Method and apparatus for batch-processed invoicing

• US 20040010422A1
• Filed: 05/20/2003
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Epic Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Epic Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Niemeyer, Ryan, Michalski, Cliff, Puniani, Satyajit
• Application Number:
  US10/441,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20040010422A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records

Abstract

A system and method for multi-staged management of batch processed invoicing assigns a status to discrete units in these batches and uses such status of the discrete units in these batches to perform a number of operations on the batch. Thus, processing a first batch of records having a first number of records comprises performing a first operation on a first portion of the first batch, assigning a first status to the first portion of the first batch, creating a second batch containing the first portion of the first batch with a first status, returning a first portion of the second batch to the first batch, performing a second operation on a second portion of the second batch, assigning a second status to the second portion of the second batch, creating a third batch containing the second portion of the second batch with the second status, and returning a first portion of the third batch to the second batch.

Claims

1. A method of processing a first batch of records having a first number of records, comprising:

selecting a second number of records from the first batch;

performing a first operation on the second number of records;

assigning a first status to a first portion of the second number of records;

creating a second batch containing the first portion of the second number of records with the first status;

returning a second portion of the second number of records to the first batch;

selecting a third number of records from the second batch;

performing a second operation on the third number of records;

assigning a second status to a first portion of the third number of records;

creating a third batch containing the first portion of the third number of records with the second status; and

returning a second portion of the third number of records to the second batch.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the first number of records is in the first batch, a second portion of the first number of records is in the second batch, and a third portion of the first number of records is in the third batch.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first portion of the first number of records has the first status and the second portion of the first number of records has the second status.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first batch of records comprises at least one customer account.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the customer account comprises at least one health insurance customer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the first operation is one of (1) computing of invoices;

(2) proofing of invoices;

(3) posting of invoices; and

(4) invoicing of invoices;

the first status is status denoting one of (1) completion of the computing of invoices;

(2) completion of the proofing of invoices;

(3) completion of the posting of invoices; and

(4) completion of the invoicing of invoices;

the second operation is one of (1) proofing of invoices;

(2) posting of invoices;

(3) invoicing of invoices; and

(4) printing of invoices; and

the second status is a status denoting one of (1) completion of the proofing of invoices;

(2) completion of the posting of invoices;

(3) completion of the invoicing of invoices; and

(4) completion of the printing of invoices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the status of the first number of records on a computer screen.

8. A method of processing a first batch of records having a first number of records, comprising:

performing a first operation on a first portion of the first batch;

assigning a first status to the first portion of the first batch;

creating a second batch containing the first portion of the first batch with a first status;

returning a first portion of the second batch to the first batch;

performing a second operation on a second portion of the second batch;

assigning a second status to the second portion of the second batch;

creating a third batch containing the second portion of the second batch with the second status; and

returning a first portion of the third batch to the second batch.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a first portion of the first number of records is in the first batch, a second portion of the first number of records is in the second batch, and a third portion of the first number of records is in the third batch.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein a first portion of the first number of records has the first status and a second portion of the first number of records has the second status.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first batch of records comprises at least one customer account.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the customer account comprises at least one health insurance customer.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the first operation is a computing of invoices and the second operation is a proofing of invoices.

17. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying status of the first number of records on a computer screen.

14. The method of clam 8, wherein the first operation is a proofing of invoices and the second operation is a posting of invoices.

15. The method of clam 8, wherein the first operation is a posting of invoices and the second operation is an invoicing of invoices.

16. The method of clam 8, wherein the first operation is an invoicing of a invoices and the second operation is a printing of invoices.

18. A method of processing a first batch of a first number of accounts, comprising:

selecting a second number of accounts from the first batch;

computing invoice amounts for the second number of accounts;

assigning a status denoting completion of computing to a first portion of the second number of accounts;

creating a second batch with the second number of accounts with the status denoting completion of computing;

returning a second portion of the second number of accounts to the first batch;

selecting a third number of accounts from the second batch;

proofing invoice amounts for the third number of accounts;

assigning a status denoting completion of proofing to a first portion of the third number of accounts;

creating a third batch with the third number of accounts with the status denoting completion of proofing;

returning a second portion of the third number of accounts to the second batch;

selecting a fourth number of accounts from the third batch;

posting invoice amounts for the fourth number of accounts;

assigning a status denoting completion of posting to a first portion of the fourth number of accounts;

creating a fourth batch with the fourth number of accounts with the status denoting completion of posting;

returning a second portion of the fourth number of accounts to the third batch;

selecting a fifth number of accounts from the fourth batch;

invoicing invoice amounts for the fifth number of accounts;

assigning a status denoting completion of invoicing to a first portion of the fifth number of accounts;

creating a fifth batch with the fifth number of accounts with the status denoting completion of invoicing;

returning a second portion of the fifth number of accounts to the fourth batch;

selecting a sixth number of accounts from the fifth batch;

printing invoices for the sixth number of accounts;

assigning a status denoting completion of printing to a first portion of the sixth number of accounts;

creating a sixth batch with the sixth number of accounts with the status denoting completion of printing; and

returning a second portion of the sixth number of accounts to the fifth batch.

19. A batch processing system for processing a first batch having a first number of records comprising:

first system adapted to perform a first operation on a first portion of the first batch;

second system adapted to assign a first status to the first portion of the first batch;

third system adapted to create a second batch containing the first portion of the first batch with the first status;

fourth system adapted to return a first portion of the second batch to the first batch;

fifth system adapted to perform a second operation on a second portion of the second batch;

sixth system adapted to assign a second status to the second portion of the second batch;

seventh system adapted to create a third batch containing the second portion of the second batch with the second status; and

eighth system adapted to return a first portion of the third batch to the second batch.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first operation is computing of invoices and the second operation is proofing of invoices.

21. For use with a batch processing system for processing a first batch having a first number of records, a computer program embodied on at least one computer readable medium comprising:

first software for performing a first operation on a first portion of the first batch;

second software for assigning a first status to the first portion of the first batch;

third software for creating a second batch containing the first portion of the first batch with a first status;

fourth software for returning a first portion of the second batch to the first batch;

fifth software for performing a second operation on all or a part of the second batch;

sixth software for assigning a second status to the second portion of the second batch;

seventh software for creating a third batch containing the second portion of the second batch with a second status; and

eighth software for returning a first portion of the third batch to the second batch.

22. A batch processing system for processing a first batch having a first number of records comprising:

first means for performing a first operation on a first portion of the first batch;

second means for assigning a first status to the first portion of the first batch;

third means for creating a second batch containing the first portion of the first batch with the first status;

fourth means for returning a first portion of the second batch to the first batch;

fifth means for performing a second operation on a second portion of the second batch;

sixth means for assigning a second status to the second portion of the second batch;

seventh means for creating a third batch containing the second portion of the second batch with the second status; and

eighth means for returning a first portion of the third batch to the second batch.