Concept explainer
The discharge finance gate
Explains the finance check at discharge that confirms the account is settled or arranged before the patient leaves.
A discharge carries two readiness signals: the patient is clinically ready to leave, and the account is settled or arranged. This page explains the finance check at discharge, which confirms the account is closed or covered before the patient leaves.
Two readiness signals
A discharge proceeds when clinical readiness and finance clearance both stand green. Atlas holds the clinical side on the record, and Vault holds the finance side. The two meet at the record's discharge tracking, and the patient leaves once both are green.
Finance clearance is Vault's confirmation that a visit's account is settled or an arrangement is in place. Vault decides it and pushes the result to the record, so the ward reads one clear signal.
What the gate checks
At discharge, Vault runs a sweep across the account and confirms each finance check before it clears the discharge. A check that stands open holds the discharge until it is settled or arranged.
| Check | What it confirms |
|---|---|
| Invoice finalised | The bill for the visit is raised. |
| Settlement recorded | Any payer settlement has posted. |
| Deposit adjusted | Advances held on the account are drawn down. |
| Within credit limit | The account sits inside the payer's credit limit. |
| Tax reconciled | The tax on the bill reconciles. |
| Package closed | Any care package on the account is closed off. |
| Refunds processed | Any refund owed to the patient is returned. |
| Write-off approved | Any write-off carries its approval. |
| Claim filed | The insurance claim, where one applies, is filed. |
| Co-signer captured | A second signature is captured where an override is used. |
| Trail intact | The account's financial trail is complete and verifiable. |
The clearance states
Vault pushes one clearance state to the record's discharge tracking, and the record reads it alongside clinical readiness.
| Clearance | Meaning |
|---|---|
| None required | The visit carries no finance to settle, so the gate stands clear. |
| Pending | The sweep is in progress or awaiting an entry. |
| Cleared | The account is settled or arranged, and the discharge may proceed. |
| Blocked | A finance check stands open, and the discharge holds until it resolves. |
Settled or arranged
A discharge clears when the balance is settled at the counter, or when an arrangement is recorded for it. Where a balance stays open, an authorised biller and a co-signer record the arrangement with a reason, and Vault logs the checks that were bypassed.
This is the arranged path, and it keeps a discharge moving while holding the decision to account.
An arrangement carries a second signature
The arranged path records a co-signer and a stated reason, so a discharge that leaves a balance open reads with the person who decided it and why. Read approval and second signature.
The discharge decision
The finance clearance and clinical readiness meet in one decision at the point of discharge.
Common confusions
What makes a patient ready to leave?
Two signals together: clinical readiness on the record and finance clearance from billing. The discharge proceeds when both stand green.
Can a patient leave with a balance open?
Yes, on the arranged path. An authorised biller and a co-signer record the arrangement with a reason, and the bypassed checks are logged.
Where is the finance clearance shown?
On the record's discharge tracking. Vault pushes the state, and the record reads it beside clinical readiness.
Read how the record tracks a discharge from readiness to release.