Patient Charts
How do I maintain the New Patient Log and the Fax File?
Organization ApprovedSource Verified
Summary
Every new patient gets the next 8-digit account number from the New Patient Log. The 1-31 Fax File is checked every morning to follow up on outside records requests and patient referrals.
- 1Every person who becomes a patient, including PC patients, is assigned a number and entered on the New Patient Log (pages 2–3 of the Statistics Report spreadsheet).
- 2Copy the photo ID and enter the patient on the next available 8-digit account number — the first two digits are the year and numbers increase by tens (e.g. xx000010, xx000020).
- 3Record the account number, date, patient name (first then last), referral source name, and CA initials; the name must match exactly across all forms.
- 4If a logged patient does not become a patient that day, delete the entry and reuse the number for the next new patient.
- 5For multiple patients from the same accident arriving together, issue the first available number to the driver so their account appears first on the Collections Report.
- 6Maintain a 1-31 Fax File, checked daily, for outside records requests and patient referral follow-up, with one designated person handling it.
- 7Each morning, pull pending records requests for that date — checking every date the office was closed after a weekend or holiday — and confirm records were not already received before acting.
- 8Refax unreceived requests marked “2nd request” with the date and re-file with a further 2-business-day follow-up; escalate to a director if unresolved after 7 business days.
- 9For patient referrals, schedule the appointment, note the provider and date/time on the Travel Card, and file a copy of the Patient Referral Notice in the Fax File 2 days after the appointment to follow up on the outcome.
Citation
CA Manual, New Patient Log; Fax File, p. Patient Charts · Revised 2/9/26Answers source the CA Manual first; the Medisoft guide is used only where the CA Manual does not cover the task.