Using proposed checkout dates for respite bookings

6 minute read

Whilst respite stays are typically measured in days or weeks, the exact checkout date isn't always set in stone and a proposed checkout date can be pushed multiple times during the stay. These bookings, sometimes referred to as open-ended or rolling respite, can complicate occupancy planning and billing due to their end date changing frequently (and often in retrospect). To simplify managing these types of booking, CareHQ allows a proposed checkout date to be set for respite bookings.

In this article we'll look at how to set a proposed checkout date and how to convert it into a confirmed checkout once the actual checkout date is known.

What's wrong with just updating a booking's end date?

You might be wondering why we need a separate proposed checkout date, after all what's the issue with just updating the booking's end date? There are two key benefits to using proposed checkout dates for open-ended respite.

Occupancy planning

Setting an end date for a booking in CareHQ means that the resident's room will appear as available after that end date. However, as the end date isn't certain this can mean additional checks are required when checking room availability for new residents or room moves.

If a proposed checkout date is set for a booking then the room will still be marked as occupied after that date and until a confirmed checkout date is eventually set.

Billing

Respite is typically billed in advance and where the duration of the stay is known and unlikely to change this isn't a problem. However, if the respite booking is open-ended and the checkout date is likely  to be postponed on one or more occasions this can generate billing discrepancies. Whilst these discrepancies will be flagged by CareHQ they require new contracts to be added to cover any unbilled period. Consider the following scenario:

  • Joyce is booked in for a week's respite stay from the 1st - 7th March.
  • The booking is open-ended and a week is the estimated length of stay required, however an end date is set for the booking instead of a proposed checkout date.
  • The local authority are funding her care and are invoiced 4 weeks in advance with the next billing date falling on the 1st March.
  • A contract is added to CareHQ between Joyce and the local authority starting on the 1st March and ending on 7th March.
  • The billing team raise an invoice for the period 1st March - 28th March which registers 7 days of care for Joyce between the 1st -7th March.
  • On the 10th of March the care home manager is updating the room chart and as Joyce hasn't yet moved out she moves the end date of the booking to the 14th March.

We've already billed for the period 1st - 28th March and at the time we raised the invoice for Joyce she was booked in until the 7th (7 days), but now she's booked in until the 14th so we need to bill for 7 additional days in the same period.

At this point CareHQ will flag that there is a billing discrepancy because there is no contract for Joyce covering the period 8th - 14th March. To resolve the discrepancy a new contract will need to be added to cover that period and then a new invoice raised to cover those additional 7 days.

The good news is the additional days won't be missed as CareHQ will flag the discrepancy. However, having to add a new contract and raise an outstanding invoice each time a respite stay is extended does generate unnecessary additional work.

If instead we set a proposed checkout date then the local authority will be billed initially for 1st - 28th March, so even if we need to extend Joyce's stay multiple times there's no need to generate additional contracts and invoices. When Joyce's stay eventually ends and a confirmed checkout date is set, CareHQ will automatically generate a credit note for the days billed after that date to correct the balance.

Good to know

In the example we used a longer billing period of every 4 weeks in advance to make it easier to visualise the process. However, proposed checkout dates for open-ended respite are recommended for any billing cycle, including shorter cycles such as every 7 days in advance which is common for privately funded respite.

Setting a proposed checkout date

When booking a resident in for a respite stay, on selecting Yes for Is this a respite booking? a new field will appear allowing you to set a Proposed checkout date.

The proposed checkout date field will appear once you flag the booking as respite.

Proposed checkout dates appear in the room chart and on the location calendar just like any other checkout event would. When the proposed checkout date arrives, if it has not been confirmed or moved to a later date then an action will be automatically generated by CareHQ asking the care home team to review the checkout date and either confirm or update it.

Confirming a checkout date

To confirm a checkout date you can use the Discharge feature (recommended):

  • Select Service users from the primary navigation
  • Find and select the service user (resident) you want to set the checkout date for
  • Select the Discharge action
  • Enter the Discharge date (checkout date) and the Reason for checking out
  • Select Save

Alternatively you can update the current booking to set an end date:

  • Select Service users from the primary navigation
  • Find and select the service user (resident) you want to set the checkout date for
  • Select the Bookings tab
    • If there are future bookings you should cancel these by selecting them and then selecting the Cancel action.
  • Select the current booking
  • Set the End date to the date the service user is checking out
  • Make sure the Checkout option is checked (it will be by default)
  • Enter a Reason for checking out
  • Select Save
Good to know

Whilst we recommend using the discharge feature as it requires less steps, whichever approach you take, CareHQ will generate the relevant credit note for any days billed after the confirmed checkout date.

  • Location users