Services and products constitute key elements of a patient’s medical record. They can only be medical items that accurately reflect what a patient received. Sometimes, clinics will request items that we cannot add. Typically it is to serve as a workaround to the system. This section will list common requests we can’t add, and what you can do instead.
Declined Services
Examples of this item are “Declined Diagnostic Testing” or “Owner Declined Treatment.”
We understand it is important to document this, but it is better suited as a Medical Note (Short Tag) than a service. This allows you to tap a few buttons and have the declined service noted and can have a customized, pre-generated blurb added to the client record/client communication field.
Learn how to set up the custom field HERE.
If you are still needing to charge the client, you will charge them for whatever service was actually rendered. For example, you may create a declined diagnostic testing medical note, but charge for an exam.
Spay or Neuter “Add-On” Surgeries
We cannot add items that substitute the default Spay or Neuter surgery services. This is because HQ is built on three main appointment types: Spay/Neuter, Wellness, and Recheck. Adding a spay or neuter service to a wellness appointment is incorrect and cannot correctly log a patient as sterilized.
Many times, clinics are looking for a way to “Add On” the spay or neuter when another anesthetic service is being performed, such as a dental. The correct course to take here is to create the appointment under the Spay/Neuter appointment type, then add on other services such as a Dental Cleaning on that appointment.
TNR or “Feral” Spay or Neuter
The actual service rendered here is a spay or neuter, thus it must be created under the Spay/Neuter appointment type. HQ has a variety of tools to distinguish this animal descriptor such as the Animal Type and the “Is this cat coming in a trap” tick box. Most times, clinics request this item because they are looking at adjusting the prices for TNR/feral surgeries. We go over how to adjust pricing for feral surgeries HERE.
Credit Card Processing Fees
We cannot add a service that covers the fee of credit card processing. The practice of surcharging is generally prohibited in many states and by major credit card networks such as Visa and Mastercard.
Public No Show Fees
No show fees cannot be attached to public appointments because it prevents the system from properly recording a No-Show, thus reflecting an appointment that was seemingly completed that was not. Adding this item to an appointment would create a medical record for a patient when no services have been performed.
Our recommendation is to obtain a non-refundable appointment deposit instead of using a ‘No Show/No Call’ item.
