Ledger
The running financial account record for an individual patient or guarantor, showing all charges, payments, adjustments, and outstanding balances over time.
Full Definition
In dental practice management, a ledger (also called a patient ledger or account ledger) is the complete chronological transaction history for a patient's financial account. It records every fee charged, insurance payment received, patient payment collected, and adjustment posted. Practice management software generates the ledger as a live account view. Editors working on billing manuals, front-desk training documents, or patient communication materials should be careful not to substitute 'ledger' for 'statement' (a periodic snapshot sent to the patient) or for 'walkout statement' (a day-of-service document). The distinction is that a ledger is the permanent internal record, while a statement is a communication derived from it.
Usage
Usage note: Do not use 'ledger' and 'statement' interchangeably. The ledger is the internal, continuously updated record; the statement is the periodic summary sent to the guarantor.
In Context
- "Before editing the collections letter template, review a sample patient ledger to understand what balance types the letter addresses." — Billing training manual
- "The ledger showed an unapplied credit of $45 that had not been refunded or applied to the patient's current balance." — Practice management audit report