Trista: This is a very bad situation, but I do not think a "block scheduling" box would help. It's the process at your office that is wrong, not the chart. Here's why. (I'm not a lawyer, but I have a good one. The following advise should only be taken after running it by your counselor, but this is why I do for entertainment purposes only.)
If the physician has an ongoing relationship with a patient, he or she cannot just decide to not schedule over a bill. It is that provider's legal responsibility to continue to care for the patient until they are properly discharged. In your situation, the patient was not properly taken care of when going to collections, and that is the root of the problem.
1. The patient who is delinquent should get a series of letters after the 3rd statement asking for payment and explaining the account will go to collections if they do not pay, set up a payment plan, or make a partial payment by a certain date. Also explain that when patients have no intention of paying a bill the practice will discharge them and they will need to find another doctor. "We'd hate to lose you, so please call us today!"
2. Send them a discharge letter (certified) and tell them the account is now going to collections. They have 30 days to get any refills, but in no circumstance will care be provided by the office after that date. Tell them they had 3 statements, 2 letters, a phone call, etc, and they still haven't paid.
3. After PROPER discharge (consult your malpractice insurance attorney, they are glad to help!) DEACTIVATE the patient in AC EMR. (I only look at ACTIVE patients in my patient list.) Then the physician will not be accidentally scheduling them or giving advice. My understanding legally is once they give advice again on the phone, they have to start another 15-30 days as they are re-establishing a relationship.
I hope this helps. Having a "do not schedule" box would get doctors into trouble for abandonment.
