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Admin Theatre Timed Services

Dr M H B Ariyaratne edited this page May 22, 2026 · 1 revision

Admin — Theatre Timed Services

Overview

Timed Services are charges that are calculated based on duration rather than a flat fee — for example, OT time charged per hour, ventilator time, recovery room charges per hour, or ICU charges per day. These services are set up as Timed Items in the administration area and are then used in the Surgery Workbench when billing theatre cases. The system automatically calculates the charge based on start and end times recorded by theatre staff.

When to Use

  • Adding a new duration-based theatre charge (e.g., a new ventilator billing category)
  • Updating the fee rate for an existing timed service
  • Deactivating a timed service that is no longer in use
  • Verifying which timed services are available for OT billing

Required Privilege

InwardAdministration

Navigating to Timed Services

  1. Click Administration in the main menu
  2. Click Manage Inpatient Services
  3. Select Timed Services (or Inward Timed Services)

Note: Timed services are managed in the same area as general inward timed services. Theatre-specific timed items are those assigned to a theatre department.

Adding a Timed Service

  1. Click Add New to open the entry form
  2. Fill in the fields:
Field Description
Name Service name as it appears in the autocomplete, e.g., "OT Time (Major)", "Ventilator Time", "Recovery Room"
Code Short identifier
Department Assign to the relevant theatre department
Category Timed service category for grouping
Unit The billing unit (Hour, Day, Minute, Session)
  1. After saving, set the Fee for the timed service:

    • Navigate to the service's fee configuration
    • Enter the rate per unit (e.g., rate per hour)
    • Save the fee record
  2. The timed service is now available in the Surgery Workbench

How the Charge is Calculated

When theatre staff record a timed service against a surgery, they enter a start time and optionally an end time. The system:

  1. Calculates the duration (end time minus start time)
  2. Converts to the billing unit (hours, minutes, days)
  3. Multiplies by the configured fee rate
  4. Records the result as a bill fee on the surgery's timed services bill

If no end time is entered at the time of recording, the service can be finalised later — staff click the Finalise button which sets the end time to the current time and recalculates the charge.

Editing a Timed Service

  1. Find the service in the list and select it
  2. Modify the name, unit, or department
  3. Click Save

To update the fee rate:

  1. Navigate to the fee configuration for the timed service
  2. Update the rate and save

Deactivating a Timed Service

  1. Select the service in the list
  2. Click Delete (soft-delete/retire)
  3. Confirm — the service is removed from active billing selections

Historical records are not affected.

Best Practices

  • Name timed services clearly to reflect the clinical context and unit of measure, e.g., "OT Time (Per Hour)" — this helps theatre staff select the correct item quickly
  • Set the correct unit (Hour/Day/Minute) before staff start using the service — changing this later may cause calculation inconsistencies for open records
  • Review fee rates periodically and update them before the start of each financial year
  • Create separate timed services for different OT categories if rates differ (e.g., Major OT vs. Minor OT time)

Related Features

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