an upheaval as I experienced in Hong Kong in the late winter and spring of 2003. Now that the threat of the disease is past, Hong Kong is much more like it should be. When my wife traveled with me on my most recent business trip she did not have to face the health checkpoints at the airport nor the deserted streets and paranoia of two years ago. Life in Hong Kong appears "normal" now only with the memory of the modern epidemic which took some of its citizens' lives. The world now contains 774 fewer people due to the progress of the recent epidemic, SARS. * www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/faq.htm Sources of Information: www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/ www.sarsreference.com/

Guide to Survivng

Guide to surviving the A200 exam Exams can be daunting but with the right preparation you can remove some of the stress. Start by thinking about the purpose of the exam and the skills and knowledge it will test. The A200 exam tests your knowledge of the module and the skills you have learnt during your study. You have already practiced these in your assignments. Part 1 of the Exam tests your ability to analyse a source. You did this in TMA 01 and TMA 03 and in the activities in the module blocks.Part 2 tests your ability write an essay in response to a question. You have practiced this in TMA 02 to TMA 05. Part 3 asks you to answer a question about one of the course themes. You practised this in TMA 06. The big difference between the exam and the TMA is the time constraint: you have to answer questions that you have not seen beforehand in timed conditions. You can prepare for this by revising the skills and topics that you have studied in A200 and by familiarising yourself with the s ort of questions that will come up.Exam preparation Familiarise yourself with the exam: study the Specimen Exam Paper and the Advanced Notification of Texts and Topics so that you know how the exam paper will be set out and the sorts of questions that will come up. Think about the format of the paper and the kinds of essays you are required to write. The A200 Exam has three parts. Each part requires you to write a slightly different type of answer in response to a question. For Part 1 you have to answer a question based on a source.Part 2 requires you to write a traditional essay in response to a question on one of the blocks and Part 3 asks you to write an essay that considers the course themes over two or more blocks of the module. Use the Advance Notification to focus your revision. This tells you which blocks will be examined in Parts 1 and 2. It also gives you a hint of the topic that will come up in relation to the module themes in Part 3. Revise. There are no hard and fast ru les on how to do this. You need to find out what works for you. There are revision tips on the Skills for OU Study website: http://www. pen. ac. uk/skillsforstudy/. Remember to refresh your understanding of skills such as how to analyse a source and how to construct an argument with evidence, as well as the themes and topics you have studied. Practice writing by hand under a time constraint. If you use computers a lot you may not be used to writing by hand. Seeing how much you can write in an hour will help you to pace yourself on the day. Remember the longest answers are not necessarily the best. Focused essays that clearly address the question, regardless of length, usually get the best marks.Also remember that writing an essay on a computer, when you can draft and redraft, is not the same process as writing a one-off exam answer. You are advised, therefore, to practice answering exam questions by hand, in the allotted time, to ensure you can develop a good structure, organise you r material and develop a coherent argument in such circumstances On the day Don’t panic. Take time to read through the paper. Follow the rubric. Read the instructions on the front of the exam paper and make sure you follow them.Remember you have to answer one question from each of the three parts. Remember also that there should be no significant overlap in the content of your different answers. You can answer questions in any order. You might want to start with the question you are most confident with. This may help you to get going. Answer the question set. Don’t be tempted to include irrelevant material or write an answer to a question you had hoped would have come up. Structure your answer carefully. Take time to write a plan. Make sure your answer has an introduction, middle and a conclusion.Construct an argument with evidence, don’t simply narrate or describe a series of events or, in the case of Part 1, recount the contents of the document. Pull out the s ignificance of the points you make and show their relevance to the question. Manage your time effectively. Don’t spend too long on one question and risk running out of time on others. You will need to spend about an hour on each question. Answer all the questions. A weak answer to a question will gain more marks than no answer at all. If you run out of time make a brief note of the key points you wanted to include. In summaryExams are an essential aspect of degree level study. They test your knowledge of the module and the skills you have learnt throughout your study. Remember you have already practiced these skills in your assignments. In your TMAs you will have learnt how to construct an argument with evidence, evaluate sources and understand and engage with historical debates. The big difference in the exam is the time constraint. Familiarising yourself with the layout of the paper, revising topics and reminding yourself of the skills you need to demonstrate will help you to respond better to unseen questions in timed conditions.

Ivan Pavlov - 1419 Words

Ivan Pavlov A research paper presented to In Partial fulfillment of the requirements for the course AP Psychology May 24, 2011 Abstract Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was a Russian Physiologist that was born in Ryazan. He was born into a Russian Orthodox family and was originally planning to follow in his father’s footsteps as a priest. His high-school training was received in an ecclesiastical seminary in Ryazan. He graduated afterwards from the Natural Sciihck Faculity of the University of St. Petersburg, and in 1879 obtained his M.D. degree from the Medico-Chirurgical Academy in that city. He became a professor of physiology in 1895 at the Imperial Military–Medical Academy in St. Petersburg, where he did research on the digestive process†¦show more content†¦Under his 45 year direction, this Institute became one of the most important centers of physiological research (Babkin, 1949). In 1890, Pavlov was selected as Professor of Pharmacology at the Military Medical Academy. Five years later, he was chosen to the then vacant Chair of Physiology, a position he held until 1925. Ivan Pavlov was known for many things. From studying digestion to studying the circulatory system to studying nerves directing the digestive glands, he had an abundance of skill and knowledge. In 1889, he discovered the nerves controlling the gastric glands in which he received the 1904 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. After setting aside his initial plan to follow his father into priesthood, Pavlov received a medical degree at age 33 and spent the next two decades studying the digestive system; but it wasn’t until the last three decades of his life when he performed the experiments that earned him his fame and significant place in history. Classical conditioning is defined as â€Å"a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events† (Myers 2011). At first, it was his creative mind that set off on an incidental observation. He noticed by putting food in a dogs mouth causes the animal to salivate. Not only did that cause salivation, but the sight of food, smell of food, the food dish, and even the person bringing the food did as well. This sparked his thoughts into trying to imagineShow MoreRelatedEssay on Ivan Petrovich Pavlov1451 Words   |  6 PagesProfile of Ivan Pavlov was born on September 14, 1849 in the village of Ryazan, Russia, the son of Peter Dmitrievich Pavlov, who was the village priest. Because he was the son of a priest he went to church school and enrolled in a theology seminar. As the son of a preacher Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was going to follow in his father’s footsteps, that was until he read a book by Charles Darwin called â€Å"The Origin of Species† After reading this book Ivan Pavlov dropped out of his theological studies andRead MoreComparison Of Ivan Pavlov And John Watson978 Words   |  4 Pages In 1903 a Russian physiologist by the name of Ivan Pavlov first developed an experiential model of learning called Classical Conditioning (Lautenheiser 1999). An example if Classical Conditioning would be ringing a bell when it is time for your pet to eat. The pet hears the bell and over time is conditioned that when the bell rings its dinner time thus begins to salivate, and eventually learns to be conditioned to responding to the bell in a specific manner. The bases was that neutral stimulusRead MoreIvan Pavlov s Classical Conditioning1441 Words   |  6 PagesAs the 19th century came to a close, the studies of psychology were just beginning. Ivan Pavlov opened the door to the idea of classical conditioning with his tests on salivating dogs. The discoveries brought light to the way both animal and human minds work regarding associative learning. After Pavlov’s experiment, many more experiments came after. Even today Pavlov’s findings are so apparent it seems the id ea of associative learning and conditioning of animals seems to be common sense. Today thereRead MoreEssay about Biography of Ivan Petrovich Pavlov884 Words   |  4 Pagesearned by Ivan Pavlov. His unique background influenced his career greatly. Throughout his life he had many remarkable accomplishments. From dog treats to nerves of the heart, his experiments produced many useful conclusions. Also, his awards and leading positions emphasize his contributions to the many fields of science. Although he focused mostly in physiology, his studies have affected many realms of science, including psychology, and still prove accurate today. On September 14, 1849, Ivan PetrovichRead MoreIvan Pavlov s Theory Of The Conditioned Reflex1706 Words   |  7 Pagesreflex. His name was Ivan Petrovich Pavlov. Ivan Pavlov conducted a well-known experiment for teaching a hungry dog to salivate at the sound of a bell when presented with food. This experiment led Ivan Pavlov to become known for his d evelopment on Classical Conditioning, which captured the attention of everyone, especially physiologist and psychologist. Ivan Pavlov was born September, 14, 1849 in Russia. Ivan Pavlov’s father was a priest and his mother was a homemaker. Initially, Pavlov studied theologyRead MoreIvan Pavlov And His Theory Of Natural Selection2463 Words   |  10 PagesIvan Pavlov Inspirations in Early Life Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was born on September 14, 1849 in the small town of Ryazan, Russia about 100 miles southeast of Moscow. However, he was the oldest out of five children. In one of the poorer areas his father was a priest parishes. In Pavlov earlier years he lived poorly. Pavlov was undecided on what he wanted to pursue as his career. He started in the minister field but later changed his concentration to science. In 1860 he entered the school in the courseRead MoreIvan Pavlov s The First Development Of The Experimental Model Of Learning827 Words   |  4 Pagesnamed Ivan Pavlov was doing research on digestion, which led to the first development of the experimental model of learning. Ivan Pavlov was born on September 14, 1849 in Ryazan, Russia. Poverty was always an issue with Pavlov’s family as he was growing up. His father was the priest of the village, where Pavlov attended regularly. Many of Pavlov’s characteristics, including a strong will to succeed was inherited from his father. Pavlov began school at the Ryazan Ecclesiastical High. Pavlov enteredRead MoreA Brilliant Mind : Ivan Pavlov2723 Words   |  11 PagesBrilliant Mind: Ivan Pavlov Shawn Potter College Of Central Florida Ivan Pavlov was born in a difficult time in history, Pavlov was born on September 14, 1849 in Ryzan, in the rise of communism in Russia. Although today that Pavlov was known more as a Physiologist than a Psychologist, due to Pavlov’s father being a priest, Pavlov’s early studies was in the church to eventually become a priest like his father, although the plan to become a priest diminished after Pavlov read a book thatRead MoreThe Theory of Behaviorism900 Words   |  4 Pagestheorist by the name of Ivan Pavlov was a major contribution to the discovering of significant behavioral theories. Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was born on September 14, 1849 in the small village of Ryazan, Russia. He was the son of Peter Dmitrievich Pavlov, who was the village’s own priest. As the son of a priest, Ivan went to church school and attended the theological seminary. The family hoped that Ivan would follow in his father’s footsteps and become a priest as well, but Ivan had other plans. AfterRead MoreClassical Conditioning Paper1235 Words   |  5 PagesTheory of Classical Conditioning Classical conditioning came to life through the work of Ivan Pavlov who was a Russian psychologist. Born in Russia, Pavlov first tried to follow in his father’s footsteps by becoming a priest. However, he changed his decision and began to study physiology. It proved to be a wise choice, as later, the work on the physiology of digestion earned him the noble Prize. Pavlov was conducting research on the canine digestive system using information from dog’s salivation