# Accessing StrataEMR
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/accessing-strataemr
How to log in to StrataEMR, supported browsers, and troubleshooting common access issues.
StrataEMR is a web-based application. There is nothing to install. You access it through your browser at:
Bookmark this URL on every workstation at your practice. This is the only URL your team needs to access StrataEMR.
## Logging In
1. Navigate to [strataemr.com](https://strataemr.com) in your browser.
2. Enter your organization ID, email address, and password.
3. Click **Log In**.
If you don't have login credentials yet, contact your practice administrator or office manager. User accounts are created during onboarding. See [Adding Users and Roles](/getting-started/adding-users-and-roles) for details on how accounts are set up.
## Supported Browsers
StrataEMR runs in modern web browsers. For the best experience, use one of the following:
Keep your browser updated to the latest version. Outdated browsers may cause display issues, slow performance, or unexpected behavior.
## First-Time Login
The first time you log in, you may be prompted to:
If you were given a temporary password during onboarding, you'll be asked to create a new password on your first login. Choose a strong password and don't share it with other staff. Each team member should have their own account.
## Password Management
### Forgot Your Password
If you can't remember your password, use the password reset option on the login page.
### Changing Your Password
To change your password while logged in:
1. Click Setup in the upper right corner, within the blue menu bar
2. On the Staff page, scroll down to the New Password box
3. Enter your new password and confirm it in the Confirm Password box
Passwords must be a minimum of 10 characters long and include at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number, and one special character from the following: !, @, #, \$, %, ^, \*, &. Avoid using easily guessed phrases such as commonly used temporary passwords, personal or celebrity names, sequential numbers, or the word 'password' itself.
### Account Lockout
## Multiple Locations
If your practice has more than one facility and you work at multiple locations, your account provides access to all facilities you've been assigned to. You don't need separate logins for each location.
## Mobile Access
## Troubleshooting
### I can't reach strataemr.com
* Verify your internet connection is working (try loading another website).
* Confirm you're using the correct URL: **strataemr.com** (not a misspelling or old bookmark).
* Clear your browser cache and try again.
* If your practice uses a firewall or network security appliance, confirm that strataemr.com is not blocked. Your IT team or internet service provider can help with this.
### The page loads but looks broken
* Make sure you're using a [supported browser](#supported-browsers) with the latest updates installed.
* Clear your browser cache and cookies, then reload.
* Disable browser extensions temporarily. Some ad blockers or privacy extensions can interfere with web applications.
* Try accessing StrataEMR in a private/incognito window to rule out extension or cache issues.
### I can log in but don't see what I expect
* Confirm you're logging in with the correct account. If your practice has multiple users, you may have received credentials for the wrong role.
* Your access depends on your assigned role and facility. If something is missing, contact your practice administrator to review your account settings. See [Adding Users and Roles](/getting-started/adding-users-and-roles).
* If your account is still in onboarding state, some features are intentionally locked until go-live. See [Your Onboarding Dashboard](/getting-started/onboarding-dashboard).
### I'm locked out of my account
Contact your practice administrator to unlock your account, or use the password reset process if available.
## System Status
If StrataEMR is experiencing a service disruption or scheduled maintenance, the login page or application may display a status message.
For ongoing issues, contact [StrataPT Support](/after-go-live/getting-help).
***
**Next step:**
* [Your Onboarding Dashboard](/getting-started/onboarding-dashboard) -- Get oriented with what you'll see after logging in during onboarding.
# Your First 30 Days
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/after-go-live/first-30-days
What to focus on after go-live, how the hypercare team supports you, and what success looks like as your practice ramps up.
The first 30 days after go-live are the most important period in your transition to StrataEMR. Your team is applying new workflows to real patient care and real billing, and the learning curve is steepest in these early weeks. That's expected, and it's exactly why StrataPT's hypercare team is working alongside you during this period.
This page covers what to focus on, what to expect, and how to get the most out of your hypercare support.
## The First 30 Days Are Not Normal Operations
It's important to set this expectation with your team: the first few weeks on a new EMR will feel slower. Documentation takes longer. Workflows that were automatic in your old system now require conscious thought. Staff will have questions they didn't anticipate during training.
This is a temporary phase, not a permanent state. Every practice that has gone through this transition has experienced the same adjustment period. The goal of the first 30 days isn't perfection. It's building confidence and consistency so your team can reach full operational speed.
## Week-by-Week Focus
### Weeks 1-2: Build Muscle Memory
The first two weeks are about getting comfortable with the core daily workflows. Don't try to optimize or explore advanced features yet. Focus on the basics.
**For clinicians**:
* Complete documentation for every patient visit using StrataEMR, even if it takes longer than expected at first.
* Follow the documentation workflows as trained. Resist the urge to create shortcuts before you understand the standard process.
* Flag questions to your hypercare team as they come up rather than inventing workarounds.
**For front desk and admin staff**:
* Schedule patients, check patients in and out, and verify insurance through StrataEMR for every visit.
* Confirm that patient demographics and insurance information migrated correctly as you encounter each patient.
* Report any data discrepancies from migration to your hypercare team promptly.
**For billers**:
* Monitor charge capture daily. Confirm that clinical documentation is flowing through to billing correctly.
* Review claims before submission with extra attention during these first two weeks.
* Flag any billing or coding issues to the hypercare team immediately. Early catches prevent downstream collection problems.
**For practice owners and managers**:
* Be visible and available to your staff. Your team's confidence in the new system is directly influenced by your engagement.
* Encourage your team to ask questions and use the hypercare team rather than working around issues silently.
* Resist the urge to evaluate the system's long-term fit during week one. The adjustment period is real and expected.
### Weeks 3-4: Refine and Stabilize
By week three, core workflows should start feeling more natural. Now is the time to shift focus from "getting through the day" to "getting better at the day."
**For clinicians**:
* Review your documentation speed. It should be noticeably faster than week one. If it isn't, flag specific bottlenecks to the hypercare team for targeted help.
* Begin exploring documentation templates and workflow customizations that match your clinical style.
* Start using any clinical decision support or billing guidance features you weren't ready for in weeks 1-2.
**For front desk and admin staff**:
* Shift focus from task completion to task efficiency. Are there scheduling patterns, intake steps, or verification workflows that could be streamlined?
* Report any recurring patient-facing friction (confusion about forms, check-in process, etc.) to your practice manager.
**For billers**:
* Review early claims outcomes. Are denials appearing? If so, identify whether they stem from documentation, coding, or payer configuration.
* Begin building familiarity with StrataEMR reporting to track claims and collections performance.
* Work with the hypercare team to address any payer-specific configuration adjustments needed.
**For practice owners and managers**:
* Check in with each role group. Where are people still struggling? Where are they feeling confident?
* Review early operational metrics with your hypercare team. /\* PLACEHOLDER: Specify which metrics are reviewed at the 2-3 week mark \*/
* Begin planning for hypercare graduation. Ask your hypercare team what remains before your practice meets ramp targets.
## Working With Your Hypercare Team
During the first 30 days, your hypercare team is your primary support resource. They provide a level of attention and responsiveness that goes beyond standard support, specifically because the post-go-live period demands it.
### What Your Hypercare Team Does
* **Monitors your practice's key metrics** including scheduling volume, documentation completion rates, claim submission accuracy, and payment velocity. They're watching for patterns that indicate a problem before it becomes visible to you.
* **Conducts regular check-ins** to review progress, answer questions, and address issues proactively.
* **Provides rapid-response support** with faster turnaround than standard support channels.
* **Tracks your ramp progress** against the benchmarks that determine when your practice is ready to graduate from hypercare.
### How to Get the Most Out of Hypercare
**Report issues immediately.** Small problems in week one become billing problems in week three. The hypercare team can resolve most issues quickly if they're flagged early. Don't wait for your next scheduled check-in if something isn't working.
**Be specific when you report issues.** "The system is slow" is hard to act on. "The progress notes screen takes 15 seconds to load when I select a patient with more than 10 visits" gives the team something concrete to investigate. See [Getting Help](/after-go-live/getting-help) for guidance on what to include when reporting issues.
**Attend your check-ins.** Even if things are going well, check-ins give the hypercare team a chance to share proactive recommendations and review metrics you may not be tracking yourself.
**Consolidate questions from your staff.** Designate one or two people in your practice as the primary contacts with the hypercare team. This prevents duplicate reports and ensures nothing gets lost.
## Common Early Challenges
Every practice experiences some friction in the first 30 days. Here are the most common issues and how to handle them.
**Documentation takes significantly longer than expected.** This is universal in weeks 1-2. If it hasn't noticeably improved by week 3, ask the hypercare team to review your documentation workflow for inefficiencies. Often, small adjustments to template usage or note structure make a meaningful difference.
**Migrated patient data has inconsistencies.** Some data discrepancies are expected after migration, especially in insurance details, referring provider information, or historical notes formatting. Report these as you encounter them so the hypercare team can correct them. Check patient demographics and insurance at each visit during the first few weeks.
**Staff revert to old habits or workarounds.** Change is hard, and it's natural for staff to default to familiar patterns. When you see workarounds forming, address them early. Workarounds bypass the system's built-in billing safeguards and will cause problems downstream.
**Claim denials appear that didn't exist before.** Some early denials are payer configuration issues that surface only with live claims. Others stem from documentation differences between your old and new system. Flag these to the hypercare team immediately so they can distinguish configuration issues from training issues.
**Scheduling feels different.** If your previous system handled scheduling differently, the first few weeks require adjustment. Focus on learning StrataEMR's scheduling model as designed before trying to recreate your old system's patterns. The hypercare team can help translate your existing scheduling logic into StrataEMR's framework.
## Ramp Targets and Graduation
StrataPT uses ramp targets to determine when your practice is operating confidently enough to transition from hypercare to standard support. Ramp targets are operational benchmarks, not arbitrary timelines. Your practice graduates when the metrics show you're ready, not when a calendar date arrives.
### What Happens at Graduation
When your practice meets its ramp targets, your hypercare team will walk you through the transition to standard support. This includes:
* A final review of your practice's operational metrics and any outstanding items.
* Introduction to the standard support process, channels, and response times. See [Getting Help](/after-go-live/getting-help) for details.
* A warm handoff to your ongoing Customer Success contact for strategic conversations about optimizing your use of the platform.
Graduation doesn't mean you're on your own. It means you've reached the point where standard support and this knowledgebase are sufficient for your day-to-day needs, and the elevated monitoring of hypercare is no longer necessary.
## What's Next
Learn how to find answers, contact support, and escalate issues.
Access role-specific training materials and schedule refresher sessions.
Step-by-step walkthroughs for StrataEMR's core workflows.
Detailed reference for all StrataEMR features and settings.
# Getting Help
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/after-go-live/getting-help
How to find answers, contact support, and get issues resolved when you need help with StrataEMR.
When you have a question or run into an issue, there are several ways to find the answer. This page covers how to help yourself, how to reach StrataPT's support team, and what to do if an issue needs escalation.
## Find Answers in the Knowledge Base
Many common questions are answered in this Knowledge Base. Before contacting support, a quick search here may get you an answer faster.
* [**Guides**](/guides) provide step-by-step walkthroughs for StrataEMR's major workflows. If you need to learn how to do something (schedule a patient, complete documentation, discharge a case), check the Guides section first.
* [**Documentation**](/documentation) is the detailed reference for all features and settings. If you need to understand what a setting does or how a specific feature behaves, the Documentation section has the details.
Use the search bar at the top of any page to search across the entire Knowledge Base.
## Contact StrataPT Support
When you can't find the answer in the Knowledge Base, or you're dealing with an issue that needs hands-on help, reach StrataPT's support team directly.
### Support Channels
| Channel | Best For | Availability |
| - | - | - |
| TBD: Primary channel | TBD: Use case | TBD: Hours |
| TBD: Secondary channel | TBD: Use case | TBD: Hours |
| TBD: Additional channel | TBD: Use case | TBD: Hours |
### What to Include When You Contact Support
Providing clear information upfront helps the support team resolve your issue faster. When reaching out, include:
* **What you were trying to do** (the workflow or task)
* **What happened** (the unexpected behavior or error)
* **What you expected to happen**
* **The patient or case involved**, if applicable (name, case ID, or relevant identifier)
* **Screenshots or screen recordings**, if available (especially helpful for UI issues)
* **When the issue started** (first occurrence, frequency)
The more context you provide, the fewer follow-up questions are needed before the team can start working on a resolution.
### Response Times
| Priority | Description | Expected Response |
| - | - | - |
| **Urgent** | System is down or a critical workflow is blocked for multiple users | TBD |
| **High** | A major workflow is impacted but a workaround exists | TBD |
| **Normal** | A question, minor issue, or feature request | TBD |
## Know What You're Reporting
Not every issue is the same, and knowing how to categorize your request helps StrataPT route it to the right team.
**Something isn't working (Bug)**: A feature or workflow is producing unexpected results, throwing an error, or not functioning as documented. Report this through the support channel for fastest resolution.
**I need help doing something (How-To)**: You know what you want to accomplish but aren't sure how. Check the [Guides](/guides) section first. If you can't find the answer, contact support.
**I'd like to suggest an improvement (Feature Request)**: You have an idea for how StrataEMR could work better for your practice. Share it with your Customer Success contact or submit it through the Feedback button in the menu bar. Feature requests are reviewed by the product team.
**Something feels slow or off (Performance)**: Pages are loading slowly, reports are taking too long, or the system feels sluggish. Check [StrataPT System Status](https://status.stratapt.com/) first to see if there's a known issue. If not, report it through the support channel with details about when and where you're experiencing the slowdown.
## Escalation
If you've contacted support and your issue isn't being resolved in a timeframe that works for your practice, you have options.
1. **Reply to your existing support ticket** and note that you'd like the issue escalated. Include the reason the current timeline isn't working (patient impact, billing deadline, etc.).
2. **Contact your Customer Success representative** directly. They can advocate internally and help prioritize resolution.
## Hypercare Customers
If your practice is still in the hypercare period (post-go-live, pre-graduation), your support experience is different from what's described above. During hypercare:
* You have a dedicated hypercare team with faster response times.
* Your hypercare team is proactively monitoring your practice's operational and billing metrics.
* For questions and issues during hypercare, reach out to your hypercare team directly rather than using the standard support channels.
Once you graduate from hypercare, you'll transition to the standard support process described on this page. Your Customer Success contact will walk you through that transition.
## Helpful Links
Step-by-step walkthroughs for StrataEMR's major workflows.
Detailed reference for all StrataEMR features and settings.
Role-specific training materials, recorded sessions, and scheduling options.
Recorded training sessions, walkthroughs, and on-demand learning.
Check for known issues or scheduled maintenance.
# Dashboard
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/dashboard
A reference guide to every section of the StrataEMR dashboard — Waiting Room, Tasks, Messages, Analytics, and how facility switching affects what you see.
The StrataEMR Dashboard gives practice owners and staff a live pulse on their clinic — from who's in the waiting room to what's billing and what needs attention — all in one place. This single screen look at how your day is tracking updates in real time as activity happens throughout the day. Organized around the currently selected facility, switching facilities changes the task list, waiting room, and analytics to reflect each location individually.
![Strataemr Dashboard]()
**Access:** All staff can view the dashboard. Messaging, analytics, and certain reports may be restricted by the **Limit Messaging** and **Limit Financial Features** permission modifiers.
***
## Facility Selector
The facility dropdown in the top-left corner of the dashboard controls which location's data is displayed. Selecting a different facility updates the Waiting Room, Tasks, and Analytics sections accordingly.
Staff with the **View Only Own Facilities Schedules** modifier will only see facilities they are explicitly assigned to in the dropdown.
***
## Waiting Room & In Progress
The Waiting Room section shows patients in the **Arrived/Waiting** status at the selected facility. Patients move out of the Waiting Room row when their status changes, usually due to the automatic change to **In Progress** when a clinician clicks the **Start Documentation** button on the patient's case.
The patient count in the Waiting Room indicator also appears in the blue menu bar at the top of every page, so you can monitor it from anywhere in the system without returning to the dashboard.
Patients can check in using the **Kiosk Check-In** feature from the schedule, or staff can manually update their status.
***
## Tasks
The Tasks section displays a summary of all pending tasks for the selected facility, grouped by Administrative, Billing, and Clinical categories. Clicking any task summary opens the detailed task list for that type.
For day-to-day task management, the dedicated **Tasks page** (accessible from the blue menu bar) is recommended over the dashboard summary — it supports filtering by task type, category, payer, staff member, and facility, and filtered views can be bookmarked for quick access.
See [Task Workflow](/documentation/tasks/tasks-workflow) for the full list of task types and how they clear.
***
## Messages
The Messages section shows active Tickets between your practice and the StrataPT support team. Tickets are used for account manager communications, billing questions, and support requests.
When creating a ticket about a specific patient, always link the patient account to the thread using the patient dropdown. If a patient has multiple accounts, select the specific account you are inquiring about.
**Message routing:** StrataPT staff reply to tickets as a team, such as Customer Success or Billing rather than as an individual person. This ensures your ticket reaches the right team regardless of who is available on a given day.
***
## Analytics
The **Analytics** section provides a quick-facts view of scheduling performance for the current day, week, and month at the selected facility. Metrics can be filtered by staff member.
Metrics displayed include:
* **Scheduled** — Total appointments with a patient attached (across all statuses)
* **Completed** — Visits marked complete
* **Cancellations / No-Shows** — Appointments cancelled or missed
* **New Patients** — Initial evaluations completed
For deeper reporting, click **Practice Metrics** in the Analytics section to access the full Organization Insights Report, which covers schedule performance, billing insights (units per visit, top CPT codes), and payment receipts by facility.
See [Practice Metrics Overview](/documentation/reporting/practice-metrics-overview) for more details on specific reports.
***
## Blue Menu Bar Indicators
In addition to the dashboard sections, the blue menu bar at the top of every page shows two real-time indicators:
* **Waiting Room icon** — Displays the current number of patients checked in across the selected facility
* **Inbound Fax icon** — Displays the number of unreviewed inbound faxes. Clicking it opens the Inbound Fax inbox.
# Copay, Co-Insurance, and Deductible: What's the Difference?
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/billing/copay-coinsurance-deductible
Understand the three main ways patients share in the cost of care, how each appears in StrataEMR, and how much to collect at time of service.
## Why This Matters
Front desk staff and clinicians are often the first people a patient asks about their out-of-pocket costs. Knowing the difference between a copay, co-insurance, and deductible — and where each one lives in StrataEMR — lets you answer confidently, collect the right amount, and avoid billing surprises later.
## The Three Cost-Sharing Types
### Copay
A copay is a flat dollar amount the patient pays for a specific type of visit, regardless of what the visit costs. It is defined on the patient's insurance policy and is the same every time.
* **Example**: \$35 per physical therapy visit
* **When it applies**: At every visit, usually regardless of whether the deductible is met
* **In StrataEMR**: The copay appears in the patient's policy details and drives the [recommended amount](/guides/billing/recommended-amount) shown at time of service
### Co-Insurance
Co-insurance is a percentage of the allowed amount the patient owes after their deductible is met. Unlike a copay, co-insurance varies based on what the visit costs and what the payer allows.
* **Example**: Patient owes 20% of the allowed amount after their deductible is met
* **When it applies**: After the patient has paid their full deductible for the year
* **In StrataEMR**: Co-insurance is reflected in the benefit verification data and affects the amount shown in the [Clarity Panel](/guides/billing/patient-responsibility) once the claim is adjudicated
**Note:** Co-insurance cannot be calculated exactly at time of service because it depends on the payer's allowed amount, which is not confirmed until the claim is adjudicated. The recommended amount provides an estimate, not a guaranteed figure.
### Deductible
A deductible is the total amount the patient must pay out of pocket before their insurance begins sharing in the cost of care. Until the deductible is met, the patient typically pays the full allowed amount for each visit.
* **Example**: A \$1,000 annual deductible means the patient pays the first \$1,000 of covered services each year before insurance kicks in
* **When it applies**: At the start of every plan year — usually January 1 — until the deductible is met
* **In StrataEMR**: The remaining deductible is tracked in the patient's benefit verification data and factors into the collection suggestion
**Note:** Deductibles reset annually. Re-verify patient benefits at the start of each new plan year to ensure StrataEMR has the correct deductible remaining.
## How These Can Appear Together
Some patients have more than one type of cost-sharing active at the same time. Common combinations:
**Copay only**: The patient pays a flat amount per visit. No deductible or co-insurance applies. Collect the flat copay amount every visit.
**Deductible, then co-insurance**: The patient has an annual deductible and a co-insurance percentage. For early-year visits, they pay the full allowed amount toward their deductible. Once the deductible is met, they pay their co-insurance percentage per visit.
**Copay plus co-insurance**: Some plans charge a copay at every visit and also apply co-insurance to specific services billed within that visit. Both amounts may appear in the Clarity Panel after adjudication.
**Copay plus deductible**: Less common. The patient pays a copay each visit and also has a deductible that applies to certain services billed.
## How Much Should You Collect at Time of Service?
The [recommended amount](/guides/billing/recommended-amount) in StrataEMR is your starting point. It is calculated from the patient's verified benefits and gives the most accurate estimate available before the claim is adjudicated.
As a general guide:
* If the patient has a **copay**, collect the flat copay amount shown in their policy. This is the most reliable figure.
* If StrataEMR has calculated a recommended amount based on the patient's payer history, collect the amount shown for the visit (the **recommended amount**) and let the Clarity Panel settle the final balance after adjudication.
* If the patient has an outstanding **patient responsibility**, collect the amount shown on the task on the patient's case.
**Warning:** Do not collect from patients whose secondary insurance is Medicaid. Medicaid is a payer of last resort and covers the patient's share. Collecting from a Medicaid secondary patient when not permitted may violate your payer agreement.
# Medicare Billing in StrataEMR
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/billing/medicare
How StrataEMR handles Medicare-specific billing requirements — the KX modifier, timed unit enforcement, the Medicare Gauge, referring provider rules, and how to enter Medicare Advantage versus supplement coverage.
Medicare billing in outpatient therapy involves rules that don't apply to commercial payers — annual therapy thresholds, timed unit counting, Plan of Care certification requirements, and coverage distinctions that are easy to misclassify. StrataEMR enforces and automates many of these rules so your team stays compliant without having to track them manually.
**Access:** The billing behaviors described in this article are configured by StrataPT at the payer level. Clinicians and front desk staff interact with the resulting alerts and tasks in their daily workflow. Settings described here are not directly editable by clinic staff.
***
## The KX Modifier and the Annual Therapy Threshold
Medicare sets an annual cap on outpatient therapy spending. Once a patient's Medicare therapy charges approach that threshold, a **KX modifier** must be added to all claims for treatment to continue. The KX modifier is your attestation that continued treatment is medically necessary.
StrataEMR tracks each Medicare patient's year-to-date therapy spend automatically. When a patient approaches the threshold, the system prompts the clinician to **approve or decline** the KX modifier directly inside the documentation workflow — no manual tracking required.
* **Approve** — StrataEMR adds the KX modifier to all claims for that patient for the remainder of the calendar year.
* **Decline** — Billing to Medicare stops for that patient. Any claims that have already denied for benefit maximum will be settled.
**Warning:** Only decline the KX modifier if you genuinely do not believe continued treatment is medically necessary. Approving the KX is your legal attestation. Declining stops billing entirely for the year.
The **Medicare Gauge** on the patient's account shows an estimated year-to-date balance toward the annual threshold, split by discipline (PT and OT track separately). This is an estimate — actual amounts may vary based on Medicare's records.
**Note:** StrataEMR strongly recommends enabling the auto-apply KX modifier setting for all Medicare patients. Ask your StrataPT Customer Success Manager to confirm this is enabled for your account.
***
## Timed Units and the Procedure Minute Rule
Medicare uses the **8-minute rule** (CMS standard) to determine how many billable units can be claimed for timed therapy services. Some payers follow the **AMA direct-time standard** instead. StrataEMR enforces the correct counting method per payer through a setting called the **Procedure Minute Rule**, configured by StrataPT for each payer in your account.
There are three enforcement levels:
**None** No minute validation is applied. Units are entered manually without system enforcement.
**Low — Compliance Only** The system tracks minutes against the applicable rule (CMS or AMA) and surfaces compliance information, but does not warn or block. Use this setting to gain visibility without restricting clinician workflow.
**Medium — Warn / Prevent Lost Units** *(most commonly recommended)* The system warns and blocks completion if the documented minutes qualify for more units than were selected. This prevents under-billing. For example: if a clinician documents 38 minutes of timed services (which equals 3 units under CMS rules) but selects only 2 units, the system flags the discrepancy before the document can be completed.
**High — Warn / Prevent Lost Minutes, 5+ Threshold** The system warns when documented minutes are 5 or more past the current unit threshold but haven't reached the next unit. This is a productivity and optimization prompt — it surfaces cases where a small amount of additional treatment time would have qualified for an additional billable unit. More actionable coaching, but more friction for clinicians.
**Note:** The Procedure Minute Rule is set per payer by StrataPT, not by clinic staff. If you want to adjust the enforcement level for a specific payer, contact your Customer Success Manager.
The practical target for most practices: **4 units per 60-minute visit**. CMS minute thresholds don't align cleanly with a standard clock, so chasing individual minutes can become counterproductive. Focusing on consistent 4-unit hours is generally more effective for revenue than optimizing at the minute level.
***
## Referring Provider Requirement
Medicare does not require patients to have a physician referral for physical therapy under direct access laws — but it does require a **referring provider NPI on every Medicare claim**. This is a billing requirement, not a clinical one.
StrataEMR enforces this: if a Medicare patient's case lists "Direct Access" as the referral source without a specific physician selected, you will see the error **"A referrer must be specified when billing Medicare"** when attempting to complete a document.
To resolve this: add the certifying physician to the patient's case info as the referring provider. This is the physician who will sign the Plan of Care — they don't need to have sent the patient to you, but Medicare requires their name and NPI on the claim.
**Note:** The certifying physician must sign and date the Plan of Care within **30 days** of the initial therapy visit. StrataEMR generates a fax task at evaluation completion to facilitate this. The Plan of Care must be re-certified within 90 calendar days. See [Plan of Care](/documentation/clinical-documentation/plan-of-care) for the full physician signature workflow.
***
## Medicare Advantage vs. Medicare Supplement
"Medicare" covers two very different coverage types that require different handling in StrataEMR:
**Medicare Advantage (Replacement Plan)** A private insurance plan that replaces traditional Medicare. The payer is the Advantage plan (for example, Blue Cross Medicare Advantage or AARP Medicare Advantage), not Medicare itself. Enter the Advantage plan as the **primary payer**. Do not add Medicare as a secondary — Medicare is not involved in the claim.
**Medicare Supplement (Medigap)** A secondary policy that covers costs not paid by traditional Medicare Part B — typically coinsurance and deductibles. Enter traditional Medicare as the **primary payer** and the supplement plan as **secondary**.
A common error is entering a Medicare Advantage plan as a secondary policy alongside traditional Medicare. If a patient's primary payer is a Medicare Advantage plan, remove the Medicare MBI from the secondary field. Keeping both will cause claim routing errors.
If you're unsure which type a patient has, the benefit verification summary will indicate whether the coverage is a replacement plan or a supplement.
***
## Medicare Coinsurance and Patient Collections
Traditional Medicare covers 80% of the allowed amount for covered therapy services. The remaining 20% is the patient's responsibility — unless a supplement plan covers it.
StrataEMR calculates the expected patient responsibility based on the payer's coinsurance rate. For many Medicare patients, this generates a collection task showing a balance due (commonly around \$20 per visit on a standard visit rate). If the patient has a supplement that covers the 20%, or your practice's policy is to waive Medicare coinsurance, you can enter \$0 in the **preferred collection amount** field to prevent collection tasks from generating for that patient.
**Note:** A payer-level setting that automatically sets the preferred collection amount to \$0 for all Medicare patients is available. Contact your StrataPT Customer Success Manager to discuss whether this is appropriate for your practice's billing workflow.
***
## Related
* [Plan of Care](/documentation/clinical-documentation/plan-of-care) — Certification periods, physician signature workflow, and POC fax return process
* [Benefit Verification](/documentation/patients/policies/benefit-verification) — How StrataEMR verifies Medicare benefits and what the verification summary includes
* [Authorization Management](/documentation/patients/policies/authorization-management) — Managing authorization requirements for Medicare Advantage plans
* [Policy Overview](/documentation/patients/policies/policy-overview) — Entering and managing payer policies, including Medicare and supplement coverage
# How the Recommended Collection Amount Works
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/billing/recommended-amount
Understand how StrataEMR calculates the suggested patient collection amount, why it appears, and how to turn it off for a patient.
## What is the StrataPT Recommended Amount?
When you open a patient's visit or case, StrataEMR may display a suggested dollar amount to collect from the patient at the time of service. This is the **StrataPT Recommended Amount** — an estimate calculated from the patient's verified insurance benefits, including their copay, co-insurance rate, and remaining deductible.
The collection suggestion is a guide, not a guarantee. It reflects what StrataEMR expects the patient will owe based on benefit information on file. The actual amount may differ once the claim is adjudicated and the insurer responds.
## How StrataEMR Calculates the Suggestion
StrataEMR uses the following information to calculate the suggested amount:
* **Copay**: A flat amount defined on the patient's policy, collected every visit.
* **Co-insurance**: A percentage of the allowed amount the patient owes, typically after the deductible is met.
* **Deductible remaining**: The amount the patient still owes toward their annual deductible before co-insurance kicks in.
If a patient has a \$0 copay but a 20% co-insurance with an unmet deductible, StrataEMR will suggest collecting toward the deductible rather than \$0. This is working as expected.
**Note:** Benefit information is pulled from the verification data on file. If benefits were not verified or are outdated, the collection suggestion may be inaccurate. See [Insurance Verification](https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/insurance/insurance-verification) to update benefit details.
## Why the Suggestion May Look Wrong
There are several common reasons the suggested amount may not match your expectation:
**The patient has a secondary insurance.** When a patient has a Medicaid secondary or another plan that covers the patient's share, the suggestion may still show an amount owed. In most cases, you should not collect from a patient with Medicaid as secondary — the secondary plan covers it.
**The deductible reset at the start of the year.** In January, deductibles reset. If benefit information has not been re-verified for the new plan year, StrataEMR may show a lower suggestion than is actually owed.
**The copay and co-insurance are both present.** For some plans, copay applies at each visit and co-insurance applies separately to specific services. StrataEMR reflects both if present in the benefit data.
**The patient has a non-standard arrangement.** If you have a financial arrangement in place with a patient — such as a reduced rate or deferred payment — the system may still show the standard calculated amount unless a financial arrangement has been recorded.
## How to Override the Recommended Amount for a Patient
If you want to stop StrataEMR from prompting collection for a specific patient, you can override the suggestion at the case level.
1. Open the patient's case in StrataEMR.
2. Navigate to the **Policies** screen of the **Patient Info** section of the case.
3. Locate the **Your Preferred Amount** box.
4. Enter \$0 or another amount you would prefer to collect.
5. Save your changes.
**Note:** Overriding the recommended amount does not affect the patient's balance or any claims. It only removes the prompt from appearing in tasks and visit workflows. The patient may still have a balance due — disabling the suggestion does not clear or write off any amount.
**Warning:** If you are turning off the recommended amount because a secondary plan (such as Medicaid) covers the patient's responsibility, discuss this with your StrataPT Billing or Customer Success team. Do not turn off the suggestion as a workaround for an unresolved insurance setup issue.
## Practice-Wide Collection Suggestion Settings
Practice-wide collection suggestion behavior — including whether the suggestion appears, how it behaves for specific payer types, and default thresholds — is configured by StrataPT on your behalf.
If you need to adjust how the collection suggestion works across your entire practice, contact StrataPT Support or your account manager.
# Amending a Completed Document
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/clinical-documentation/amending-a-completed-document
How to correct a completed, billed clinical document in StrataEMR — and what to do when the date of service itself is wrong.
Once a document is completed and billed, StrataEMR locks it from direct editing. To make a correction, you create an **amendment** — a new version of the document (V2) that records what changed and why. The original document stays in the account as a permanent reference.
***
## When to Use an Amendment
Use the amendment process any time you need to correct the **content** of a document that has already been submitted to insurance. Common reasons include:
* Wrong CPT code or number of units
* Clinical content that needs to be updated after billing
If the document has **not yet been billed**, you may be able to edit it directly. Check the Pending Charges report first — if the document appears there, click **Unlock Documentation & Edit Charges** and make your corrections without creating an amendment.
![Unlock Documentation and Edit Charges button in Pending Charges report]()
**The date of service cannot be changed through an amendment once a note is billed.** If the wrong date of service was entered on a billed note, you must void the original and create a new note. See [Correcting a Wrong Date of Service](#correcting-a-wrong-date-of-service) below.
**Creating an amendment on a billed document triggers a notification to StrataPT.** The billing team will reach out to the insurance company with the corrected information. Do not use the amendment process for minor, non-billable corrections that do not affect the claim.
***
## How to Amend a Completed Document
1. From the patient's account, select **Documents** in the Patient Menu Bar.
2. Select **Clinical Documents**.
3. Locate the document that needs correction and click the pencil icon in the **Edit** column.
4. A warning will pop up, informing you that the document has already been completed with charges. If you wish to proceed, click **Continue**.
5. In the **Amended Medical Record** field at the top of the document, describe the correction you are making. Be specific — this note becomes part of the permanent record.
* Example: *"Corrected units for 97110 from 4 to 3. Error identified on date of service."*
![Amended Medical Record field at top of document]()
6. Make the necessary changes within the body of the document.
7. Save the document as **Completed**.
Once you save, **Version 2 (V2)** of the document is created and becomes the active version for billing purposes. The original document (V1) remains visible in the account for reference.
![V1 and V2 document versions shown in Clinical Documents list]()
**The V2 document is what StrataPT uses for billing going forward.** The V1 is retained for audit purposes and to show the difference between the original and corrected documentation.
***
## What Happens After You Submit the Amendment
StrataPT receives an automatic notification when a completed document is amended. The billing team reviews the change and contacts the insurance company to reprocess the claim with the corrected information.
You do not need to contact StrataPT separately — the notification is sent automatically when you save the amended document as completed.
***
## Correcting a Wrong Date of Service
If the date of service on a billed note is incorrect, the amendment process alone cannot fix it. StrataEMR locks the date of service field once a claim has been submitted. Changing the date requires voiding the original note and creating a new one with the correct date.
Here is the full process:
1. **Clone the original note and correct the date.** Click the Clone button for the document within the Clinical Documents list to create an exact copy of the original note. Then change the Date of Service at the top of the document to the correct date. Complete the note as usual.
2. **Amend the original note to void it.** Open the document and click the pencil icon to begin an amendment. In the **Amended Medical Record** field, note that the date of service was entered incorrectly and select **Void All Charges** for the Amendment Reason. Remove the charges in the charge advice section, then complete and save the document as **Completed** (this creates V2 and notifies StrataPT).
3. **StrataPT voids the claim.** Once notified, the billing team submits a void request to the payer for the incorrect date. You do not need to take any additional action for this step.
4. **StrataPT submits the corrected claim.** The new cloned note generates a new claim with the correct date of service, which the billing team submits to the payer.
**If the note has not yet been billed,** you may be able to correct the date of service directly without voiding. Check the Pending Charges report first — if the note appears there, use **Unlock Documentation & Edit Charges** to make the correction before billing.
# Documentation Concepts
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/clinical-documentation/documentation-concepts
How StrataEMR clinical documentation is structured — templates, sections, fragments, and selections — and how documents inherit information across an episode of care.
For a therapy practice, clinical documentation isn't just a compliance requirement — it's the backbone of clean billing, defensible records, and efficient care delivery. StrataEMR structures documentation around three reusable layers — **Templates**, **Sections**, and **Fragments** — so clinicians document faster, nothing critical gets missed, and information flows automatically across a patient's full episode of care.
**Access:** All clinical staff can create and complete documents. Editing templates, fragments, and selections in the Setup area requires **Therapy Director** permissions or above. Front Desk staff can view clinical documents but cannot edit them.
## The Three Layers of Documentation
### Templates
Templates are the container documents that define each document type in StrataEMR — Initial Evaluation, Daily Treatment Note, Re-Evaluation, Progress Report, Discharge Summary, and others. Templates are organized in the **Templates Library** (**Menu Bar > Settings** > **Templates Library**) and grouped into Document Families such as Physical Therapy Templates, Patient Engagement Forms, and Home Exercise Templates.
Each template defines which sections and fragments appear in that document type, and in what order.
### Sections
Every StrataEMR template is built from up to six core sections. These sections appear in the same order across all document types, so clinicians, auditors, and referring physicians can always find the same category of information in the same place.
| Section | What It Captures |
| - | - |
| **Subjective** | Patient/caregiver report, functional limitations, behavioral observations, home program participation |
| **Evaluations** | Objective findings from standardized assessments, clinical examinations, test scores |
| **Treatment** | What was done or planned — interventions, modalities, skilled care rationale |
| **Assessment** | Clinical interpretation — medical necessity, therapy diagnosis, rehab potential, prognosis |
| **Goals** | Measurable targets with baselines, current levels, and status (short-term and long-term) |
| **Plan of Care** | Frequency, duration, certification period, discharge criteria |
Not every document type uses all six sections. A Daily Treatment Note does not include a full Evaluations section, for example. But when a section appears, it always serves the same purpose.
### Fragments
Fragments are the individual building blocks inside each section. A section is the chapter heading; fragments are the content within it.
For example, the Subjective section might contain fragments for Functional Limitations, Behavioral Observations, Home Program Participation, and Prognosis. Each fragment is a discrete, named component that captures one specific piece of clinical information.
**Fragments are the unit of reuse in StrataEMR.** When a document inherits information from a prior record, it inherits at the section level — entire sections copy from prior documents. For inheritance to work correctly between document types, fragments must have matching names across templates.
#### Selections
Selections are the interactive pieces within fragments — typically shown in parentheses — where a clinician makes a choice. For example, `(subjective body area)` is a selection within the Subjective / Chief Complaints fragment. Selections can be configured as required (red), optional (blue), or completed (green).
The three-level hierarchy is:
* **Templates** → contain Sections and Fragments
* **Fragments** → contain Selections and free-text fields
* **Selections** → the individual interactive choices within a fragment
***
## How Documents Inherit Information
Clinical documentation does not start from scratch at every visit. StrataEMR pre-populates new documents from prior records through **document inheritance**, controlled by the option you choose when creating a new document.
### Starting Documentation from the Schedule
Click the clipboard icon on a scheduled appointment to start documentation. StrataEMR uses the appointment type name to determine what happens next:
* If the appointment type name contains `eval`, `progress`, `discharge`, or `plan`, StrataEMR routes you to the **Clinical Documentation page** to choose your creation option.
* If the appointment type name contains none of those terms, StrataEMR treats it as a routine treatment session and automatically clones the most recent completed document with a "General Document" charge type to the current date of service.
**Appointment type naming matters.** If your practice uses custom appointment type names, make sure evaluation, progress, discharge, and plan-related appointments include the relevant keyword. Otherwise StrataEMR will auto-clone instead of routing you to the Clinical Documentation page.
### Three Ways to Create a Document
When you access the Clinical Documentation page from the patient menu bar of a case, you have three options:
![Clean Shot 2026 04 22 At 16 25 03@2x]()
**Inherit Previous** Pulls content from the patient's most recently completed clinical document. Sections and fragments from that document — goals, diagnoses, medical history, Plan of Care details — carry forward into the new document for you to review and update.
Use this for Re-Evaluations, Progress Reports, and Discharge Summaries, where you need the current clinical picture to carry forward.
**Inherit Patient Intake** Pulls content from the patient's most recently completed intake form. Demographic information, medical history, medications, and allergies populate the corresponding sections of the new document.
Use this for Initial Evaluations on patients who have completed an intake form. The `lookup behavior` setting on the template must be set to **"any document"** for intake inheritance to work correctly.
**Start From Blank** Uses the template as designed with no pre-populated content. Every section and fragment starts empty.
Use this for brand-new patients without an intake form, or when prior content would not be relevant to the new document type.
### What Inheritance Means in Practice
When a document inherits from a prior record, the content is **copied** — not linked. You can freely edit, update, or remove inherited content without affecting the source document. Each document in the patient's chart is a standalone record of what was true at that point in time.
**Section-level inheritance:** Inheritance works at the section level, not the fragment level. This means a customized section in the new document will overwrite the template defaults completely. Be deliberate when editing inherited sections.
### Which Option to Use by Document Type
| Document Type | Recommended Option | Why |
| - | - | - |
| Initial Evaluation (patient has intake) | Inherit Patient Intake | Pre-populates demographics, history, medications, allergies |
| Initial Evaluation (no intake) | Start From Blank | No prior data to inherit |
| Daily Treatment Note | Automatic (from schedule) | StrataEMR clones the most recent general document automatically |
| Progress Report | Inherit Previous | Carries forward goals, diagnosis, and treatment context |
| Re-Evaluation | Inherit Previous | Carries forward the full clinical picture for comprehensive update |
| Discharge Summary | Inherit Previous | Carries forward goals for final status documentation |
***
## Document Editing Modes
When editing a template in the Templates Library or a live document, two editing modes are available:
**Interactive Mode** — The default view. Displays the document as a clinician would see it, with selections, checkboxes, and fragment controls visible and interactive.
**Text Editing Mode** — Allows editing of static text content within the template. Required for making certain configuration changes such as marking a selection as required or modifying fragment structure. Text Editing mode — and the more advanced Raw Editing mode — are only available to Therapy Director permissions and above.
***
## Compliance Controls
StrataEMR includes several features to keep clinical documentation compliant.
### Required Fields
Selections within a template can be marked as required using the **selection enforcement** feature. Required selections appear in red and must be completed before a document can be saved as complete.
To mark a selection as required: **Menu Bar > Settings > Templates Library** → open the template → switch to **Text Editing** mode → click the selection → set **Required** to **Yes** → save.
### Staff Type Restrictions
The **Staff Type Required** setting on a template controls which permission level must sign a document before it can be marked complete. This prevents documents that require a licensed therapist's signature from being inadvertently completed by a lower-permission staff member.
### Document Review Notes
Review notes can be added to any document using the **Completion Action** dropdown at the bottom of the document. This creates a task for another staff member to review or take action, without requiring the document to be sent back to draft.
### Amending Completed Documents
Once a document has been completed and billed, direct edits are not permitted. Corrections are made through an amendment, which creates a versioned record (V2) noting the changes made. To amend: **Documents > Clinical Documents > Edit** next to the document → complete the **Amended Medical Record** field describing the correction → make changes → save as completed. To learn more about amending documents, see [Amending a Completed Document](/documentation/clinical-documentation/amending-a-completed-document).
***
## Template Customization
Template customization — adding, removing, or reordering fragments — is managed in the **Templates Library** and requires Therapy Director permissions. Changes made at the template level affect all future documents created from that template. Changes can also be made at the patient level for a single document without affecting the template.
**Fragment naming and inheritance:** Fragments must have matching names across related template types for inheritance to work. If a fragment is renamed or moved between document families incorrectly, it can become orphaned — breaking data flow from prior documents. Always confirm fragment naming before making structural template changes.
# Electronic Visit Verification
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/clinical-documentation/electronic-visit-verification
How StrataEMR captures GPS-based proof of treatment location for each date of service using the Electronic Visit Verification template.
Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) is a document template in StrataEMR that records proof of treatment location for each date of service. When a patient or guardian completes the EVV form, it captures GPS coordinates and a tamper-evident location signature at the time of signing — creating a verifiable record that treatment occurred at the documented location.
EVV is used primarily by mobile and in-home therapists, but is available to any practice.
**EVV is not automatically enforced.** StrataEMR does not require this form to be completed for any given visit. Enforcing it is a workflow decision your practice makes. If you want EVV to be part of your standard visit process, you will need to build that expectation into your own front desk or clinician workflow (for example, treating it as a required step at check-in or check-out).
**Don't see the EVV template in Patient Engagement forms?** Reach out via a ticket to have it added.
## What the EVV Template Captures
Each completed EVV form records the following for that date of service:
* **Patient name and date of birth**
* **Scheduled start and end time**
* **Visit number** (sequential within the patient's case)
* **Treatment location** — GPS coordinates captured at the moment of form completion
* **Location signature** — a hash that validates the coordinates have not been altered
* **Patient or guardian signature** confirming treatment was provided that day
The GPS data is captured automatically by the device used to complete the form at the time of submission. This is what makes the record verifiable for audits or insurance review.
## How to Deliver the EVV Form
There are three ways to get the EVV form completed for each visit. Choose the method that fits your practice's workflow.
### Option 1 — Send to the Patient's Device
Use this method when the patient will complete the form on their own phone or device before or during the visit.
1. Open the patient's case. From the case header, click **Send Message**, or navigate to **Patient Menu Bar > Patient Info > Patient Engagement**.
2. In the **Queue New Document for Patient** section, select the EVV template from the appropriate document family.
3. Choose how to deliver it: **Email** or **Text**.
4. The patient receives the link, opens the form on their device, and signs.
The completed form saves automatically to the patient's Clinical Documents.
### Option 2 — Complete In-Office on a Clinic Device (Recommended)
Use this method when the patient signs in person at the clinic, or when a mobile therapist brings a tablet to the visit location. This follows the same steps as Option 1 — but instead of sending via email or text, you use the QR code displayed on the Patient Engagement screen.
1. Open the patient's case. From the case header, click **Send Message**, or navigate to **Patient Menu Bar > Patient Info > Patient Engagement**.
2. In the **Queue New Document for Patient** section, select the EVV template.
3. Display the **QR code** shown on screen and hand an iPad or tablet to the patient.
4. The patient scans the QR code with the device, opens the form, and signs.
The completed form saves automatically to the patient's Clinical Documents.
**Avoid using the green Complete Intake Documents Now button on a shared workstation.** Clicking it logs the current device out of StrataEMR and into the Patient Portal. Staff will need to log back in after the patient finishes. If possible, use the QR code method on a dedicated intake device instead.
### Option 3 — Add Directly to Case Documentation
Use this method as a fallback when no front desk staff is available to queue the form through Patient Engagement.
1. Open the patient's case and navigate to **Patient Menu Bar > Documents > Clinical Documents**.
2. Create a new document and select the EVV template from the Patient Engagement family.
3. Complete the form and save.
**This option requires the patient to access your device to capture their signature electronically.** It is intended as an option for practices without front desk support. Options 1 and 2 are preferred for capturing a verified patient signature when possible.
## How Completed EVV Forms Are Stored
Once submitted, the EVV document is treated like any other clinical record in StrataEMR. It becomes read-only and cannot be modified. The patient's signature, GPS coordinates, location signature, and timestamp are all stored on file as part of the case record. This document can be faxed or emailed along with the clinical document for the date of service by selecting both documents during the sending process.
# Get From Previous Docs
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/clinical-documentation/get-from-previous-docs
How to use Get From Previous Docs to pull specific sections from a prior clinical document into the document you're currently working on.
**Get From Previous Docs** lets you pull specific sections of content from a specific prior clinical document into the document you're currently working on. Unlike the inheritance options you choose when starting a document, Get From Previous Docs works section by section, from inside the document itself, so you can cherry-pick exactly which content comes from which prior note.
**Access:** Available to all clinicians creating clinical documentation. There is no separate permission required to use Get From Previous Docs.
***
## How Get From Previous Docs Works
![Get From Previous Docs selection]()
Click any section heading within a document to open the fragment selection box. At the top, you'll see a **Choose Your Responses** heading - click it and change the selection to **Get From Previous Docs**.
This opens a new box with two drop down boxes:
* **Left drop down** - select the clinical document you want to pull from.
* **Right drop down** - select the specific section(s) within that document you want to bring forward.
Click to highlight the sections you want, then click **Use Sections**. StrataEMR pulls that fragment including any information that was recorded in it, into the current section of your document.
You do this one heading at a time. Each heading can pull from a different prior document if needed, so you're not limited to inheriting an entire document's worth of content from a single source.
![Previous Docs Selections]()
***
## Get From Previous Docs vs. Starting-Document Inheritance Options
When you start a new document, you choose one of three options, **Inherit Previous**, **Inherit Patient Intake**, or **Start From Blank**, and that choice applies automatically to the whole document, pulling from the patient's most recently completed document. See [Starting Documentation](/documentation/clinical-documentation/starting-documentation) for details on those options.
**Get From Previous Docs** is different: it's used from inside a document you've already started, applies one section at a time, and lets you choose any prior document as the source, not just the most recent one.
A common pattern is to start a document from a blank template, then use **Get From Previous Docs** on individual headings to pull in only the specific content you need.
***
## Using Get From Previous Docs During a Re-Evaluation
Get From Previous Docs is especially useful for Re-Evaluations, where you want to compare a patient's current status against specific prior scores rather than pull an entire document forward.
For example, starting a Physical Therapy Re-Evaluation from a blank template:
1. Click the **Evaluations** heading.
2. Change **Choose Your Responses** to **Get From Previous Docs**.
3. On the left, select the prior document, for example, the patient's Initial Evaluation.
4. On the right, select the specific sections you want, for example, balance, knee, and outcome measure scores.
5. Click **Use Sections**.
The prior scores for those sections carry into your Re-Evaluation, giving you a baseline to reference while you re-administer the same assessments and record the patient's current scores, making it easy to see change over time.
# Outcome Measures
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/clinical-documentation/outcome-measures
How outcome measures work, along with a quick reference for every Outcome Measure available in StrataEMR: what each one measures, how it's scored, what the score looks like, and which direction means improvement.
Outcome measures are standardized assessment tools used to quantify a patient’s functional status and track progress over time. StrataEMR includes a library of outcome measures with automatic scoring built in, so you don’t have to calculate results manually.
***
## How Outcome Measures Work in StrataEMR
Each outcome measure is a standalone clinical document. You access them the same way you access other clinical templates, through the document dropdown on the Clinical Documents page.
When you complete an outcome measure, StrataEMR automatically calculates the score based on your entries. This score is saved with the document and can be referenced in evaluations, progress notes, and discharge summaries.
**Outcome measures cannot be embedded directly inside evaluation or progress note templates.** This is because each measure runs its own scoring calculation. To include results in another document, complete the outcome measure in a separate browser tab, then copy the score into your eval or progress note manually.
***
## Complete an Outcome Measure
1. Open the patient's chart and navigate to the **Clinical Documents** page.
2. Select the **Outcome Measures** family.
3. Select the outcome measure you want to complete from the dropdown.
4. Answer each question in the form. StrataEMR calculates the score automatically at the end.
5. Click **Complete** to save the document.
**Use two browser tabs for efficiency.** Open the outcome measure in one tab and your evaluation or progress note in another. Complete the measure, copy the score, and paste it into the corresponding field in your note without losing your place in either document.
***
## Track Progress Over Time
Once you've completed an outcome measure, subsequent scores are recorded each time you complete a new instance of the same measure. Your document templates can include an outcome measure tracking table that displays scores visit-to-visit, giving you and your clinical team a quick view of patient progress.
You can also send outcome measures to patients before their visit using the Patient Intake workflow. This allows patients to complete the form electronically, and their responses are saved directly in StrataEMR when submitted.
***
## Available Outcome Measures
The following measures are available in StrataEMR with full automatic scoring:
* Berg Balance Scale
* Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI)
* Foot Function Index
* Functional Abilities Confidence Scale
* Harris Hip Score
* Knee Outcome Survey
* Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale
* Neck Disability Index (NDI)
* OPTIMAL Data Collection Instrument
* Oswestry Low Back Disability (Modified)
* Penn Shoulder Score
* Resumption of ADL Scale
* Shoulder Pain and Disability Index
* Simple Shoulder Test
* Tinetti Assessment Tool
* Upper Extremity Functional Scale
**Some measures are unavailable due to copyright restrictions.** The Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) and Quick DASH are examples of measures that cannot be added to StrataEMR without additional licensing. If a measure you need is not in the system, you can submit a feature request through the feedback portal.
***
## What Each Score Means
Use this section as a quick reference for what each outcome measure captures, how StrataEMR scores it, and which direction a score needs to move to reflect improvement. The table below is for scanning; each measure has a full write-up underneath with more detail on how the score is calculated.
| Outcome Measure | What It Measures | Score Format | Improvement |
| - | - | - | - |
| Berg Balance Scale | Functional balance and fall risk | Balance Score (0–56); Deficit % | Higher Balance Score / Lower Deficit % |
| Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) | Impact of dizziness on daily life | Physical %, Emotional %, Functional %, Overall % | Lower % |
| Foot Function Index | Foot pain, difficulty, activity limitation | Pain %, Disability %, Activity Limitation %, Overall % | Lower % |
| Functional Abilities Confidence Scale | Confidence performing daily activities | Confidence Level (0–100%) | Higher % |
| Harris Hip Score | Hip pain and function | Harris Hip Score (0–100); Deficit % | Higher Score / Lower Deficit % |
| Knee Outcome Survey | Knee symptoms and functional limitation | Symptom %, Functional %, Overall % | Lower % |
| Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale | Knee function and stability | Total score (0–100) | Higher score |
| Neck Disability Index (NDI) | Impact of neck pain on daily life | Disability % (0–100%) | Lower % |
| OPTIMAL Data Collection Instrument | Functional difficulty and confidence | Difficulty Score, Confidence Score (raw totals) | Lower total (both scores) |
| Oswestry Low Back Disability (Modified) | Impact of low back pain on daily life | Disability % (0–100%) | Lower % |
| Penn Shoulder Score | Shoulder pain, satisfaction, function | Pain %, Satisfaction %, Function %, Overall % | Lower Pain % / Higher other three — see note below |
| Resumption of ADL Scale | Return to usual activities since injury | ADL Resumption (0–100%) | Higher % |
| Shoulder Pain and Disability Index | Shoulder pain and disability | Pain %, Disability %, Overall % | Lower % (all three) |
| Simple Shoulder Test | Shoulder function (yes/no) | Functional Disability % (0–100%) | Lower % — see note below |
| Tinetti Assessment Tool | Fall risk (balance and gait) | Balance (0–16), Gait (0–12), Overall (0–28) | Higher score (all three) |
| Upper Extremity Functional Scale | Difficulty with upper-extremity tasks | Functional Difficulty % (0–100%) | Lower % |
### Berg Balance Scale
**What it measures:** Functional balance and fall risk, through 14 performance-based tasks the clinician observes - sitting to standing, standing unsupported, reaching forward, turning 360°, standing on one leg, and similar tasks.
**How it's scored:** You score each of the 14 tasks from 0–4 based on how the patient performs it. StrataEMR adds up all 14 scores for the total.
**Score format:** Balance Score, 0–56. StrataEMR also shows a Deficit %, which reflects how far the score falls below the maximum possible score.
**Improvement:** A higher Balance Score means better balance. A lower Deficit % means better balance.
### Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI)
**What it measures:** How much a patient's dizziness or unsteadiness affects their daily life, across three areas - Physical, Emotional, and Functional.
**How it's scored:** The patient answers 25 questions with Yes, Sometimes, or No. StrataEMR totals each of the three subscales, then converts each total into a percentage.
**Score format:** Physical %, Emotional %, Functional %, and an Overall Disability %, each 0–100%.
**Improvement:** A lower percentage means less handicap from dizziness. Watch for the percentage going down over time.
### Foot Function Index
**What it measures:** Foot-related pain, difficulty with everyday tasks, and activity limitation, across three areas - Pain, Disability, and Activity Limitation.
**How it's scored:** The patient rates 23 items on a 1–10 scale. StrataEMR totals each subscale and converts it to a percentage.
**Score format:** Pain %, Disability %, Activity Limitation %, and an Overall %, each 0–100%.
**Improvement:** A lower percentage means less pain and difficulty with the foot. Watch for the percentage going down over time.
### Functional Abilities Confidence Scale
**What it measures:** How confident a patient feels performing 15 everyday activities - sitting, standing, walking, stairs, transfers, reaching, lifting, and similar tasks, regardless of pain.
**How it's scored:** The patient rates their confidence in each activity from 0–100% in 10-point steps. StrataEMR averages all 15 ratings.
**Score format:** Confidence Level, 0–100%, shown as a single average.
**Improvement:** A higher percentage means more confidence in daily activities.
### Harris Hip Score
**What it measures:** Hip pain and function after a hip condition or surgery, combining Pain, Function (gait and daily activities), Deformity, and Range of Motion.
**How it's scored:** You select the option that best describes the patient in each category. StrataEMR adds up the weighted points across all categories.
**Score format:** Harris Hip Score, 0–100. StrataEMR also shows a Deficit %, which reflects how far the score falls below the maximum possible score.
**Improvement:** A higher Harris Hip Score means better hip function. A lower Deficit % means better hip function.
### Knee Outcome Survey
**What it measures:** Knee symptoms (pain, grinding, stiffness, swelling, slipping, buckling, weakness) and how the knee limits everyday activities like walking, stairs, standing, kneeling, and squatting.
**How it's scored:** The patient selects the statement that best describes them for each of 17 items. StrataEMR totals the Symptoms and Function items separately, then converts each to a percentage.
**Score format:** Symptom Disability %, Functional Disability with ADL %, and Overall Disability %, each 0–100%.
**Improvement:** A lower percentage means less disability from the knee. Watch for the percentage going down over time.
### Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale
**What it measures:** Knee function and stability across 8 areas - Limp, Cane/Crutch use, Locking, Giving Way, Pain, Swelling, Stair Climbing, and Squatting.
**How it's scored:** You select the option that best describes the patient in each of the 8 areas. StrataEMR adds the points from all 8 areas into one total.
**Score format:** Total score, 0–100 (a raw number, not a percentage).
**Improvement:** A higher score means better knee function.
### Neck Disability Index (NDI)
**What it measures:** How neck pain affects 10 areas of daily life - pain intensity, personal care, lifting, reading, headaches, concentration, work, driving, sleeping, and recreation.
**How it's scored:** The patient rates each of the 10 sections. If Driving doesn't apply, they can mark it Not Applicable, and StrataEMR adjusts the scoring accordingly. StrataEMR converts the total to a percentage.
**Score format:** Disability %, 0–100%.
**Improvement:** A lower percentage means less disability from neck pain. Watch for the percentage going down over time.
### OPTIMAL Data Collection Instrument
**What it measures:** Broad functional Difficulty and Confidence across 21 mobility and activity tasks - lying down, rolling, sitting, squatting, bending, balancing, kneeling, walking, stairs, jumping, running, pushing, pulling, reaching, grasping, lifting, and carrying. It also collects demographic information for context, which isn't scored.
**How it's scored:** The patient rates their difficulty and confidence with each task. StrataEMR adds up the ratings for Difficulty and Confidence separately.
**Score format:** Functional Difficulty Score and Confidence Score, both raw totals (not percentages). The exact ceiling depends on how many items the patient answers, since items marked Not Applicable are excluded.
**Improvement:** For both scores, a lower total means less difficulty and better confidence. Because these are raw totals rather than percentages, compare a patient's score to their own prior visits rather than to another patient's score.
**Tip:** Because the OPTIMAL's Difficulty and Confidence scores aren't normalized to a percentage, they're best used to track one patient's progress over time — not to compare scores between different patients.
### Oswestry Low Back Disability (Modified)
**What it measures:** How low back pain affects 10 areas of daily life - pain intensity, personal care, lifting, walking, sitting, standing, sleeping, social life, traveling, and employment/homemaking.
**How it's scored:** The patient rates each of the 10 sections. StrataEMR totals the ratings and converts the total to a percentage.
**Score format:** Disability %, 0–100%.
**Improvement:** A lower percentage means less disability from low back pain. Watch for the percentage going down over time.
### Penn Shoulder Score
**What it measures:** Shoulder pain, patient satisfaction with shoulder function, and functional ability - covering Pain, Satisfaction, and 20 everyday shoulder activities like reaching, dressing, carrying, and overhead tasks.
**How it's scored:** The patient rates Pain, Satisfaction, and each Function item. StrataEMR totals each subscale and converts it to a percentage, then combines all three into an Overall Score.
**Score format:** Pain Score %, Satisfaction Score %, Function Score %, and Overall Score %, each 0–100%.
**Read the Pain Score in the opposite direction from the other three.** A higher Pain Score % means *more* pain. A higher Satisfaction, Function, or Overall Score % means better outcomes. Don't assume all four numbers move the same way, check which one you're looking at before drawing a conclusion.
**Improvement:** Higher Satisfaction, Function, and Overall scores mean better outcomes. A lower Pain Score means less pain.
### Resumption of ADL Scale
**What it measures:** How much a patient has resumed 12 usual activities since their injury - sleeping, sexual activity, self-care, household chores, shopping, socializing, traveling, recreation, and paid employment.
**How it's scored:** The patient rates how fully they've resumed each activity, from 0–100% in 10-point steps, or marks an activity Not Applicable if it doesn't apply. StrataEMR averages the applicable ratings.
**Score format:** ADL Resumption, 0–100%, shown as a single average.
**Improvement:** A higher percentage means the patient has resumed more of their usual activities.
### Shoulder Pain and Disability Index
**What it measures:** Shoulder pain severity and functional disability over the past week - pain with specific movements, and difficulty with tasks like washing, dressing, and carrying.
**How it's scored:** The patient rates 5 pain items and 8 disability items on a 0–10 scale. StrataEMR totals each subscale and converts it to a percentage, then combines both into an Overall Score.
**Score format:** Pain Severity %, Functional Disability %, and Overall Score %, each 0–100%.
**Improvement:** A lower percentage for Pain, Disability, and Overall means the patient is doing better. All three move in the same direction on this instrument.
### Simple Shoulder Test
**What it measures:** Shoulder function across 12 yes/no questions - comfort at rest, sleep, reaching behind the back, overhead positioning, lifting and carrying various weights, throwing, and working full-time.
**How it's scored:** The patient answers Yes or No to each of the 12 questions. StrataEMR calculates the percentage of questions answered No.
**Score format:** Functional Disability %, 0–100%.
**This is the opposite of how the Simple Shoulder Test is usually reported.** Most published references score the SST as the percentage of "Yes" answers, where a higher number means better shoulder function. StrataEMR instead displays the percentage of "No" answers as Functional Disability, where a *higher* number means *worse* function. Keep this in mind if you're comparing a StrataEMR score to an outside reference or a score from another system.
**Improvement:** A lower Functional Disability % means better shoulder function.
### Tinetti Assessment Tool
**What it measures:** Fall risk through clinician-observed Balance (9 items, like sitting balance, arising, and standing with eyes closed) and Gait (7 items, like step length, path, and trunk stability).
**How it's scored:** You score each item based on the patient's performance. StrataEMR totals the Balance and Gait items separately, then adds them together for an Overall Score.
**Score format:** Balance Score (0–16), Gait Score (0–12), and Overall Score (0–28) - all raw totals, not percentages.
**Improvement:** A higher score, in any of the three, means better balance and gait, and lower fall risk.
### Upper Extremity Functional Scale
**What it measures:** Difficulty performing 8 everyday upper-extremity tasks - sleeping, writing, opening jars, picking up small objects, driving, opening a door, carrying, and washing dishes.
**How it's scored:** The patient rates each task from 0 (no problem) to 10 (major problem, can't do at all). StrataEMR totals the ratings and converts the total to a percentage.
**Score format:** Functional Difficulty %, 0–100%.
**Improvement:** A lower percentage means less difficulty with upper-extremity tasks. Watch for the percentage going down over time.
***
## Pediatric Assessments
StrataEMR supports a number of pediatric assessments with meta-commentary scoring - meaning the system documents the resulting score and relevant notes rather than running a full interactive calculation. These include tools such as the PDMS, BOT-2, PLS-5, and others commonly used in pediatric PT, OT, and SLP settings.
If you use pediatric assessments and do not see the form you need, submit a request through the feedback portal.
***
## Request a Missing Outcome Measure
If you need an outcome measure that is not currently in StrataEMR, submit a feature request to the support team. The team reviews copyright clearance and implementation effort for each request. You can submit requests directly from within StrataEMR using the feedback option in the navigation bar.
# Plan of Care
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/clinical-documentation/plan-of-care
In physical therapy, the Plan of Care is the document that authorizes everything — it defines what services are covered, for how long, and under what conditions. When certification periods lapse or frequency data doesn't match what's billed, claims get denied. StrataEMR links Plan of Care data across clinical documentation and case management so that compliance is built into the documentation workflow — not discovered at the clearinghouse.
**Access:** All licensed clinical staff can complete Plan of Care documentation. The certification period in Case Info can be viewed and updated by any staff member at the practice.
***
## What Is a Plan of Care?
A Plan of Care (POC) establishes the scope, frequency, and duration of a patient's therapy. It defines the certification period — the date range during which services are authorized under that plan. Most payers, including Medicare, require an active, physician-signed Plan of Care before claims can be processed.
In StrataEMR, Plan of Care information lives in two places:
* **The Plan of Care section of a clinical document** — where you record frequency, duration, certification period, and discharge criteria as part of an Initial Evaluation, Progress Report, or Re-Evaluation.
* **Case Info** — where the certification period is stored at the case level and referenced by the billing system.
Both must stay in sync for claims to process correctly.
***
## Certification Period
The certification period is the date range during which a patient's Plan of Care is active. StrataEMR checks this window when you complete a clinical document — if the document's date of service falls outside the active certification period, the system will block note completion.
When a clinician signs a Plan of Care document — an Initial Evaluation, Re-Evaluation, or Progress Note containing a Plan of Care fragment — StrataEMR automatically sets the certification start date to the document date and calculates the expiration date from the week count entered in the document. Both values are written to Case Info at the moment of signing.
The certification period can also be set or updated manually in Case Info by any staff member. This is common when a practice is migrating from another EMR — rather than generating a new document, staff enter the existing POC date range directly so billing can pick it up immediately.
To update a certification period manually: **Navigate to Case Info: Patient Menu Bar > Patient Info > Case Info > Plan of Care Certification Period.** Update the date and save.
![Clean Shot 2026 05 13 At 16 00 04@2x]()
**Expired certification periods block note completion and billing.** If a patient's certification period has lapsed, complete and document the new Plan of Care first then, once the Plan of Care certification period is updated, finalize any following notes.
***
## Frequency and Duration
The frequency and duration fields in the Plan of Care section record how often the patient will be seen and for how long. StrataEMR uses these values in scheduling calculations and when coordinating visits against authorization limits.
**Frequency must be entered as a numeric value.** Enter frequency in numeric form — for example, "4 days per week for 8 weeks." Written-out entries such as "two times a week" break StrataEMR's scheduling and visit calculation functions.
***
## Plan of Care Auto-Population
Plan of Care fragments appear in Initial Evaluations and in certain Progress Notes and Re-Evaluations. When you create one of these documents using the standard StrataEMR template, the Plan of Care section auto-populates the certification period and visits-per-week fields from case data. This auto-population only works when the standard, unmodified Plan of Care fragment is in use.
![Clean Shot 2026 05 13 At 16 01 39@2x]()
**Using customized templates?** If your practice uses a copied or edited version of the Plan of Care fragment, auto-population may not function. Your Therapy Director can work with your StrataPT account manager to confirm that the fragment is correctly mapped in any custom templates if you suspect information is not mapping.
***
## Extending a Plan of Care
When a patient requires care beyond the current certification period, extend the Plan of Care by documenting a Progress Report or Re-Evaluation and obtaining a new physician signature. Extensions apply to continued treatment for the same condition.
If a patient presents with a new or different condition — or returns after a significant gap in care — a new case is required rather than an extension of the existing Plan of Care.
***
## Physician Signature
Most payers, including Medicare, require a physician-signed Plan of Care before claims are submitted. Once the document that includes a Plan of Care is completed in StrataEMR, staff can send it for physician signature via fax from the patient's clinical documents page.
![Clean Shot 2026 05 13 At 16 02 23@2x]()
When the signed POC is faxed back, StrataEMR automatically identifies and files the document, clears the pending signature task, and creates a 14-day administrative task called "Plan of Care Received." If the return fax is degraded or the embedded barcode is clipped, the document falls to manual review — staff will not receive an automatic notification in that case.
For a full walkthrough of the outbound and inbound fax workflow, see [Fax Management](/documentation/fax-management).
***
## Plan of Care and Billing
The certification period stored in Case Info feeds directly into StrataEMR's billing system. Claims submitted for dates of service outside the active certification window will not process correctly. Keeping Case Info and your clinical documentation in sync — especially after a Plan of Care extension — is the most reliable way to prevent certification-related claim denials.
# Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM)
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/clinical-documentation/remote-therapeutic-monitoring-rtm
This article explains how to manage RTM in StrataEMR, which note template to use when, and the rules behind each billing code so you can document and bill defensibly.
Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) lets you bill for the time you spend reviewing patient data, communicating with patients, and adjusting care between in-clinic visits. It is a separate service line from in-clinic therapy, with its own billing codes, its own time-tracking requirements, and its own frequency rules.
**Access:** All licensed clinical staff can create and complete RTM documents unless otherwise configured by your practice administrators.
## The Three Things to Know Before You Start
1. **RTM should be managed in its own case.** RTM can technically be billed within the same case as other services, but mixing the two makes time tracking, monitoring day counts, and frequency rules much harder to manage. The strong recommendation is to create a dedicated RTM case.
2. **There are two billing clocks, not one.** Device supply codes run on a rolling 30-day window starting the day monitoring begins. Treatment management codes run on the calendar month. These two clocks rarely align.
3. **Notes are completed at the end of the calendar month.** Cumulative time and monitoring days are not final until the month closes, so finalizing earlier risks billing the wrong code.
## Why a Separate RTM Case Is Strongly Recommended
You can bill RTM within an existing case, but operationally it gets messy fast. Here is what gets harder when RTM lives inside another case:
* **Time tracking blurs.** RTM treatment management is driven by cumulative minutes across the calendar month. When those minutes live in the same case as in-clinic visit time, separating "what counts toward 98980" from "what was an in-clinic visit" becomes a manual reconstruction at month-end.
* **The two billing clocks become harder to follow.** A mixed case has to track an in-clinic plan of care, a rolling 30-day device supply window, and a calendar-month treatment management cycle on the same record.
* **Frequency rules are harder to audit.** Only one clinician can bill RTM for a patient in any 30-day period, and RTM cannot be billed in the same calendar month as RPM. These checks are easier to manage when RTM is structurally isolated.
* **Audit defensibility weakens.** When a payer requests records, a dedicated RTM case produces a clean evidence trail. A mixed case forces the reviewer (and your billing team) to disentangle which activity supports which charge.
The separate case is a best practice, not a hard system rule. If you have a reason to keep RTM inside an existing case, you can. Just expect the operational overhead to be higher, and plan for it.
## How to Set Up an RTM Case
![Case Type form dropdown in StrataEMR with options for Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Wellness, Remote Therapy Monitoring (PT), Remote Therapy Monitoring (OT), PT Nerve Study, Applied Behavioral Analysis, and Other.]()
From the patient's existing Case Info page, select **Create New Case** to clone the account. On the new case:
1. Set the **Case Type** to one of the RTM options. This option appears in the Case Type dropdown on the Case Info page.
2. Confirm the diagnosis codes reflect the musculoskeletal condition being monitored.
3. Confirm the referring physician is set correctly.
4. Use the Custom ID field on the Demographics page to label the case (for example, "RTM-PT") so staff can distinguish it from the in-clinic case.
5. Confirm a therapy plan of care is in place for the RTM case. All RTM codes are designated "sometimes therapy" services and require an active POC when furnished by a therapist.
The in-clinic case continues to operate independently. In-person visits, daily notes, and progress notes belong on the in-clinic case. All RTM documentation flows through the new RTM case.
## The RTM Codes at a Glance
You will use three families of codes as a therapist billing RTM.
**Setup code (once per episode of care):**
| Code | When to use |
| :- | :- |
| 98975 | Initial setup and patient education. Billed once per episode after at least 2 calendar days of cumulative monitoring data have been captured in the first 30-day window. |
**Device supply codes (one per 30-day window):**
| Code | When to use |
| :- | :- |
| 98985 | Patient transmitted data on 2 to 15 calendar days in the 30-day window |
| 98977 | Patient transmitted data on 16 to 30 calendar days in the 30-day window |
98977 and 98985 are mutually exclusive. Bill one or the other for the same 30-day window, never both.
**Treatment management codes (one base per calendar month, plus add-ons):**
| Code | When to use |
| :- | :- |
| 98979 | 10 to 19 minutes of cumulative provider time in the calendar month, with at least one synchronous interactive communication |
| 98980 | 20 or more minutes of cumulative provider time in the calendar month, with at least one synchronous interactive communication |
| 98981 | Add-on for each additional 20 minutes beyond the first 20. Only valid when 98980 is also billed. |
98979 and 98980 are mutually exclusive. Pick the one that matches your actual cumulative time.
## The Two Billing Clocks
This is the most common source of confusion in RTM billing. The codes do not all run on the same schedule.
**Device supply (**98977**,** 98985**):**
* Rolling 30-day window.
* The window starts the day monitoring begins for the patient.
* If monitoring starts on March 15, the first device supply window closes April 13, the next runs April 14 through May 13, and so on.
**Treatment management (**98979**,** 98980**,** 98981**):**
* Calendar month.
* Time resets on the first of each month, regardless of when the RTM episode started.
The two clocks do not align. A patient who starts monitoring mid-month will have a device supply window that crosses calendar months. The note completion process handles each clock separately: pick the device supply code based on monitoring days in the 30-day window, and pick the treatment management code based on cumulative time in the calendar month.
## When to Complete the Notes
RTM notes are typically completed at the **end of the calendar month**. Cumulative time, monitoring days, and interactive communication evidence are not knowable until the month closes, so finalizing earlier risks under-coding or over-coding the charges.
The exception is mid-month patient discharge from RTM, in which case complete the notes at that point with the totals captured through the discharge date.
## The Two RTM Note Templates
StrataEMR provides separate templates for the two distinct RTM billing events: the initial setup at the start of the episode, and the ongoing monthly treatment management. Both are available in the **Physical Therapy Templates (RTM)** document family on the Clinical Documents page.
### Template 1: RTM 30-Day Document
![Screenshot of the RTM 30-Day Documents, showing an interactive clinical documentation experience]()
Use this template **once per episode of care**, for the patient's first month on RTM. It covers the initial setup code together with the first month of device supply.
**This template documents:**
* 98975 (initial setup and patient education), billable only after at least 2 calendar days of cumulative monitoring data have been captured in the first 30-day window
* 98985 or 98977, whichever matches the actual monitoring day total for the 30-day window
**The template includes:**
* Patient Education, Justification, and Plan confirmations
* Description and installation of the monitoring device
* Monthly RTM Monitoring Summary (Compliant with Plan of Care, Continued Treatment as Appropriate)
* Monthly RTM Billing Summary, with fragments for 98975, 98977, and 98985
The template displays both 98977 and 98985 fragments. Remove the fragment that does not apply to the actual monitoring day total, keeping the one that matches. Templates can be adjusted by removing sections that do not apply to the work completed.
### Template 2: RTM Monthly Monitoring Document
![Screenshot of the RTM Monthly Documents, showing an interactive clinical documentation experience]()
Use this template **once per calendar month for every month after the first** that the patient remains enrolled in RTM. It documents ongoing treatment management time.
**This template documents:**
* 98980 (first 20 minutes of cumulative treatment management time in the calendar month, including at least one synchronous interactive communication with the patient or caregiver)
* 98981 (each additional 20 minutes of treatment management time in the same calendar month). 98981 is an add-on and can only be billed when 98980 is also billed. Each unit represents an additional 20 minutes beyond the first 20.
The setup code (98975) does not appear on this template because it is a once-per-episode code.
**The template includes:**
* Patient Education, Justification, and Plan confirmations
* Description and installation of device confirmation (carried forward from setup)
* Monthly RTM Monitoring Summary
* Monthly RTM Billing Summary with 98980 and 98981
If the patient continues device monitoring in the second month and beyond, the device supply code (98977 or 98985) is also billed each 30-day cycle. Add the appropriate device supply code to the monthly note based on the monitoring day total for the closing 30-day window.
### When Cumulative Time Is Less Than 20 Minutes
If cumulative time is **less than 10 minutes for the calendar month**, no treatment management code is billable for that month.
If your cumulative treatment management time for a calendar month falls **between 10 and 19 minutes for the calendar month**, bill 98979 instead of 98980.
If time reaches **20 minutes or more for the calendar month**, use the standard RTM Monthly Monitoring Document so that 98980 (and any applicable 98981 units) bill correctly.
## Rules Behind the Codes
These are the underlying CMS and CPT rules that drive the template structure. Understanding them helps you select codes correctly and document defensibly.
### Once per Episode of Care (98975)
98975 can be billed only once per episode of care. An episode begins when RTM service starts and ends when targeted treatment goals are met. Re-billing 98975 for the same patient requires a new, documented episode with a new condition or goal.
**Sources:**
* AMA CPT 2026 Professional Edition
* APTA Practice Advisory: Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Codes Under Medicare ([apta.org](http://apta.org))
### The 2-Day Setup Threshold (98975)
98975 cannot be billed until the patient has accumulated at least 2 calendar days of valid monitoring data within the first 30-day window. The two days do not need to be consecutive. The setup work itself can happen on day one, but the claim cannot release until the threshold is met.
**Sources:**
* AMA CPT 2026 Professional Edition
* APTA Practice Advisory: Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Codes Under Medicare ([apta.org](http://apta.org))
### Mutual Exclusivity
* 98977 **and** 98985 cannot both be billed for the same 30-day device supply window
* 98979 **and** 98980 cannot both be billed in the same calendar month
* 98981 can only be billed when 98980 is also billed in the same month, never with 98979 and never alone
**Sources:**
* CMS MLN Matters MM14250: CY 2026 Annual Therapy Update ([cms.gov](http://cms.gov))
* CMS CY 2026 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, Federal Register ([federalregister.gov](http://federalregister.gov))
* AMA CPT 2026 Professional Edition
### Synchronous Interactive Communication Required (98979, 98980, 98981)
Treatment management codes require at least one **synchronous** interactive communication with the patient or caregiver during the calendar month. CMS defines this as, at minimum, a real-time, two-way audio interaction that may be enhanced with video. In practice: in person, telephone, or video.
Asynchronous communication does not satisfy this requirement. Text messages, app messages, email, automated reminders, secure messaging, and one-way notifications do not count, even if the patient responds later.
Document the date, the modality (phone, video, in person), and what was discussed.
**Sources:**
* AMA CPT 2026 Professional Edition (descriptors for 98979, 98980, 98981 specify "real-time interactive communication")
* APTA Practice Advisory: Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Codes Under Medicare ([apta.org](http://apta.org)) - "must be synchronous if occurring in person or via telephone or video"
* CMS CY 2026 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, Federal Register ([federalregister.gov](http://federalregister.gov))
* CMS CY 2021 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule (original definition of "interactive communication")
### One Clinician per 30 Days
Only one clinician can bill RTM device supply and treatment management codes for a patient in any 30-day period. If the patient is receiving RTM through another provider, you cannot run a parallel RTM episode through your case during that window.
**Sources:**
* AMA CPT 2026 Professional Edition
* APTA Practice Advisory: Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Codes Under Medicare ([apta.org](http://apta.org))
### Therapy Modifiers (GP, GO, GN)
All RTM codes are designated "sometimes therapy" services. When furnished by a therapist under a therapy plan of care, the appropriate discipline modifier must be applied:
* **GP** for physical therapy
* **GO** for occupational therapy
* **GN** for speech-language pathology
These modifiers are automatically added to your claim when using StrataEMR based on the type of case selected.
**Sources:**
* CMS MLN Matters MM14250: CY 2026 Annual Therapy Update ([cms.gov](http://cms.gov))
* CMS Therapy Services webpage ([cms.gov](http://cms.gov))
### Assistant Modifiers (CQ/CO) Apply Selectively
The de minimis standard and CQ/CO modifiers apply only to 98975**,** 98979**,** 98980**, and** 98981 when 10% or more of the service is delivered by a PTA or OTA. The de minimis standard and CQ/CO modifiers **do not** apply to the device supply codes 98977 and 98985. This is a common error worth flagging in any billing review.
**Sources:**
* CMS CY 2026 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, Federal Register ([federalregister.gov](http://federalregister.gov))
* Nixon Law Group: CMS Finalizes 2026 Remote Monitoring Reimbursement Updates ([nixonlawgroup.com](http://nixonlawgroup.com))
### Therapists Cannot Bill RTM "Incident To"
When you bill RTM as a PT or OT, the service must be personally furnished by you or by a therapy assistant under your supervision. RTM cannot be delegated to non-clinical staff or unlicensed personnel under a therapist's billing. This is different from the rule for physicians, who can bill some RTM services incident to under general supervision.
**Sources:**
* CMS CY 2023 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule
* APTA Practice Advisory: Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Codes Under Medicare ([apta.org](http://apta.org))
* Frost Brown Todd: CMS Final Rules on Payment Impacts for Remote Therapeutic Monitoring ([frostbrowntodd.com](http://frostbrowntodd.com))
### "Sometimes Therapy" Designation Expanded for 2026
In the CY 2026 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, CMS designated the three new RTM codes (98979, 98984, 98985) as "sometimes therapy" services and revised the descriptors of 98976 and 98977 to specify the 16-30 day window. When furnished by a therapist, all of these codes must be billed under a therapy plan of care with the appropriate discipline modifier.
* **98979:** Remote therapeutic monitoring treatment management services, physician or other qualified health care professional time in a calendar month requiring at least 1 real-time interactive communication with the patient or caregiver during the calendar month; first 10 minutes.
**Musculoskeletal Monitoring**
* **98985:** Remote therapeutic monitoring (eg, therapy adherence, therapy response, digital therapeutic intervention); device(s) supply for data access or data transmissions to support **monitoring of musculoskeletal system**, 2-15 days in a 30-day period.
* **98977:** Remote therapeutic monitoring (eg, therapy adherence, therapy response, digital therapeutic intervention); device(s) supply for data access or data transmissions to support **monitoring of musculoskeletal system**, 16-30 days in a 30-day period.
**Respiratory Monitoring**
* **98984:** Remote therapeutic monitoring (eg, therapy adherence, therapy response, digital therapeutic intervention); device(s) supply for data access or data transmissions to support **monitoring of respiratory system**, 2-15 days in a 30-day period.
* **98976:** Remote therapeutic monitoring (eg, therapy adherence, therapy response, digital therapeutic intervention); device(s) supply for data access or data transmissions to support **monitoring of respiratory system**, 16-30 days in a 30-day period.
**Sources:**
* CMS Pub 100-04 Medicare Claims Processing: 2026 Annual Update to the Therapy Code List ([cms.gov](https://www.cms.gov/files/document/r13431cp.pdf))
* CMS MLN Matters MM14250: CY 2026 Annual Therapy Update ([cms.gov](http://cms.gov))
* CMS CY 2026 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, Federal Register ([federalregister.gov](http://federalregister.gov))
## Adjusting the Templates
Each RTM template includes the full set of fragments available for that note type. Remove the fragments that do not apply to the work performed. For example, on the RTM 30-Day Document, remove either the 98977 fragment or the 98985 fragment depending on the actual monitoring day total, leaving the fragment that matches the period being billed.
## Common Mistakes to Avoid
* **Mixing RTM into a regular PT, OT, or Speech case without a plan to track it separately.** RTM can technically be billed inside another case, but the time and frequency tracking gets hard fast. Use a separate RTM case unless you have a specific reason not to.
* **Completing the setup note before 2 monitoring days have been captured.** 98975 cannot be billed until the threshold is met. Hold the setup note in Draft until the threshold is confirmed.
* **Billing both** 98977 **and** 98985 **for the same 30-day window.** They are mutually exclusive. Remove the fragment that does not apply.
* **Billing both** 98979 **and** 98980 **in the same calendar month.** They are mutually exclusive. Use the template that matches the cumulative time total.
* **Billing** 98981 **without** 98980**, or stacking** 98981 **on** 98979**.** 98981 is an add-on that requires 98980 in the same month.
* **Counting asynchronous communication toward the interactive communication requirement.** Text, email, and app messages do not qualify. Synchronous (phone, video, in person) only.
* **Applying CQ/CO modifiers to** 98977 **or** 98985**.** The assistant modifiers do not apply to device supply codes.
* **Completing the monthly note before the calendar month closes.** Cumulative time is not final until end of month. Completing early risks billing the wrong codes.
# Starting Documentation
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/clinical-documentation/starting-documentation
How to start a clinical document in StrataEMR — from the schedule, from the Clinical Documents page, and which inheritance option to choose.
Clinical documentation in StrataEMR can be started in two ways: directly from the schedule via the clipboard icon, or from the patient's Clinical Documents page. Both paths lead to the same document creation options — the schedule route just gets you there faster.
**Access:** Starting and editing clinical documentation requires **Clinical Staff** permissions or above. Front Desk staff can view clinical documents but cannot create or edit them.
***
## Starting from the Schedule
The fastest way to begin a note is from the schedule. Click the **clipboard icon** next to the patient's appointment on the schedule calendar.
![Clean Shot 2026 04 22 At 16 28 16@2x]()
What happens next depends on the appointment type name:
**If the appointment type contains `eval`, `progress`, `discharge`, or `plan`** — StrataEMR routes you to the Clinical Documents page, where you choose which type of document to create and how to inherit content. These appointment types correspond to documents that require deliberate decisions about what to carry forward.
**If the appointment type contains none of those keywords** — StrataEMR automatically searches for the most recent completed document with a "General Document" charge type, usually a Daily Note, and either clones it to the current date of service or opens the existing document if one already exists for that date. If no suitable prior document is found, you are routed to the Clinical Documents page.
**Appointment type naming matters.** The automatic routing from the schedule depends entirely on whether the appointment type name contains a trigger keyword. If your practice uses custom appointment type names, make sure evaluation, progress, discharge, and plan-related visits include the relevant keyword so StrataEMR routes correctly.
***
## Starting from the Clinical Documents Page
You can also start documentation directly from the patient's case: **Patient Menu Bar > Documents > Clinical Documents**.
The Clinical Documents page shows all draft and completed documents for the selected patient. To create a new document, select the document type from the dropdown menus at the top of the page — these include clinical templates, outcome measures, pain drawings, and physician letters.
Once you've selected a template, choose how to create the document:
### Inherit Previous
Pulls content from the patient's most recently completed clinical document. Goals, diagnoses, medical history, and Plan of Care details carry forward into the new document for you to review and update.
Use this for Daily Notes, along with Re-Evaluations, Progress Reports, and Discharge Summaries when you want the current clinical picture of the prior document to carry forward.
### Inherit Patient Intake
Pulls content from the patient's most recently completed intake form. Demographics, medical history, medications, and allergies pre-populate the corresponding sections of the new document.
Use this for Initial Evaluations on patients who have completed an intake form. This saves the clinician from re-entering information the front desk already collected.
### Start From Blank
Uses the template as designed with no pre-populated content. Every section and fragment starts empty.
Use this for brand-new patients without an intake form, or when prior content wouldn't be relevant to the new document type, like a Re-Evaluation with distinctly different fragments than the prior day's Daily Note.
***
## Prerequisites for Completing a Document
Before a document can be marked complete and submitted for billing, the following must be in place on the patient's account:
* **An active insurance policy** covering the date of service. If no valid policy exists for the visit date, documentation cannot be completed. See [Policies overview](/documentation/patients/policies/policy-overview).
* **Benefit verification** must not be in a pending state. A Pending Benefit Verification task will block document completion until benefits are confirmed. See [Authorization Management](/documentation/patients/policies/authorization-management).
* **Authorization on file** if the policy requires it. If authorization is required and none is entered, documentation cannot be completed.
* **A referring provider with NPI** for all Medicare patients. Claims cannot be submitted for Medicare patients without a referring provider listed.
***
## Cloning a Document
Once a document is completed, future notes of that same type can be cloned from it rather than created from scratch or through inheritance. Click the **blue clone button** next to the document you want to copy. The clone creates an exact copy of the document without the date of service — update the clinical content for the current visit and complete as normal. One common use for this workflow is the creation of subsequent re-evaluations after the first has been completed, for example in pediatric care where a therapist may conduct multiple re-evaluations over the child's total episode of care.
# Submitting a Note for Review
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/clinical-documentation/submitting-a-note-for-review
How to submit a clinical document for supervisor review in StrataEMR — the review workflow for assistants, the supervisor co-sign process, and how review notes work.
StrataEMR includes a document review workflow that allows a clinician to submit a completed note to a supervisor for review before it is finalized and submitted for billing. This is most commonly used for PTA and COTA documentation that requires a supervising therapist's signature, though any clinician can use the review workflow to request feedback on a document.
**Access:** Any Clinical Staff member can submit a document for review. Receiving review requests and completing the co-sign requires **Therapy Director** permissions or above.
***
## The Review Workflow
### Step 1 — Complete the Document Content
Fill out all required fields in the document. Required fields for billing are marked with a **red indicator** in the template. Enter charge advice (CPT codes, units, and minutes) in the appropriate section.
If an assistant is performing the visit, mark **Assistant Involved: Yes** in the charge advice section. This automatically applies the required billing modifiers (GP/GO/GN) to the claim.
### Step 2 — Submit for Review Instead of Completing
Rather than marking the document complete, use the **Completion Action** dropdown at the bottom of the document to submit it for review. Select the appropriate review action and choose the supervising therapist from the staff dropdown.
Submitting for review:
* Leave the document status in **Review**
* Change the second field to "...and send to for correction/review"
* Automatically creates a **Review Documents** task assigned to the selected supervisor
* Does not submit any charges — billing does not trigger until the document is marked complete
**Save as Draft if not ready to submit.** If you're not finished with the document, save it as a Draft rather than submitting for review. A Draft Document task will appear on the dashboard as a reminder to complete it.
### Step 3 — Supervisor Reviews and Completes
The supervising therapist receives a **Review Documents** task in their clinical tasks queue. Clicking the task opens the document directly.
The supervisor can:
* Review the full document content
* Make edits or add notes if corrections are needed
* Add their signature
* Mark the document **Complete**
Marking the document complete triggers the billing hold — charges are typically held for approximately 24 hours before being submitted.
***
## Adding Review Notes
Review notes can be added to any document at any point — not just during the review submission step. They are used to communicate context, flag corrections, or create follow-up tasks without requiring the document to be sent back to draft.
**Two ways to add a review note:**
**Via Completion Action** — At the bottom of the document, click the dropdown next to the completion status and select an action. Enter your note in the **Add a Document Review Note** field and save.
**Via Document Note History** — Review notes that have been added to a document are visible in the document's note history, along with who added them and when. This creates an auditable record of any corrections or communications about the document.
***
## Who Appears in the Review Dropdown
The supervisor dropdown when submitting for review shows all staff members with Clinician permissions or above at your organization that are not listed as an Assistant role.
# Fax Management
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/fax-management
How to send and receive faxes in StrataEMR, including outbound clinical document faxing, the inbound fax inbox, and how to handle failed faxes.
StrataEMR includes built-in faxing for both outbound and inbound documents. You can fax Plans of Care and clinical documents directly to referring providers, and receive signed documents back into a dedicated fax inbox — no separate fax machine or account required.
**Access:** All staff can view inbound faxes and attach them to patient charts. Sending faxes from the Clinical Documents page requires Clinical Staff permissions or above. Therapy Directors can edit fax cover sheet templates.
***
## Outbound Faxing
### Sending a Stored or Clinical Document
Outbound faxing of documents is initiated from either the **Faxing** or **Clinical Documents** pages within a patient's case.
1. Open the patient's case and navigate to **Patient Menu Bar > Documents > Clinical Documents** to fax a clinical document or **Patient Menu Bar > Documents > Faxing** to fax either stored documents or a combination of clinical and stored documents.
2. Check the box next to each document you want to fax.
3. Click **Fax All Checked Items** at the top of the page.
4. On the fax cover sheet, click **Quick Select** to auto-populate the referring physician's information from the Case Info page.
5. Confirm or adjust the destination fax number.
6. Click **Send Fax**.
After sending, StrataEMR automatically creates a **Pending Signature** task on your dashboard as a reminder that you are awaiting the physician's signature on the faxed document. A contact note is also appended to the patient's record confirming what was faxed, to whom, and to which fax number.
**Faxing Required task:** When a clinician completes an Initial Evaluation or another document with a Plan of Care, StrataEMR automatically creates a **Faxing Required** task on the dashboard. Completing this task by sending the fax converts it into a Pending Signature task.
### How the Referring Provider Fax Number is Populated
StrataEMR pulls the destination fax number from the referring provider's record, which is set on the patient's **Case Info** page. When you use Quick Select on the fax cover sheet, this information populates automatically.
If the referring provider's fax number is missing or incorrect, update it on the referrer's record before sending. You can also enter a fax number manually on the cover sheet for a one-time send.
**Missing fax numbers:** If no fax number exists for the referring provider and none is entered manually, the fax will not send. Resolve the number on the referrer record before retrying.
***
## Checking Fax Status
After sending a fax, you can confirm whether it was delivered successfully from the patient's **Contact History** page.
Navigate to **Patient Menu Bar > Tasks & Contact > Contact History**
![Clean Shot 2026 04 29 At 16 13 52]()
Each outbound fax appears as a line item in the contact history log. To check delivery status:
1. Locate the fax entry in the list.
2. Click the **circle arrows icon** (↻) next to the entry to refresh and load the current delivery status. The fax confirmation text opens, showing whether the fax was delivered, is still in progress, or failed.
3. Click the **download icon** to download the fax confirmation page. The confirmation page displays the transmission result so you can verify the fax reached its destination before following up with the referring provider.
**No failed fax task yet?** If you just sent the fax and are checking immediately, the status may still show as in progress. Wait a few minutes and refresh again. If the fax ultimately fails, StrataEMR will create a **Failed Fax** task on your dashboard automatically.
***
## Inbound Faxing
StrataEMR can provide each practice with a dedicated inbound fax number. This number appears on all outgoing fax cover sheets so the physician knows where to return the signed document.
### QR Code–Assisted Document Return
Every clinical document faxed from StrataEMR for signature includes a QR code on the signature page. When the physician signs and faxes the document back to your practice's inbound fax number, StrataEMR reads the QR code automatically. The system then:
* Attaches the returned document directly to the correct patient's case as a Stored Document
* Clears any pending follow-up tasks associated with that fax
This means you do not need to manually route an inbound fax to the right patient — the QR code handles it for you.
**Plan of Care returns:** When StrataEMR successfully identifies a returned Plan of Care via QR code, it also creates a **Plan of Care Received** administrative task, due 14 days from receipt. This task serves as a prompt to confirm the signed POC is on file and accounted for before it affects billing. See [Plan of Care](/documentation/clinical-documentation/plan-of-care) for more on how certification periods connect to billing.
**QR code degradation:** If the returned fax is low quality or the QR code was clipped during transmission, StrataEMR will not be able to auto-identify the document. The fax will land in the inbound queue for manual review, and no notification is sent to staff. If a signed Plan of Care is overdue, check the inbound fax queue directly rather than waiting for a task to appear.
**Follow-up tasks:** When sending a fax, you can opt in to a follow-up reminder using the **Followup** dropdown on the fax cover sheet. If the signed document is returned and the QR code is successfully read, StrataEMR clears this task automatically. If the document is returned without a readable QR code, you will need to attach it manually and clear the task yourself.
### Inbound Fax Queue
An inbound fax indicator in the top-right corner of your dashboard displays the number of faxes pending review. Click the fax inbox icon to open the inbound fax queue. This queue is used for faxes like physician referrals for treatment. From the fax inbox you can:
* View received faxes in PDF format
* Attach each fax to the correct patient account manually using the patient dropdown.
***
## Failed Faxes
### How StrataEMR Handles Failures
When a fax fails, StrataEMR automatically retries the send multiple times. If the fax remains unreachable after three attempts, it stops retrying and creates a **Failed Fax** task on your dashboard.
### Resending a Failed Fax
1. Find the **Failed Fax** task on your Tasks page or within the patient's case.
2. Open the task and click the **Clinical Documents** link.
3. Check the box next to the failed document.
4. Click **Fax All Checked Items** to resend.
### Common Causes of Fax Failures
| Cause | What to do |
| - | - |
| Busy signal at receiving end | Retry — StrataEMR will attempt multiple times automatically |
| Bad or incorrect fax number | Correct the number on the referrer record and resend |
| Poor line quality | Call the recipient's fax number directly to confirm it's active |
| Too many pages | Split the send into smaller batches if the document is very long |
**Check the number first.** Most fax failures trace back to a problem at the destination. Before resending, call the recipient's fax number from a regular phone to confirm it is active and answering.
# Menu Bar Overview
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/menu-bar-overview
The blue Menu Bar appears at the top of every page in StrataEMR. It gives you fast access to the most-used areas of the system from anywhere, without needing to navigate back to a home screen first.
***
StrataEMR's navigation is built around a single principle: whatever you need is never more than one click away, regardless of where you are in the system. Patient cases, scheduling, tasks, and assistance are all accessible from a persistent global header — no backtracking, no digging through nested menus. For practices coming from legacy EMRs where switching context often meant losing your place, this design is a meaningful difference in daily workflow efficiency.
![Clean Shot 2026 04 28 At 14 58 49]()
## Main Navigation Links
The primary links run across the top right of the bar.
### [Dashboard](/dashboard)
Returns you to your practice's main Dashboard. The Dashboard shows your key daily metrics, pending tasks, and a summary of billing activity.
### [Patients](/documentation/patients/patients-overview)
Opens your active patients list. From here you can search for patients by facility or case type, or browse all active patients in the system.
### [Schedule](/documentation/schedule/schedule-overview)
Takes you directly to the scheduling screen for your current facility. You can view and manage appointments for the day, week, or any individual therapist.
### [Tasks](/documentation/tasks/tasks-overview)
Opens your practice-level task list. Tasks flag items that need attention — such as outstanding benefit verifications, pending authorizations, or draft documents awaiting completion.
### [Upload](/documentation/send-documents-to-strata-pt)
Takes you to the EOB and document upload area. Use this to submit scanned Explanation of Benefits (EOB) documents to the StrataPT billing team, or to find the fax number for sending them directly.
### [Get Help](/documentation/messaging)
Opens the StrataEMR support and help resources. Use this to submit support requests, access training materials, or reach the StrataPT team.
### [Settings](/documentation/settings/settings-overview)
Opens the settings and configuration area for your practice. Your role determines how much of Settings you can access. From here you can manage staff accounts, document templates, appointment reminder settings, schedule configuration, and more.
**Not all staff members see all Settings options.** Access within Settings is controlled by the permissions assigned to your staff role. If you don't see an option you need, contact your practice administrator.
***
## Secondary Bar Icons
Directly below the main navigation links, a second row of quick-access indicators and tools is always visible.
### Waiting Room Count
The person icon with a number shows how many patients are currently checked in and waiting. Clicking it takes you to the Waiting Room view.
### [Inbound Fax Count](/documentation/fax-management)
The printer icon shows the number of inbound faxes waiting to be reviewed. Clicking it takes you to the Inbound Faxes page, where you can view, rename, and attach faxes to the appropriate patient record.
### [Feedback](/documentation/product-feedback)
Opens a feedback portal where you can share suggestions or report issues directly to the StrataEMR product team.
### What's New
Shows recent product updates and feature releases. A notification badge appears here when new updates are available.
### Documentation
Opens the StrataEMR documentation site — the same site you're reading now — in a new tab.
***
## Your Name and Sign Out
Your name and the current time display in the top-right corner of the bar. Click **Sign Out** when you are finished working in StrataEMR.
# Messaging/Tickets
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/messaging
How to use the StrataEMR ticket platform — creating threads, routing to the right team, linking patients, and what happens when a message becomes overdue.
The Ticket platform, formerly known as Messaging, in StrataEMR is your primary communication channel with the StrataPT team. It is used for account manager communications, billing questions, EMR support requests, and anything requiring a documented exchange between your practice and StrataPT.
Access tickets from the **Get Help** section on your Menu Bar, or click the **Create Thread** button on the Dashboard.
**Access:** All staff without the "Limit Messaging Access" restriction can view and create tickets. Admin-level tickets (Practice Administrator and above) are visible only to those with the appropriate permission level.
***
## Creating a New Ticket
There are two ways to start a new ticket:
1. Click **Get Help** in the Menu Bar, then click the green **Create New Message Thread** button
2. From the Dashboard, click **Create Thread**
When creating a ticket, select the correct **ticket type** — this routes your ticket to the right team. Sending to the wrong department causes delays.
***
## Routing Guide
| Issue Type | Route To |
| - | - |
| Billing, Claims Processing, Policies, Authorizations, Credentialing Holds | **Billing/Patient** |
| EMR setup, Templates, Documentation Questions, Training | **Customer Success** |
| Technical Issues, Unexpected Behaviors | **Technical Support Inquiry** |
| Ideas for future additions to StrataEMR (this leads to the Feedback portal) | **Product Feedback** |
During your first 30–60 days (Hypercare), the **Customer Success** queue will be the fastest way to reach your account manager. For urgent issues, create a ticket directly rather than waiting for your scheduled check-in call.
***
## Linking a Patient to a Thread
When your ticket is about a specific patient, always link that patient account to the thread using the patient dropdown when creating the message. This allows StrataPT staff to immediately access the correct record without having to ask.
If the patient has multiple accounts, make sure to select the specific account you are inquiring about. Click **Show All** in the patient dropdown if the patient doesn't appear — the dropdown defaults to the active patient list only.
***
## Controlling Who Can See a Ticket
When creating a new message thread, a **Visible To** field lets you control who at your practice can see the ticket. The options are:
* **Only Me** — Only you can see the thread
* **Individual staff member names** — Selecting a specific person's name makes the ticket visible only to that person
* **Roles** — Anyone in Practice, Business Owners Only, Clinical Only, Admins Only
**Selecting a staff member's name removes your own visibility.** If you choose a specific staff member from the list, that person becomes the only one who can see the ticket — you will no longer be able to view it yourself after creating it. This is a common source of confusion. If you want a ticket to be visible to yourself and others, select a **Role** instead of a name. For example, choosing **Anyone in Practice** means all staff at your organization can see and access the thread.
***
## Searching Existing Tickets
Before creating a new message thread, search existing threads using the subject line search to see if the question has already been addressed. This helps avoid duplicate threads and keeps your message history organized.
***
## Overdue Tickets
StrataPT may place a **response required** timeframe on certain ticket threads — ranging from 4 hours to 14 days depending on urgency. If a response is not received within that window, a red **Overdue** warning appears on the thread.
An overdue ticket **prevents you from starting new ticket threads** until a response is provided. Responding to the overdue thread clears the restriction.
**Check Messages regularly.** Overdue messages can block new thread creation, which can delay time-sensitive requests like EOB submissions or authorization questions. Responding promptly keeps your message platform open.
***
## Phone Support
In addition to messaging, StrataPT support is available by phone at **866-281-7636**.
# Appointment Reminders
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/appointment-reminders
How StrataEMR appointment reminders work — enabling reminders per patient, customizing reminder scripts, testing delivery, and managing SMS opt-outs.
StrataEMR sends automated appointment reminders to patients via text, email, and voice. Reminders are configured practice-wide in the Setup area, and enabled per patient on their individual account. Once enabled, reminders send automatically each day for any patient who is on the schedule and subscribed. Automated appointment reminders reduce no-shows and cancellations, freeing your staff from manual confirmation calls.
**Access:** Configuring practice-wide reminder settings requires **Therapy Director** permissions or above (blue menu bar > **Settings** > **Patient Engagement**). Enabling reminders on individual patient accounts is available to all staff.
***
## Enabling Reminders for a Patient
Patients are **not subscribed to appointment reminders by default.** Staff must manually opt each patient in to avoid carrier spam filtering issues.
To enable reminders for a patient, navigate to their case: **Patient Menu Bar > Patient Info > Patient Engagement**. Toggle the patient to subscribed and select their preferred reminder method — text, email, voice, or a combination.
The reminder type can also be set from the patient's **Demographics** page using the Appointment Reminders dropdown.
**Patients are unsubscribed by default.** This is intentional — bulk-subscribing patients without explicit consent increases the risk of messages being flagged as spam by carriers. Subscribe patients individually at intake or at their first visit.
***
## Reminder Channels
* **Text (SMS)** — The most commonly used channel. Reminders are delivered as one-way SMS messages. Patients cannot reply to text reminders.
* **Email** — Delivered to the email address on the patient's Demographics page.
* **Voice** — An automated phone call delivered to the patient's phone number on file.
All three channels can be active simultaneously for a single patient.
***
## Practice-Wide Settings
Reminder scripts, lead times, and delivery times are configured at the practice level: **Menu Bar > Settings > Patient Engagement**.
Settings you can configure:
* **Script content** — The message text for each reminder type. Use the special keywords described in the legend to auto-populate patient name, appointment date and time, facility address, and contact information.
* **Lead time** — How far in advance the reminder is sent. The default is 1 day in advance.
* **Approximate delivery time** — The time of day reminders go out. The default is 3 PM.
Click **Save** after making any changes. Updates take effect at the next scheduled reminder delivery.
***
## Patient Confirmation and Check-In
By including the special keyword `ConfirmationLink` in your reminder script, StrataEMR adds a direct link to the reminder message. When the patient clicks **Confirm My Appointment**, their schedule status updates automatically from **Scheduled** to **Confirmed**.
This gives front desk staff real-time visibility into which patients have confirmed before the day of the appointment.
***
## Testing Reminders
Each reminder type has a **Test** button in the Setup area. Before going live with changes to your reminder scripts, use the test functions to verify delivery:
* **Voice** — Enter a phone number in the **Place a Test Call To** field and click **Place Test Call**. You'll receive the call at that number.
* **Text** — Enter a phone number next to the text test button and send a test message.
* **Email** — Enter an email address next to the email test button and send a test message.
**Always test after editing scripts.** Special keywords pull dynamic content (patient name, appointment time, facility info) that varies in length. The keyword itself is short, but the populated content may push a text message over the 160-character limit. Test with realistic data to verify the full message length.
***
## Text Message Considerations
### 160-Character Limit
SMS messages have a general limit of 160 characters, including line breaks. While some phones and carriers can reassemble split messages, this is not guaranteed. Keep text reminder scripts at 160 characters or under to maximize reliable delivery.
When using special keywords, the character count is based on the populated content — not the keyword length itself. For example, a keyword that inserts a full facility name and address may be much longer than the keyword suggests. Always test with real content before deploying.
### SMS Opt-Outs
If a patient replies **STOP** (or an equivalent) to a text reminder, they are automatically opted out of all future SMS reminders. StrataEMR cannot re-enable messaging for that patient without their consent.
When a patient opts out:
* Appointment reminders are automatically turned off for that patient
* A task is created on the dashboard: *"Received mobile unsubscribe request for \[phone number]"*
To re-enable text reminders, the patient must reply **UNSTOP** to a reminder message or contact their carrier directly to reverse the opt-out. Once they have done so, the appointment reminder setting on their Demographics page must also be re-activated manually.
### Voice Reminder Cutoff
Occasionally patients report that voice reminders are cut off at the beginning of the message. This is caused by variability in how different voicemail systems detect the start of a recording. To work around this, **duplicate the script** in the reminder setup — the second pass of the message will be heard in full even if the voicemail picks up late.
***
## Emergency Notifications
When your clinic needs to communicate an unexpected closure or change, Emergency Notifications mode temporarily replaces regular appointment reminders with a custom one-time message.
To activate: **Menu Bar > Settings > Patient Engagement** → select **Emergency Notifications** from the **Current Reminder Mode** dropdown. Enter a custom message script and/or phone script, then manually send using the **Send Messages** or **Place Calls** buttons.
Emergency notifications are limited to once per day and are not sent automatically — they require manual triggering each time.
**Use Emergency Notifications sparingly.** Frequent use of mass messaging increases the risk of messages being flagged as spam by carriers, which can affect your regular reminder deliverability.
***
# Balance Alerts
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/balance-alerts
Automatically notify patients by text or email when they have an outstanding balance, with a link to view and pay through the patient portal.
Balance alerts are automated text or email notifications that let patients know they have an outstanding balance and direct them to the patient portal to pay. They run on a configurable schedule and stop automatically once the patient's balance clears.
**Access:** Configuring practice-wide balance alert settings requires **Therapy Director** permissions or above (blue menu bar > **Settings** > **Patient Engagement**). Enabling reminders on individual patient accounts is available to all staff.
***
## How Balance Alerts Work
When a patient has a new financial responsibility recorded within the last 60 days, StrataEMR sends them a balance alert at the frequency you have configured — either every two weeks or every 30 days. The alert includes a link to the patient portal where they can view their balance and pay online.
For example, if a patient owes \$100 after a visit, they receive an alert on the configured schedule until either the balance is paid or 60 days have passed with no new financial activity. If no new charges appear after 60 days, alerts stop until new financial responsibility is recorded.
**Balance alerts require Authorize.net to accept online payments.** Without an active Authorize.net integration, the portal link directs patients to call your office to pay by phone. See [Credit Card Processing](/documentation/settings/credit-card-processing) for setup details.
***
## Configure Alert Frequency (Practice-Wide)
The default alert frequency is set at the practice level in Patient Engagement settings.
1. From the blue **Menu Bar**, select **Settings**.
2. In the left column, select **Patient Engagement**.
3. Under the balance alerts section, select your preferred frequency: **Every two weeks**, **Every Month**, or **Don't Send**.
4. Click **Save**.
This setting applies as the default for all patients. Individual patients can be opted in or out at the patient level.
***
## Subscribe a Patient to Balance Alerts
Patients start as unsubscribed by default. You must opt each patient in from their Patient Engagement screen.
1. Open the patient's account.
2. From the **Patient Menu Bar,** select **Patient Info**.
3. Select **Patient Engagement**.
4. In the balance alerts section, toggle the patient's preferred contact method — **text** or **email** — to subscribed.
**Use the contact method the patient actually checks.** Alerts sent to an unused email address or an opted-out phone number will not reach the patient. Confirm the preferred contact at intake and keep it updated.
***
## The Patient Portal Experience
When a patient receives a balance alert, the link in the message takes them to their patient portal. There they can:
* View their current outstanding balance
* See their payment history
* Pay online if Authorize.net is configured
Payments made through the portal post to the patient's case immediately.
***
## Relationship to Patient Statements
Balance alerts and patient statements are separate but complementary. Statements are generated by StrataPT on a fixed schedule — typically at 30, 60, and 90 days after first patient responsibility — and are mailed or sent electronically. Balance alerts are more frequent, informal nudges that give patients early visibility into what they owe and an easy way to pay before a formal statement arrives.
If a patient's mailing address differs from their demographic address, an alternate statement address can be set on the patient's account. This affects mailed statements only — balance alerts always go to the contact method set on the Patient Engagement screen.
# Creating a Patient
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/creating-a-patient
How to create a new patient in StrataEMR — required fields, the step-by-step setup flow, adding via the schedule, and when to create multiple accounts.
Patients can be created in StrataEMR in three ways: through the **Patient Menu** for a full setup flow, directly from the **Schedule** for a quick add at time of booking, or by **Cloning** and existing patient's case for a new episode of care or discipline. All methods create a patient account and case — the full setup flow is recommended when you have time to complete all required details before a new patient's first visit.
**Access:** All staff can create new patients.
***
## Before You Start
StrataEMR uses a **red asterisk (\*)** to mark fields required to save the patient record, and a **red dollar sign (\$)** to mark fields required for charge submission. You don't need to complete everything at once, but billing cannot proceed until the dollar-sign fields are filled in.
**Minimum to save a new patient:** First name and last name.
**Required for charge submission** (marked with a red dollar sign \$):
* Date of birth
* Gender
* Address and phone number
* Home Facility
* Service Location
* Treating Therapist
**Service Location** options include: Office, Home, Telehealth (Patient Located in Home), Telehealth (Patient Not Located in Home), School, CORF, and Assisted Living Facility. Select the option that reflects where the patient receives treatment — this affects the Place of Service field on the charge advice of clinical documents.
**Insurance policies cannot be added until date of birth and gender are entered.** Complete those fields first if you need to add a policy immediately after creating the account.
***
## Adding Via the Patient Menu
This is the recommended path for new patients when you have their information ready. It walks you through each section of the patient setup in sequence.
### Step 1 — Demographics
Click **Add New Patient** in the Patient Menu to open a blank new patient case. The page defaults to the **Demographics** tab.
Fill in the patient's demographic information. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk. When complete, click **Save & Continue to Case Info** at the bottom of the page.
**Save & Continue is the only way to save a page.** Each section has a Save & Continue button at the bottom that saves the current page and navigates to the next section in the sequence. The sections can be completed in any order, but you must use Save & Continue to save your work on each page.
### Step 2 — Case Info
The Case Info page captures clinical and billing details for the patient's current episode of care:
* **Diagnosis codes** — Enter ICD-10 codes for the patient's condition. The order you enter them here is the order they appear in clinical documentation. Codes cannot be reordered within notes so it is important to preserve the correct order at the case level.
* **Script date** — The date of the physician's prescription or referral.
* **Referring physician** — The referring provider. Required for all Medicare patients. Once a referring provider is added, they can be selected for future patients.
* **Treating therapist** — The primary therapist assigned to this case.
* **Service scope** — Select **Habilitative** (helping a patient keep, learn, or improve skills) or **Rehabilitative** (restoring skills that have been lost or impaired). Some payers (notably Humana) require this to apply the correct modifier (96 or 97) to claims.
When complete, click **Save & Continue to Patient Engagement** at the bottom of the page.
### Step 3 — Patient Engagement
The Patient Engagement page is where you set up the patient's digital touch points before their first visit:
* **Intake forms** — Select any forms the patient needs to complete (registration, health questionnaire, consent, medication list) and add them to the queue. Send the forms via email, text, or share the portal link directly. Completed intake forms auto-populate the corresponding demographics and policy fields.
* **Appointment reminders** — Subscribe the patient to text, email, or voice reminders. Patients are unsubscribed by default.
* **Balance alerts** — Set the frequency for automated balance notifications.
When complete, click **Save & Continue to Policies** at the bottom of the page.
### Step 4 — Policies
Add the patient's insurance, self-pay, or financial arrangement using the **Add a New Insurance Policy, Self-Pay, or Financial Arrangement** button. Follow the prompts and complete all required fields.
Policy verification runs automatically when the policy is saved. Correct any verification errors and save again if needed.
Once saved, click the **Benefits** button on the policy to open the benefit verification screen. Fill this in as completely as possible — this information is used when submitting claims. If the policy requires authorization, an **Authorization** button will also appear; use it to enter the authorization limit.
***
## Adding Via the Schedule
When scheduling a brand-new patient on the fly, you can create their account directly from the schedule without leaving the scheduling screen.
1. Click into an open appointment slot on the schedule.
2. Click **Add New Patient** to the right of the Choose Patient field.
3. Enter the patient's key demographic information: first name, last name, home phone, wireless phone, and email address.
4. Complete the scheduling details, then click **Save Changes**.
The patient is now scheduled and a basic account is created. To complete the full patient setup, click the patient's name from the appointment to open their case and follow the steps from the Patient Menu flow above.
**Quick Add creates a minimal record.** The schedule Quick Add captures only what's needed to get the patient on the calendar. The full demographics, Case Info, and policy setup still need to be completed before the first visit.
***
## Cloning an Existing Case
If a patient is already in StrataEMR but needs a new account for a different discipline (e.g., adding PT to an existing OT patient) or a new injury, you should **Clone** the case. This saves time by carrying over demographics and insurance info.
1. Open the patient's existing case.
2. Navigate to **Patient Info > Case Info**.
3. Scroll to the bottom and click the red **Create New Case** button.
4. Optionally, set a **Custom ID:** Enter a label (e.g., "PT - Left Shoulder") to distinguish this account from the original.
5. **Select Items to Copy:** Check the boxes for the **Policies**, **Stored Documents** (like insurance card photos), and **Clinical Documents** (like Consent forms or Intake) that should carry over to the new account.
6. Click **Create Cloned Patient**.
7. **Update Case Info:** Once the new case is created, navigate to its Case Info page to update the Case Type (e.g., Physical Therapy), diagnosis codes, and referring physician.
**Tip:** Cloning ensures that universal documents like "Consent and Policies" don't have to be filled out twice by the patient, while keeping the medical records for different disciplines strictly separated.
***
## When to Clone a Case
StrataEMR uses a separate account per case — different injuries, disciplines, or episodes of care each get their own account. This is not optional: billing requires that each account have its own specific diagnosis codes, script date, and referring physician tied to the specific condition being treated.
**Create a separate account when:**
* A patient is being treated for **multiple injuries simultaneously** — each injury must be billed under the correct referring physician and diagnosis codes.
* A patient is receiving **PT, OT, and/or Speech services** at the same time — these cannot be documented in the same account. Separate accounts ensure claims are billed under the correct rendering therapist's credentials.
* A patient is **returning for a new episode of care** — use Create New Case from the existing Case Info page to clone the account for the new episode, then update the diagnosis codes, script date, and referring MD.
For Medicare patients, separate accounts by discipline also allow StrataEMR to correctly track each specialty's accumulation toward the annual therapy threshold and update the Medicare Tracker accordingly.
**Use the Custom ID field to label multiple accounts.** When a patient has more than one account, add a label in the **Custom ID** field on each Demographics page to distinguish them — common options include injury type, date of injury, specialty, or treating provider. This prevents staff from working in the wrong account.
***
## Patient Identification Number (PID)
StrataEMR automatically assigns a unique **PID (Patient Identification Number)** to every account at creation. The PID displays next to the patient's legal name on the Demographics page. When a patient has multiple accounts, each account has its own PID — StrataPT uses these to identify specific accounts when you contact support.
# Understanding the Clarity Panel and Patient Responsibility
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/financial/clarity-panel
Learn how StrataEMR's Clarity Panel calculates what a patient owes, why balances appear, and how to explain a patient's financial responsibility clearly.
The Clarity Panel is StrataEMR's financial summary for a patient's case. It shows what has been billed to insurance, what each payer paid, what was adjusted, and what remains as the patient's responsibility. It is the single source of truth for a patient's balance on any given date of service.
You will find the Clarity Panel inside the patient's case, in the **Financial** section.
**Note:** Not every staff permission level has access to the Clarity Panel. If you're interested in gaining access to the Clarity Panel, speak with your practice administrator.
***
## How a Patient Balance Is Calculated
Understanding how a balance reaches the Clarity Panel helps you explain it accurately to patients and catch errors early. StrataEMR processes each date of service in the following sequence:
1. **The claim is submitted to the primary payer.** StrataEMR submits charges based on the patient's verified benefits and your fee schedule. The claim is pending until the payer responds.
2. **The payer adjudicates the claim and returns a remittance.** The payer's response — called an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) or Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) — tells StrataEMR how much the payer is covering, how much was adjusted, and how much transfers to the patient or a secondary payer.
3. **Any secondary or tertiary payers are billed.** If the patient has additional coverage, StrataEMR routes the remaining balance to the next payer in sequence. This continues until all payers have responded.
4. **The remaining balance becomes patient responsibility.** Once all payers have responded, any amount not covered by insurance transfers to the patient. This is the figure that appears in the Clarity Panel as the patient's balance.
5. **Payments collected at time of service are applied.** Any amount you collected from the patient at the time of the visit — copay, deductible, or co-insurance — was held as unapplied funds until the claim finished processing. Once patient responsibility is determined, those funds are applied to the balance. If the collected amount exactly matches the responsibility, the balance reaches \$0. If there is a difference, the Clarity Panel will reflect it.
**Note:** This is why a patient may have a balance even though they paid at every visit. The amount collected at time of service is an estimate. The actual responsibility is not confirmed until the claim is fully adjudicated.
***
## Why a Balance May Appear Unexpectedly
The most common reasons a balance appears on the Clarity Panel when a patient believes they owe nothing:
**The deductible reset at the start of the year.** Insurance deductibles reset on January 1 for most plans. If benefit information was not re-verified for the new plan year, StrataEMR may have collected less than was actually owed for early-year visits.
**The collected amount did not match the adjudicated responsibility.** A copay is a flat estimate. Co-insurance is a percentage calculated after the allowed amount is determined. These figures can differ from what was collected, leaving a small remaining balance.
**A secondary payer did not cover the expected amount.** If a secondary payer denied a claim, paid less than expected, or the patient was not eligible on the date of service, the unpaid portion transfers to the patient.
**The claim was adjusted or partially denied.** If the payer applied a policy limitation — such as a visit cap, non-covered service, or medical necessity denial — the adjusted amount may transfer to patient responsibility depending on the case setup.
**A payment was posted to the wrong date of service.** If a patient payment was applied to a different visit than intended, an older date of service may still show an open balance. Check the payment history in the Financial section.
***
## Reading the Clarity Panel
At the top of the Clarity Panel you will find a header that shows the patient's current payers and their overall payment status.
* **Insurance Balance**: The amount submitted to insurance awaiting payment
* **Patient Balance**: What remains for the patient to pay
* **Insurance payments**: The amount received from all payers combined
* **Patient payments**: What the patient has paid toward this visit
The Clarity Panel displays each date of service as a row. For each visit, you will see:
* **Service Date:** The day the patient was seen
* **Codes:** The CPT codes billed for the date of service
* **Minutes:** The total number of minutes logged for the visit
* **Paid:** The amounts paid by primary, secondary, and tertiary payers, along with patient payments
* **Balances:** The current balance for the date of service. A balance of \$0 means the visit is fully resolved. A positive balance means the patient still owes an amount. A negative balance means an overpayment exists and a refund may be owed.
* **Status:** The current point in the payment process for this date of service
* **Spyglass Icon:** Click the icon to investigate deeper into the raw data for the date of service
**Note:** StrataEMR will generate a task automatically if an overpayment is detected 45 days after a claim processes. See [Patient Refunds](/documentation/patients/financial/understanding-patient-funds#refund-tasks) for how to handle refunds.
***
## Explaining a Balance to a Patient
When a patient questions their balance, use the Clarity Panel to walk them through it visit by visit. A useful script:
> "For your visit on \[date], we billed \[payer] \[billed amount]. They paid \[insurance paid] and adjusted \[adjusted]. The remaining \[patient responsibility] is your share based on your benefits. We applied the \[patient paid] you paid at the time of your visit, which leaves a balance of \[balance]."
If the patient disputes the amount, the next step is to check whether their benefits were verified correctly and whether the payer's remittance matches what is shown. Contact StrataPT Support if you believe the adjudication was applied incorrectly.
# Payment Screen
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/financial/payment-screen
Where patient payment amounts are surfaced in StrataEMR, how unapplied funds and claim adjudication affect a payment's status, and what each payment field means.
The payment screen is where front desk and billing staff record patient payments — copays, outstanding balances, or a combination of both. It's reached from the patient's Financial card, the Financial menu, or directly from the schedule.
**Access:** All staff can view a patient's case and the Policies page within a patient's case.
## How the Payment Screen Works
Recording a payment creates an accurate financial record for the visit and starts the payment application process (see [How Unapplied Funds Work](/documentation/patients/financial/understanding-patient-funds#how-unapplied-funds-work)). StrataEMR always tries to apply a payment right away — first to a balance on the date of service you select, and if none exists yet, to the oldest outstanding balance on the account.
A payment collected before its claim has adjudicated will often apply to an older balance in the meantime, then shift back to its intended date of service once that claim resolves and needs the funds. This is expected behavior — it keeps money from sitting unused while a specific claim is still pending.
A payment made against a balance that's already been billed — meaning the claim has already adjudicated and StrataPT has mailed the patient a statement — applies directly to that outstanding balance, since there's nothing to wait on.
## Where You'll See Payment Is Due
### On the Schedule
When you open a visit on the schedule by clicking the pencil icon, you'll see two amounts:
* **Collect** — what to collect for today's visit (the copay or coinsurance)
* **Balance** — the patient's total outstanding account balance across all dates of service
This is the natural moment to flag a payment when a patient arrives. When you move their status from **Scheduled** to **Arrived**, both amounts are visible so you can address them before the visit begins.
### On the Patient's Case
When you're inside a patient's case, the **Financial** card in the right sidebar shows the same two figures:
* **Amount to Collect Per Visit** with a **Collect Copay** link
* **Patient Balance** with a **Collect Payment** link
Both links take you directly to the payment screen.
The sidebar **Notifications** tab may also show a **Current Patient Balance Due** alert with a link to the payment screen, and the **Tasks** tab may show a task for an uncollected payment. That task resolves automatically once the payment is recorded against the correct date of service.
![Financial card showing amount to collect and patient balance]()
### From the Financial Menu
From anywhere inside a patient's case, hovering over **Financial** in the patient menu bar and clicking **Payments** takes you to the same payment screen as the sidebar links.
## Payment Fields
**Payment Date / Service Date:** The date the payment was collected and the date of service it should apply to. StrataEMR prioritizes the service date you enter; if no matching service date is found, the payment applies to the oldest outstanding balance.
**Amount:** The dollar amount collected.
**Type:** *(manual payments only)* Cash, Check, Credit Card (for cards run on a separate terminal), or Other. Selecting Other requires a description in the Notes field.
**Related to Invoice:** Set to **Yes** only when the payment is made in response to a statement StrataPT mailed to the patient. Because statements go out only after a claim has fully adjudicated, this in practice means the balance being paid is already adjudicated, so the payment applies directly to it. Set to **No** for time-of-service collections made before the claim has adjudicated; StrataEMR applies the payment to the best available balance right away and re-applies it to this date of service automatically once the claim adjudicates, if it's still needed there.
Note that if a patient's balance consists entirely of Point of Sale charges, StrataPT will not mail a statement for it.
**Notes:** Free text. For checks, recording the check number here is good practice for reconciliation.
## Payment History
The **Payment History** section at the bottom of the payment screen shows every payment recorded for the patient — date, amount, service date, payment type, notes, and whether it was related to an invoice. Payment records can be edited or deleted here if a correction is needed.
## Authorize.net and Online Payment Timing
If your practice uses Authorize.net for credit card processing, payments collected through the patient portal are batched on a schedule set by Authorize.net — typically within 1–2 business days. The payment appears in StrataEMR immediately after it's recorded, but the deposit to your bank account follows Authorize.net's settlement schedule. If expected deposits aren't showing up, confirm the payment processed successfully in StrataEMR before contacting Authorize.net support.
## Related
* [Collect a Patient Payment](/guides/billing/collect-patient-payment) — Step-by-step instructions for recording a payment through Authorize.net or manually.
* [How the Recommended Collection Amount Works](/documentation/billing/recommended-amount) — How StrataEMR estimates the copay and coinsurance amounts shown at check-in.
* [Copay, Coinsurance, and Deductible](/guides/billing/copay-coinsurance-deductible) — What each type of patient responsibility means and how it's calculated.
# Statements
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/financial/statements
What the Statements page shows for each patient, how the statement schedule works, and how returned or collections accounts are handled.
The **Statements** page shows the patient's current statement, a history of past statements, and the tools you need to handle a collections submission.
**Access:** Visible to all staff types. Statement generation itself is StrataPT-managed. Practices don't control the schedule or content, but can view, print, and re-send statements, and can flag an account as returned or sent to collections from this page.
***
## How Statements Work
StrataPT identifies patient balances weekly and mails a statement to any account that qualifies. A balance must be above \$10 to trigger a statement. A balance made up entirely of Point of Sale charges will not trigger a statement on its own - see [Point of Sale](/documentation/settings/point-of-sale).
The first statement goes out 30 days after patient responsibility is identified, if the balance is still unpaid. A second statement follows 60 days after the first (the 90-day mark) as a reminder. Each case is billed separately, so a patient with multiple cases could receive a separate statement for each one.
**Statements vs. Balance Alerts:** Statements are the formal, scheduled notice described here. [Balance Alerts](/documentation/patients/balance-alerts) are a separate, more frequent nudge sent by text or email.
***
## What's on the Statements Page
**View Current Statement** Generates the patient's current balance as a PDF, independent of the mailing schedule. Use this to hand a patient a statement on the spot, or to send one outside the normal 30/60/90-day cycle.
**Historical Statements** A list of every statement previously mailed to the patient. Each reflects the balance and information as it existed at the time it was sent — use them as a historical record only, not as a current balance. If no statements have been generated yet, this section will say so.
**Collections Agency Submission Date** A date field for recording when a patient's balance was submitted to a collection agency. Enter the date and click **Save**. This updates the patient's financial status and stops future statements from being generated for that balance — see [Who Can Configure This](#who-can-configure-this) below for what this does to reporting.
***
## Returned Statements
If a mailed statement comes back from USPS as undeliverable, the patient's financial status changes to **Returned** on the [Patient Balance Report](/documentation/reporting/practice-metrics#patient-balance-report). No further statements are mailed while an account is in Returned status.
To resolve it: update the patient's mailing address on their demographics page, then select **Address Updated. Re-mail Statement** from the Actions column on the Patient Balance Report. This triggers a new statement to the corrected address in the next cycle.
**Warning:** An account left in Returned status indefinitely will not receive further statements. Review the Patient Balance Report regularly to catch addresses that need correction.
***
## Disabling Statements
Statements can also be turned off entirely, at the organization, payer, or patient level, rather than just paused for one billing cycle. Reach out to your Customer Success Manager for details on the full procedure at each level.
***
## Who Can Configure This
Front desk and billing staff can print or re-send a current statement, and can update the Collections Submission Date, directly from this page. Disabling statements at the organization or payer level requires assistance from your StrataPT Customer Success Manager. Practices cannot change the underlying mailing schedule or statement content; that's StrataPT-managed.
# Understanding Patient Funds
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/financial/understanding-patient-funds
How StrataEMR holds, applies, and refunds patient payments — and what to do when a refund task appears.
Patient payments collected at the time of service are not applied immediately. StrataEMR holds them as unapplied funds until the claim has been processed and patient responsibility is confirmed. This article explains how that process works and what happens when a refund is owed.
**Access:** All staff can view a patient's case and the Policies page.
***
## How Unapplied Funds Work
When you collect a payment from a patient — such as a copay or estimated cost-share — StrataEMR doesn't wait for that visit's claim to finish processing before trying to apply the payment. Application runs continuously, using the best information available at the time.
Each payment is matched in two rounds:
1. **Same date of service.** If a balance already exists for the date of service the payment was recorded against, the payment applies there first.
2. **Oldest open balance.** If no balance exists for that date yet (for example, the claim hasn't adjudicated) the payment applies to the oldest outstanding patient responsibility on the account instead. This keeps funds from sitting unused while one specific claim is still pending.
Any portion of a payment that doesn't fully cover a balance continues down the list, oldest to newest, until it's exhausted.
**Payment application runs nightly.** If an insurance payment was just posted, matching may not be reflected until the following day.
## Payments Can Re-Apply Over Time
Because matching runs continuously, a payment's assignment isn't permanent. If a payment applied to an older date of service because its intended date didn't have a balance yet, and that date later adjudicates and needs the funds, StrataEMR automatically re-balances — pulling the payment back to its preferred date of service and re-applying the older balance elsewhere.
**This is expected behavior, not an error.** A date of service that showed as paid can later show a balance again if the payment covering it gets reassigned to a better match. The account's total balance doesn't change — only which date of service the payment is attributed to.
***
## Refund Tasks
StrataEMR runs an internal review 45 days after all claims on a case have processed. If any unapplied funds remain that cannot be applied to a balance, StrataEMR generates a system task notifying you that a refund is owed to the patient.
**Do not issue a refund without completing the associated refund task.** Refunds must be recorded in StrataEMR to ensure accurate balance tracking and correct invoice calculation.
To record a refund once the task appears:
1. Open the patient's account.
2. Select the **Financial** tab from the Patient Menu Bar.
3. Select **Refunds**.
4. Enter the date, amount, payment type, and any reference notes for the refund.
**Recording a refund task does not send money anywhere.** Completing a refund task in StrataEMR only balances the patient's account in your ledger, it does not contact Authorize.net or any other payment processor, and it does not move funds back to the patient. The **payment type** you select on the refund is a record-keeping notation only, not an instruction to a gateway.
You are still responsible for actually returning the funds to the patient, separately from this step. For example, by mailing a check or processing a refund yourself through your Authorize.net Merchant Interface. If the original payment was a credit card charge, see [Correct a Payment Charged in Error](/guides/billing/collect-patient-payment#correct-a-payment-charged-in-error) for how to process that refund in Authorize.net.
**When talking to patients about a refund, be specific about timing.** Telling a patient "we've refunded you" before the funds have actually been returned, via check, Authorize.net, or any other method, is a common source of confusion and complaints. Confirm the money has actually moved before communicating that a refund is complete.
***
## Dismissing a Refund Task Without Issuing a Refund
If a patient has a credit on their account but you are not ready to issue a refund, you can dismiss the task.
* Select the **No Refund Required** box on the refund task to mark it as completed without issuing a payment.
* If the patient is returning and will use the same account, the credit remains and will apply to future visits.
* If the patient is returning under a new account, contact your Customer Success Manager to transfer the credit.
***
## Requesting an Early Refund
StrataEMR generates refund tasks automatically 45 days after claims process. If a patient requests a refund sooner, or you need to issue one before the task appears, contact your Customer Success Manager via a StrataEMR ticket. The team will review the account and create the refund task manually if appropriate.
# Marketing Engagement
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/marketing-engagement
Why StrataEMR's patient engagement tools are designed for transactional messages only, and how to reach patients for marketing purposes.
StrataEMR's patient engagement tools — appointment reminders, balance alerts, and emergency notifications — are built for transactional communication. Each message type is designed to pass along time-sensitive information that a specific patient needs: an upcoming appointment, an outstanding balance, or a clinic closure.
**All users** can see this guidance. Sending marketing or promotional messages through StrataEMR's engagement tools is not supported.
***
## Why Marketing Messages Are Not Supported
Using StrataEMR's engagement tools for marketing or promotional purposes risks disrupting the transactional messages patients depend on.
Both individual recipients and telecommunications carriers can mark calls, texts, or emails as spam. Mass marketing messages — especially bulk outreach sent to many patients at once — resemble spam patterns that carriers actively filter. If a message gets flagged, it affects deliverability for all future messages from that channel, including appointment reminders and balance notices.
A missed appointment reminder or an unpaid balance left unaddressed because a message never arrived has a direct impact on your practice's revenue cycle.
***
## How to Reach Patients for Marketing
For marketing communications, use StrataEMR's reporting tools to export patient contact information, then send your campaign through a dedicated marketing platform outside of StrataEMR.
A staff member with reporting permissions can download the **Patient Email Report** from the Reports area. This report includes contact information for all patients and can be imported into a separate email marketing tool to create and send promotional messages as needed.
**Keep your marketing and transactional channels separate.** Dedicated marketing platforms (such as Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or similar tools) are designed for bulk outreach and include built-in opt-out compliance. This keeps your StrataEMR engagement channels reliable for the patient communications that affect scheduling and collections.
# Patient Engagement
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/patient-engagement
The Patient Engagement page in StrataEMR — where to manage intake forms, appointment reminder subscriptions, balance alerts, and patient portal access for each patient.
The Patient Engagement page is where staff manage all patient-facing communication and digital touch points for a specific patient — intake forms, appointment reminder subscriptions, balance alerts, and patient portal access. Patient Engagement consolidates everything that happens before and after the appointment into one place so that your front desk can focus on the patient in front of them.
Navigate to a patient's engagement settings from within their case: **Patient Menu Bar > Patient Info > Engagement**.
**Access:** All staff can access and manage the Patient Engagement page.
***
## What's on the Patient Engagement Page
### Intake Forms
The intake forms queue is where staff select and send electronic forms for a patient to complete before or at their visit. Forms available include:
* Patient registration / consent forms
* Health history questionnaire
* Medication list
* Any custom forms configured for your organization
To queue a form, select it from the available options within the **Patient Engagement Forms** family. Once queued, the documents appear in the **Documents Queued for Patient** section. Staff can send the forms to the patient via:
* **Email** — sent to the address on the patient's Demographics page
* **Text** — sent to the patient's mobile number
* **QR code** — the patient scans the code on screen to open forms directly on their device
* **Green "Complete Intake Documents Now" button** — logs out of the staff view and directly into the patient portal on the same device (useful for in-office tablet setup)
**Forms are case-specific.** The send link is tied to the patient's current episode of care, so forms are submitted to the correct case. If a patient has multiple cases, ensure you are on the correct case before sending.
Once a patient completes their intake forms, the submitted data saves to their account and is available to inherit into clinical documentation using the **Inherit Patient Intake** option when creating an Initial Evaluation.
### Appointment Reminder Subscription
This section controls whether the patient receives automated appointment reminders and via which channel. Patients are **unsubscribed by default** — staff must actively subscribe each patient.
Toggle the patient to **Subscribed** and select one or more delivery methods:
* **Text (SMS)**
* **Email**
* **Voice**
Reminders are configured practice-wide (scripts, lead time, delivery time) in **Menu Bar > Settings > Appointment Reminders**. The per-patient setting here only controls whether that patient receives them and how.
### Balance Alerts
Balance alerts notify patients of their outstanding balance via text or email. The frequency can be set to:
* **Every 2 weeks**
* **Monthly**
* **Off**
Balance alerts are separate from patient statements — they are a lightweight automated nudge rather than a formal billing document.
### Patient Portal Access
The Patient Engagement page also serves as the entry point for the patient portal. The patient portal allows patients to:
* Complete intake forms electronically
* View and pay their balance online
The portal link can be sent via email or text from this page. Patients can also scan the QR code displayed on screen to access the portal directly on their own device.
***
## How Intake Form Completion Works
After a patient submits their intake forms through the portal, the completed documents are saved to their account automatically. Staff do not need to manually import or attach them.
When a clinician creates a new Initial Evaluation and selects **Inherit Patient Intake**, StrataEMR pulls the submitted intake data — demographics, medical history, medications, allergies — directly into the corresponding sections of the evaluation document.
***
## Configuring Practice-Wide Engagement Settings
The patient-level engagement page controls settings for individual patients. Practice-wide configuration — reminder scripts, balance alert templates, marketing message content — is managed separately:
**Menu Bar > Settings > Patient Engagement**
From there, navigate to the relevant sub-section: Appointment Reminders, Balance Alerts, Marketing Engagement, or Emergency Notifications.
# Patients Overview
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/patients-overview
How patient cases are structured in StrataEMR and what each section of the Patient Menu Bar contains.
Every patient in StrataEMR lives inside a **case** — a single record that holds everything related to their care at your practice. When you open a patient, the **Patient Menu Bar** appears at the top of the screen, giving you access to all sections of their case. This article is a map of what lives where.
## Finding a Patient
There are three easy ways to find a patient in StrataEMR.
You can reach any patient from the search bar in the top right corner of StrataEMR. Search by first name, last name, or a partial match of either. If only one result matches, StrataEMR selects it automatically.
You can also browse patients from the Patient Menu by hovering over the person icon and selecting **Active Patients**, **All Patients**, or **Recent Patients**. Recent Patients shows the five most recently viewed cases for quick access.
Clicking **Patients** in the blue Menu Bar takes you directly to the Active Patients screen. This allows you to view all active patients, along with filtering options for facility and case type.
## Creating a New Patient
New patients can be created from the **Add New Patient** option in the Patient Menu, or directly from the schedule when booking their first appointment. The creation flow walks through Demographics, Case Info, Patient Engagement, and Policies in sequence — each step feeds into the next.
## The Patient Menu Bar
Once a patient is open, the Patient Menu Bar organizes their case into the following sections.
### Patient Info
**Patient Info** is a dropdown that contains the core details about who the patient is and the nature of their case.
* **Demographics** — Contact information, date of birth, gender, assigned facility, and treating therapist. This is also where you set the patient's appointment reminder preference and status (active, inactive, or referral).
* **Case Info** — Clinical and administrative details for the case, including diagnosis codes, referring provider, prescription date, and the Billing Plan of Care. A patient can have multiple cases — for example, separate episodes of care or different disciplines.
* **Patient Engagement** — Where intake forms are queued and sent to patients, and where appointment reminders and balance alerts are configured.
* **Policies** — Insurance policies, self-pay arrangements, and financial arrangements for the patient. This is also where benefit verification details and authorization limits live.
### Documents
**Documents** is where all patient-related files are stored, split into two distinct areas.
* **Clinical Documents** — Provider-created documentation including evaluations, daily notes, progress notes, and discharge notes. Clinicians complete and sign documents here; completed documents generate billing charges.
* **Stored Documents** — Uploaded external files associated with the patient, such as signed prescriptions, insurance cards, authorization PDFs, and paper intake forms. Files in the Additional Documentation subcategory are automatically submitted to insurance when clinical documentation is requested.
**Clinical Documents and Stored Documents serve different purposes.** Clinical Documents are created inside StrataEMR by your clinical staff. Stored Documents are uploaded files from outside the system. Front desk staff typically manage Stored Documents; clinicians own Clinical Documents.
### Financial
**Financial** is a dropdown that contains all billing and payment activity for the patient.
* **Clarity Panel** — A real-time view of every date of service, its billing status, and all payments and balances. The Clarity Panel is the primary reference for understanding where a patient's account stands at any given moment. Clarity Panel visibility is dependent upon individual user settings.
* **Payments** — Where patient payments are entered and managed. This page also displays a running history of payments made by the patient on this case.
* **Statements** — Historical patient statements generated and mailed by StrataPT.
* **Point of Sale** — For practices using point-of-sale items, charges for products and services can be applied here.
### Tasks & Contact
**Tasks & Contact** surfaces the patient-level view of all pending and completed tasks for this case, along with a full contact history log.
Tasks at the patient level mirror what appears on the dashboard, but filtered to this patient only. Common task types include Uncollected Payments, Draft Documents, Authorization Expiring, and Pending Intake. Most tasks clear automatically when the required action is completed.
The Contact History tab provides a timestamped record of all interactions associated with the case, including messages, faxes, and logged calls.
### Reports
**Reports** contains patient-level reporting available to any staff member.
* **Schedule + Receipt** — A printable overview of all scheduled visits and payments received. Includes a QR code patients can scan to add upcoming appointments to their phone calendar.
* **Benefits Confirmation** — A summary of benefit verification details for each active insurance policy.
* **Schedule Detail** — A list of all appointments and their statuses.
* **Itemization of Charges** — A detailed breakdown of all payments, adjustments, and balances by CPT code and date of service.
* **Patient Payment Application** — A summary of all patient payments collected and how each was applied.
# Add a Policy
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/policies/add-a-policy
Step-by-step guide to adding insurance, self-pay, and other payer types to a patient case in StrataEMR.
The Policies page is where all payer information for a patient's case lives. Before a clinical document can be completed and charges submitted, the date of service must be covered by an active policy. This guide walks you through adding a policy to a patient's case.
**Adding a policy changes how StrataEMR bills the case.** Every case begins as a self-pay case. When a non-self-pay insurance policy is added, the case permanently switches to insurance-rate billing — which affects how StrataPT invoices the practice each month. If you are unsure which policy type to use, check with your Practice Admin or StrataPT Customer Success team member before saving.
**Complete patient demographics first.** The Add a new policy or payer button does not appear until the patient's last name, first name, date of birth, gender, and treating therapist have been entered. If demographics are incomplete, StrataEMR displays a red alert with a **Fix It** button — click it to go directly to the demographics form.
***
## Navigate to the Policies Page
Navigate to Policies: **Patient Menu Bar > Patient Info > Policies**
***
## Select a Payer Type
Click **Add a new policy or payer**. A dropdown appears listing the available payer types. The type you select determines how StrataEMR handles billing behind the scenes — it controls claim submission format, billing order, and how patient responsibility is calculated.
| Payer Type | When to Use |
| - | - |
| Medical (Primary) | The patient's main commercial or government insurance |
| Medical (Secondary) | A second insurance that pays after the primary |
| Medical (Tertiary) | A third insurance that pays after secondary |
| Worker's Comp | Work-related injury billed to an employer's workers comp carrier |
| Liability / Auto | Auto accident or general liability claim |
| Attorney | Attorney billing where the attorney is the sole responsible party |
| Attorney (After Medical/Liability) | Attorney billing that should only be billed after other insurances are exhausted first (visible after a primary policy has been added) |
| Self-Pay | Patient pays directly with a flat rate or per-charge fee schedule |
| Financial Arrangement | A negotiated reduced rate applied after all other policies have processed |
***
## Understand the Self-Pay Case Indicator
StrataEMR surfaces the case's current billing rate type in three places — on the case header, on the Policies page, and inside the Add Policy form. Together they help all staff understand what type of case they are working in before making changes.
**Case header badge:** A badge at the top of every case displays whether it is currently billed at self-pay or insurance rates. This is visible to all users at all times, not just when adding a policy.
![Clean Shot 2026 05 15 At 10 02 45@2x]()
**Policies page alert (Practice Admins and Business Owners only):** Users with a Practice Admin or Business Owner role see an alert directly on the Policies page explaining the case's current billing rate and how StrataPT will invoice the practice for reimbursements collected on this case. There is a separate version of this alert for self-pay cases and for insurance-rate cases.
**Add Policy modal — contextual guidance for all users:** When you click Add a new policy or payer, a banner may appear inside the form depending on the case's current status.
If this case already has an insurance policy on file and you select Self-Pay from the dropdown, a yellow warning banner appears, with a quick link to clone the case.
> "To switch this case to self-pay, we recommend creating a new case without an insurance policy present. To create a new case, click here."
![Clean Shot 2026 05 15 At 10 07 46@2x]()
If this is a self-pay case that already has at least one policy on file and you attempt to add a non-contract policy, a blue informational banner appears. It explains that adding this policy will permanently switch the case to insurance-rate billing. Review the banner before saving.
If this is a brand-new case with no policies yet, no banner appears — nothing has been established yet.
***
## Fill In the Policy Details
After selecting the payer type, complete the policy form. Required fields vary by payer type, but all medical policies require a subscriber ID and policy start and end dates.
**Policy dates determine document access.** If a patient's policy has a start date of June 1 and you need to complete documentation for a May date of service, StrataEMR will not allow document completion until a valid policy covering that date is present. Correct the start date or add a policy that covers the gap before attempting to finalize documentation.
For **Medicare Advantage (Medicare Replacement Plan)** policies, enter the policy as Medical (Primary). When the New Policy form opens, locate the **Is this a Medicare Replacement Plan?** field and select **Yes**. This tells StrataEMR to bill the Advantage plan directly and formats the claim accordingly.
**Medicare Supplement plans are different.** Enter Medicare Supplement plans as Medical (Secondary), not as a replacement plan. Because Medicare Advantage cards look like standard commercial insurance cards, they are easy to misidentify — confirm with the patient or look for a Medicare contract or plan name on the card when in doubt.
For **Dual Eligible (Medicare + Medicaid)** patients, enter the policy as Medical (Primary) and navigate to the **Benefits** tab. Set the **Dual Eligible Plan** field to **Yes**. StrataEMR automatically generates the Medicaid secondary — do not manually add a second policy. If the Medicare payer does not process the Medicaid portion, set **Is this a Medicare Replacement Plan?** to **Yes** instead, then load the Medicaid processor separately as Medical (Secondary).
| Scenario | Policy Setup |
| - | - |
| Patient has a Medicare Advantage plan | Medical (Primary) → set **Is this a Medicare Replacement Plan?** to Yes |
| Patient is dual eligible; payer processes both Medicare and Medicaid | Medical (Primary) → set **Dual Eligible Plan** to Yes on Benefits tab; system auto-generates secondary |
| Patient is dual eligible; Medicare payer does not process Medicaid | Medical (Primary) → set **Is this a Medicare Replacement Plan?** to Yes; load Medicaid processor as Medical (Secondary) |
| Patient has traditional Medicare only | Medical (Primary), no additional fields needed |
***
## Policy Billing Order
If a patient has multiple active policies, StrataEMR bills them in the order they appear on the Policies page — primary first, then secondary, then tertiary. Contact your customer success team through the Get Help area if you need assistance with changing the policy order.
# Authorization Management
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/policies/authorization-management
Authorization tracking is one of the highest-stakes administrative workflows in a PT practice — an expired or untracked authorization means denied claims and interrupted treatment. StrataEMR manages this proactively: once authorization details are entered on a patient's policy, the system monitors visit usage against the approved limit and surfaces alerts through the task system before the authorization runs out, giving your team time to act before a claim is at risk.
Authorization settings cascade from the payer level down to individual policies — payer-level changes apply to all new policies created under that payer going forward.
**Access:** All staff can view authorization details. Entering and editing authorization information is available to all staff with access to the patient's Policies page.
***
## Accessing the Authorization Section
Navigate to a patient's case: **Patient Menu Bar > Patient Info > Policies**.
If the **Authorization Required** setting on the policy's Benefits screen is set to **Yes**, an **Authorization** button appears next to the **Benefits** button on the Policies page. If the Authorization button is not visible, Authorization Required is set to No on that policy's benefits.
Click **Authorization** to open the authorization entry screen.
![Policies page showing Authorization button]()
***
## Entering Authorization Details
![Clean Shot 2026 07 09 At 15 32 31]()
When authorization is obtained from the insurance, click the Authorization button as shown above and enter the following:
* **Authorization number** - The confirmation number provided by the payer
* **Start date / End date** - The date range the authorization covers
* **Type** - Visits or units (depending on how the authorization was issued)
* **Limit** - The number of visits or units approved
* **Notes** - Any notes that need to be documented with the authorization
* **Actions** - Upload a copy of the authorization to be stored along with the entered information
* **Code Selector** - Click all codes authorized under this authorization
**Note:** Authorization documents should be uploaded directly to the patient's Policy, not through the Stored Documents page. Uploading elsewhere won't clear the Authorization Required Documents task, and the claim will continue to show an error even though a file has been submitted.
**A visit limit greater than zero is required.** StrataEMR cannot track authorization usage without a limit value. If the insurance does not specify a visit limit, enter an estimated limit based on the patient's treatment plan frequency and duration. This allows the system to calculate available visits and trigger alerts correctly.
Once saved, StrataEMR tracks usage against the limit and displays authorization status in the Billing Alerts section of the patient's case.
***
## Stub Authorizations
A stub authorization is an automatic placeholder entered by the system when a policy requires authorization after a specified number of visits — for example, "authorization required prior to visit 6."
In this scenario, the first 5 visits can proceed without an authorization on file. A stub authorization is entered by StrataEMR to track those initial visits and alert your team as you approach the trigger point.
**Do not edit a stub authorization once the real authorization is obtained.** When the actual authorization arrives, click **Add New** to enter it as a separate record. Editing the stub can cause visit tracking errors.
***
## Entering Authorizations for Patients Mid-Treatment at Go-Live
If your practice is transitioning to StrataEMR and patients are already mid-authorization from your previous system, you'll need to account for visits that were already used before StrataEMR began tracking.
**Do not enter the full original authorized visit count.** Instead, enter only the **remaining visits** so StrataEMR tracks correctly from your go-live date forward.
**How to calculate the adjusted limit:**
If a patient had 15 visits authorized and 10 were completed in your previous system before going live in StrataEMR, enter a limit of **5** — the visits remaining at the time of entry.
Use the **Notes** field to document the adjustment so your team understands the context. For example:
> *10 visits completed prior to StrataEMR. Authorization limit adjusted to reflect remaining visits.*
**Editing existing authorizations after claims have been sent may result in payment delays or denials.** The authorization entry screen displays this warning. Only adjust authorizations at go-live before any claims have been submitted through StrataEMR for that patient.
***
## Retro Authorizations
A retro authorization is needed when a claim is denied because authorization was not obtained before treatment. When this occurs you may see a task generated to alert you. The process:
1. Go to the patient's Policies page and check the Authorization section
2. If no authorization exists, submit a retro authorization request to the payer
3. Document the action taken and expected timeline in the task notes
4. Defer the related task 3–5 business days while awaiting payer response
5. If the retro authorization is denied, escalate for write-off review
***
## Overlapping Authorization Dates
StrataEMR cannot correctly track visits when multiple authorizations have overlapping date ranges. Overlapping dates cause visit count miscalculations and can prevent documentation completion.
When entering a new authorization after an existing one expires, the new start date must be one day after the previous authorization's end date. For example, if the first authorization ended 1/15/2026, the next authorization must start 1/16/2026.
***
## Adjusting the Authorization Requirement
If a policy was set up with authorization required but it is not actually needed, the requirement can be turned off.
Navigate to the patient's policy's **Benefits** screen and toggle **Authorization Required** to **No**. This removes the hard stop that prevents documentation completion when no authorization is on file.
Authorization requirements can also be disabled at the **payer level** in the insurance setup — this affects all new policies created under that payer and is typically managed by StrataPT during initial payer configuration.
# Automatic Policy Validation
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/policies/automatic-policy-validation
One of the most preventable sources of claim denials is incorrect policy information — a subscriber ID entered wrong, a name that doesn't match the payer's records, or an inactive policy that slipped through. Automatic Policy Validation catches these issues the moment a policy is entered or updated, before a single claim is sent.
When you add or update a subscriber or payer number on a patient's policy, Mako AI runs a validation check in the background. Results return in about 10 seconds. If anything doesn't match what the payer has on file, an error appears directly on the policy.
**Access:** Automatic Policy Validation is enabled for all customers and runs automatically — no setup or activation is required. All staff can view policy validation errors and correct them via the patient's Policies page.
***
## How Automatic Policy Validation Works
Mako checks the subscriber and payer information against payer records the moment it is entered or changed. It looks for exact matches on key identifiers — subscriber ID, name, and date of birth. If anything doesn't match, an error appears on the policy using the same interface as Authorization Holds.
When a Policy Validation error is active, StrataEMR blocks documentation completion and claim creation for that patient until the error is resolved.
**Note:** Automatic Policy Validation is separate from benefit verification. Benefit verification confirms coverage details — copay, deductible, visit limits, and authorization requirements. Policy Validation confirms that the policy itself is accurate: that the subscriber ID and identifying information match what the payer has on file. Both must be complete before claims can move forward.
***
## When Validation Runs
Validation triggers automatically when:
* A subscriber number is entered on a new policy
* A payer is selected or updated on an existing policy
* A subscriber number is edited on an existing policy Policies already on file are not re-validated unless they are opened and saved with a change.
***
## Identifying a Policy Validation Error
Policy Validation errors appear on the patient's Policies page and look similar to Authorization Hold errors. You can confirm an error is from Automatic Policy Validation because the message begins with:
> This policy was validated on \[date] and returned the following error(s):
If the error message does not begin with this phrase, it is not a Policy Validation error — it may be a separate billing or configuration issue that needs a different resolution path.
Common validation errors include:
* **Invalid/Missing Subscriber ID** — The subscriber number doesn't match payer records
* **Name Mismatch** — The patient's first or last name doesn't exactly match what the payer has on file
* **Birth Date Mismatch** — The date of birth on the policy doesn't match payer records
* **Inactive Policy** — The payer indicates the policy is no longer active
* **Subscriber Not Found** — No matching record was found for the subscriber information entered
***
## Resolving a Policy Validation Error
1. Review the error message on the patient's policy to identify what didn't match.
2. Verify the correct information — check the patient's insurance card, call the payer, or use your eligibility tool.
3. Update the policy details in StrataEMR to match what the payer has on file.
4. Re-save the policy. Saving automatically re-runs the validation.
5. If the error clears, documentation completion and claim creation can proceed.
**Note:** If the validation result appears incorrect after you've confirmed the information is right, contact StrataPT Support and include the patient ID and the exact error text. Do not attempt to manually clear the error — re-saving the policy after making a correction is the only supported resolution path.
***
## Common Scenarios
**Nicknames and legal name differences** Mako looks for an exact name match with the payer. If a patient goes by "Kate" but the insurance card reads "Katherine," the validation returns a name mismatch error. Update the name in StrataEMR to match the insurance card exactly, then use the **Preferred Nickname** field for the name the patient goes by day to day.
**Transitioning to StrataEMR at go-live** When your practice imports existing patient data into StrataEMR, Mako runs validation on all imported policies. Some errors may appear on existing patients immediately after go-live — these represent real data discrepancies that should be resolved before submitting claims. Reviewing and cleaning up patient policy data before your import date reduces the number of errors you'll encounter on day one.
# Benefit Verification
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/policies/benefit-verification
Benefit verification can be one of the most error-prone steps in the patient intake process, and one of the most expensive to get wrong. Entering incorrect copay, deductible, or visit limit information leads to claim denials, delayed payments, and awkward conversations with patients who were quoted the wrong amount.
StrataEMR addresses this at two levels. For Medicare patients, benefit verification happens automatically - Mako pulls current coverage details and benefit usage the moment a Medicare policy is saved, with no manual entry required. For all other payer types, StrataEMR provides a structured workflow with a dedicated task system to make sure nothing gets skipped.
**Access:** All staff can view and enter benefit information.
***
## Accessing the Benefits Section
Navigate to benefits verification: **Patient Menu Bar > Patient Info > Policies**, then click the **Benefits** button on the relevant policy.
***
## Medicare vs. Commercial Payers
Medicare benefit verification is fully automated. When a Medicare policy is saved, StrataEMR pulls the patient's current benefit usage and coverage details directly — including remaining annual cap and copay information. No manual entry is required. The Medicare tracker updates automatically throughout the year as the benefit is used.
All other payer types — commercial insurance, Medicaid, workers comp, and others — require manual verification. Your team calls the insurance carrier, obtains the benefit details, and enters them into the Benefits screen. StrataEMR's task system keeps this process organized and accountable so nothing slips through.
***
## Entering Benefits for Commercial Payers
From the patient's Policies page, click the **Benefits** button on the relevant policy to open the benefit verification screen. Enter the details obtained from the insurance:
* **Copay** — Fixed dollar amount per visit, if applicable
* **Co-insurance** — Patient's percentage responsibility, if applicable
* **Deductible** — Annual deductible amount and how much has been met
* **Out-of-Pocket Maximum** — Annual cap and amount already met
* **Visit Limit** — Total visits allowed and how many have been used
* **Authorization Required** — Yes or No, and from which visit authorization becomes required
* **PCP Referral Required** — Yes or No, and whether it has been obtained
* **In/Out of Network** — Confirm the provider's participation status with this plan
After saving, StrataEMR automatically calculates the **recommended collection amount** per visit based on the copay, coinsurance, or deductible status entered. This value drives collection tasks for each appointment.
***
## Benefit Verification Tasks
When adding a new policy, you can opt to create a **Benefit Verification Required** task by checking the **Create Benefit Verification Task** checkbox next to the Save Policy button. This places a task on the dashboard under Billing Tasks, alerting your team that benefits still need to be obtained for the new policy.
This task workflow is optional, but StrataPT recommends using it any time benefits are not verified at the moment a policy is entered. It gives your team a structured, trackable reminder rather than relying on memory or manual follow-up.
### Benefit Verification Completed Tasks
Once StrataEMR completes a Medicare benefit verification on your behalf, a **Benefit Verification Completed** task appears on the dashboard. These tasks do not clear automatically — a staff member must review the entered benefits and mark the task complete manually. Keeping these cleared maintains a clean, accurate task list.
***
## Document Completion Block
**Pending benefit verification blocks documentation.** If a Pending Benefit Verification task is active on a patient's account, StrataEMR will not allow a document to be marked Complete until benefits have been verified and active coverage is confirmed. Verifying benefits before the first visit prevents unnecessary claim denials and payment delays.
# Policy Overview
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/policies/policy-overview
The Policies page is where all payer information for a patient is entered and managed. Every date of service requires an active policy covering that date before a clinical document can be completed and charges submitted. This includes commercial insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, workers comp, liability, attorney cases, self-pay, and financial arrangements.
Navigate to the Policies page from within a patient's case: **Patient Menu Bar > Patient Info > Policies**.
**Access:** All staff can view the Policies page.
***
## Adding a Policy
**Complete patient demographics first.** The **Add a new policy or payer** button does not appear until the patient's last name, first name, date of birth, gender, and treating therapist have been entered. Complete the patient's demographic information before attempting to add a policy.
![Clean Shot 2026 05 15 At 10 13 45@2x]()
Ready to add a policy? See the step-by-step [Add a Policy guide](/documentation/patients/policies/add-a-policy).
***
## Self-Pay vs. Insurance Billing Rate
Every case in StrataEMR begins as a self-pay case. When a non-self-pay insurance policy is added, the case permanently switches to insurance-rate billing. This distinction matters because it determines how StrataPT invoices the practice for reimbursements collected each month — self-pay cases and insurance-rate cases are billed at different rates.
StrataEMR makes the current billing rate visible in two ways on this page:
**Case header badge:** A badge at the top of the case displays whether it is currently a self-pay or insurance-rate case. This is visible to all staff.
**Billing rate alert (Practice Admins and Business Owners only):** Users with a Practice Admin or Business Owner role see an alert on the Policies page that explains the case's current billing rate and how StrataPT will invoice the practice for reimbursements collected on this case. There is a separate version for self-pay cases and for insurance-rate cases.
**If you are unsure which policy type to use,** check with your Practice Admin or StrataPT Customer Success team before adding a policy. Switching a case from self-pay to insurance rate is not reversible from the Policies page. See [Add a Policy](/documentation/patients/policies/add-a-policy) for guidance on what to do instead.
***
## Payer Types
The payer type you select determines how StrataEMR handles billing — it controls claim submission format, billing order, and how patient responsibility is calculated.
### Medical Policies
Standard commercial and government insurance — Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Medicare, Medicaid, and others. Enter the subscriber ID, policy start and end dates, and upload the insurance card.
Policy start and end dates matter for charge submission. If a patient's policy has a start date of June 1 and you need to complete documentation for a May date of service, StrataEMR will not allow document completion until a valid policy covering that date is present. Correct the start date or add an appropriate policy to cover the gap.
If a patient has multiple active policies, the order they appear on the Policies page determines billing priority. StrataEMR bills them in order — primary first, then secondary, then tertiary. Contact your Customer Success team through the Get Help area if you need help changing the policy order.
#### Medicare Policies: Replacement Plans and Dual Eligible
Two Medicare-specific configurations come up frequently when loading policies, and they're easy to confuse. Using the wrong setup affects how StrataEMR routes and formats the claim.
If a patient's insurance is a Medicare Advantage plan, enter the policy as **Medical (Primary)**. When the New Policy form opens, locate the **Is this a Medicare Replacement Plan?** field and select **Yes**. This tells StrataEMR to bill the Advantage plan directly and formats the claim accordingly. Medicare Advantage plans can also be referred to as Advantage plans. Medicare Supplement plans are different and should be entered as **Medical (Secondary)**, not flagged as a replacement plan. Because Medicare Advantage cards look like standard commercial insurance cards, they're easy to misidentify — when in doubt, confirm with the patient or look for a Medicare contract or plan name on the card.
Dual eligible patients have both Medicare and Medicaid coverage, processed by the same payer.
Enter the policy as **Medical (Primary)** and navigate to the **Benefits** tab. Set the **Dual Eligible Plan** field to **Yes**. StrataEMR will automatically generate the Medicaid secondary — do not manually add a second policy.
**If the Medicare payer does not process the Medicaid portion**, enter the primary policy as **Medical (Primary)** and set **Is this a Medicare Replacement Plan?** to **Yes**. Then load the Medicaid processor separately as **Medical (Secondary)**.
| Scenario | Policy Setup |
| - | - |
| Patient has a Medicare Advantage plan | Medical (Primary) → set **Is this a Medicare Replacement Plan?** to Yes |
| Patient is dual eligible; payer processes both Medicare and Medicaid | Medical (Primary) → set **Dual Eligible Plan** to Yes on Benefits tab; system auto-generates secondary |
| Patient is dual eligible; Medicare payer does not process Medicaid | Medical (Primary) → set **Is this a Medicare Replacement Plan?** to Yes; load Medicaid processor as Medical (Secondary) |
| Patient has traditional Medicare only | Medical (Primary), no additional fields needed |
### Workers Comp
Workers comp cases require a **date of injury** in addition to standard policy fields. Workers comp notes also typically require time in/out on each visit. Confirm your state and payer requirements with your account manager when setting up a new workers comp case.
### Liability / Auto
Used for auto accident and general liability cases. Claims are sent with clinical documentation automatically. In many liability cases, a patient will also have a commercial backup policy to cover treatment if liability benefits are exhausted — add this as **Medical (Primary Backup)**.
### Attorney
Use **Attorney** when the attorney is the sole responsible party. Use **Attorney (After Medical/Liability)** when the attorney should only be billed after other payers have processed first. For example, a patient with Allstate auto insurance and a BCBS commercial backup who also has an attorney would be entered as:
1. Liability / Auto — Allstate
2. Medical (Primary Backup) — BCBS
3. Attorney (After Medical/Liability) — Attorney name
### Self-Pay
Self-pay can be configured with a flat rate per visit or a rate per billing charge. The amount to collect displays automatically on collection tasks based on the rate entered. Self-pay is appropriate for patients with no insurance who are receiving standard PT services billed through CPT codes. For cash services that fall outside CPT billing, such as wellness visits or massage, use [Point of Sale charges](/guides/billing/wellness-visits) instead.
**Self-Pay is not the same as Financial Arrangement.** Self-pay is used when the patient has no insurance and is paying the full rate. Financial Arrangement is used when an insured patient has a negotiated reduced rate applied after their insurance processes. Do not use Self-Pay as a workaround for cash-pay patients who have insurance — this will affect how claims are submitted.
### Financial Arrangement
A financial arrangement is a negotiated rate that gets applied to the patient's balance **after** all other policies have processed. It is not billed directly — it caps how much the patient owes out of pocket on dates of service covered by the arrangement.
Common use cases include:
* Patients with high deductibles or high co-insurance who have financial hardship
* Patients where the practice has agreed to a flat rate regardless of insurance outcome
* Cases where the practice wants to ensure a patient is never billed more than a set amount
For example: A patient's insurance processes a date of service and leaves \$100 in patient responsibility. The practice has a financial arrangement for \$50 per visit. StrataEMR automatically adjusts the patient balance to \$50 — the statement will never reflect the higher amount.
Financial arrangements can also be set to **No Responsibility / Settle Balances** if the practice does not want the patient invoiced at all. StrataEMR runs a nightly process to apply adjustments — balance changes from a newly entered arrangement will not appear until the following day.
**Financial arrangements supersede flat rates.** If both a flat rate and a financial arrangement are in place, the financial arrangement takes precedence. Coordinate with your StrataPT Customer Success team when setting these up to ensure the configuration is correct.
***
## Recommended Amount to Collect
The Policies page also displays the **StrataPT Recommended Amount** — the per-visit collection amount calculated from the patient's benefit verification. This value is set by StrataPT based on the patient's copay, co-insurance, or deductible status, and updates automatically as claims process.
If a financial arrangement is in place, the recommended amount is automatically adjusted so the collection task never prompts for more than the agreed arrangement amount.
If your practice prefers to collect a different amount, enter it in the **Your Preferred Amount** field on the Policies page. This value takes precedence over the StrataPT recommended amount for all future collection tasks.
***
## Policy Start and End Dates
Every policy must have a start date that covers the dates of service being treated. If a policy end date has passed or a start date is in the future relative to a date of service, StrataEMR will prevent document completion for that date.
If a gap exists in a patient's coverage history, the appropriate policy or a self-pay arrangement must be added to cover that date range before the document can be completed and charges submitted.
# Searching for a Patient
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/patients/searching-for-a-patient
How to find patients in StrataEMR — using the search bar, patient lists, PID lookup, and advanced search flags.
StrataEMR offers several ways to find a patient depending on where you are in the system and how much information you have on hand.
**Access:** All staff can search for patients.
***
## Search Bar
The search bar is located in the top-right corner of every page in StrataEMR. It searches across all patient accounts — active and inactive.
**How search works:**
* Search uses **Last Name First Name** order, or a partial match against either name
* Typing only part of a name works — for example, searching `Chris` will return Christina, Christopher, etc.
* If only one patient matches your search, StrataEMR automatically opens that account to save you a click
* Search is not case-sensitive
**Examples:**
| What you type | What it finds |
| - | - |
| `Garcia Maria` | Cases where last name contains "Garcia" AND first name contains "Maria" |
| `gar mar` | Same result — partial matches work for both names |
| `Sample` | All cases where last name contains "Sample" |
***
## Patient Lists
Hovering over the person icon in the **Patient Menu** provides three list views:
**Active Patients** — Displays all patients currently set to Active status. This is the most common view for day-to-day use.
**All Patients** — Displays every patient account regardless of status, including discharged and inactive. Use this when you can't find someone in the Active list.
**Recent Patients** — Shows the 5 most recently viewed patient accounts. Useful for quickly returning to a patient you were just working on.
Clicking any patient name in these lists opens their Demographics page.
***
## Searching from the Schedule
When adding an appointment from the schedule, the patient search in the scheduling window only returns **active patients by default**. If you need to schedule a patient who is inactive, use the `/active` or `/inactive` flags described below, or reactivate the patient first.
After opening a patient case and navigating to the schedule, the last case you had open is available for quick selection via the icon to the right of the search field.
![Clean Shot2025 05 12at15 23 19 20250512 202354]()
***
## Searching by Payer
Payer names can also be entered in the patient search bar. Searching the name delivers all patients with a policy through that payer. Clarifying your search with the syntax options noted below allow more specific results.
***
## Advanced Search Flags
StrataEMR supports a set of search flags that can be appended to any search term for more targeted results. These are especially useful when a basic search returns too many results or when searching by insurance.
| Search syntax | What it finds |
| - | - |
| `Garcia /active` | Patients with last name containing "Garcia" who are Active |
| `Garcia /inactive` | Patients with last name containing "Garcia" who are Inactive |
| `Aetna /all` | All patients (active and inactive) with a policy payer name containing "Aetna" |
| `Humana /active` | Active patients only with a policy payer name containing "Humana" |
| `BCBS /primary` | All patients with a policy payer name containing "BCBS" in the primary payer slot |
| `BCBS /secondary` | All patients with a policy payer name containing "BCBS" in the secondary payer slot |
| `BCBS /tertiary` | All patients with a policy payer name containing "BCBS" in the tertiary payer slot |
**`/active` is the default when searching from the schedule.** The flags are most useful when you need to override that default or search by insurance from the dashboard search bar.
***
## Finding a Patient by PID
Every patient account is automatically assigned a unique **PID (Patient Identification Number)** at creation. The PID displays next to the patient's legal name on their Demographics page.
PIDs are particularly useful when a patient has multiple accounts — each account has its own PID, making it easy to identify the correct one when contacting StrataPT support or cross-referencing records.
To locate a patient by PID, enter the PID number directly into the search bar, including the "P" at the beginning of the number.
# Product Feedback
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/product-feedback
Submit feature requests, upvote ideas from other practices, and track what's coming to StrataEMR through the product feedback portal.
StrataPT uses a dedicated feedback portal to collect and prioritize product improvement ideas from customers. If you have a suggestion for a new feature, a workflow you'd like improved, or a change that would help your clinic, this is where to submit it.
**Access:** All staff can view and create product feedback ideas.
***
## The Feedback Portal
The product feedback portal is available at [**feedback.stratapt.com**](https://feedback.stratapt.com).
The portal is powered by Canny and is open to all StrataEMR customers. You can use it to:
* Submit a new feature request or product suggestion
* Browse ideas submitted by other practices
* Upvote ideas you'd like to see prioritized
* Track the status of requests that have been logged
***
## Submitting a Feature Request
**Do not include PII in feedback submissions.** All ideas and comments on the portal are visible to other StrataEMR users. Do not include patient names, dates of birth, record numbers, or any other protected health information. Do not include practice-specific details such as staff names, billing amounts, or internal account information.
When you submit feedback, include as much context as you can about the problem you're trying to solve — not just the solution you have in mind. Explaining the workflow gap or the outcome you're looking for helps the product team understand the real need and design a solution that works for more practices.
If you're experiencing a workflow issue and aren't sure whether to submit it as a bug or a feature request, see [Getting Help](/after-go-live/getting-help) for guidance on how to classify what you're reporting.
***
## Upvoting Existing Ideas
Before submitting something new, browse the portal to see if a similar request already exists. Upvoting an existing idea carries more weight than a duplicate submission — the product team uses vote counts to help prioritize the roadmap, and higher-voted items are more likely to be scheduled sooner.
When a highly voted item ships, everyone who upvoted it receives a notification from the portal.
***
## How Feedback Informs the Roadmap
StrataPT's product team reviews the feedback portal when planning future development. Requests are evaluated based on customer votes, use case frequency, and alignment with the product direction. Items that are accepted get linked to development projects and tracked through to release. Items that aren't planned for development may be marked accordingly, but they remain visible in the portal.
**You don't need to wait for the portal to raise a concern.** If you encounter an issue during a support interaction or call with your account team, your StrataPT contact can log feedback on your behalf. Either path gets the idea into the same queue.
# Referral Management
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/referral-management
How to use StrataEMR's Referral Management feature to track new patient referrals through the intake pipeline before they're scheduled.
Referral Management is a pipeline view that tracks new patient referrals from first contact through to scheduling. It replaces whiteboard and sticky-note tracking with a structured, sub-status workflow that keeps the front desk organized and prevents new patients from falling through the cracks.
Any patient with a **Referral** status on their Demographics page automatically appears in the Referral Management view.
**Access:** All staff can view and manage the Referral Management pipeline.
**Tip:** The referral list can be used for more than referrals. Direct access patients can also be set with a referral status if you'd like to track them through the intake pipeline.
***
## Accessing Referral Management
Click **Referral Management** by hovering over the person icon in the Patient Menu Bar. The view displays all patients currently in Referral status at your selected facility.
***
## The Referral Pipeline
Patients move through a series of sub-statuses as they progress from initial referral to scheduling. Examples of referral sub-statues:
| Sub-status | What it means |
| - | - |
| **New Referral** | Patient has been added; no contact made yet |
| **Initial Contact Made** | Staff has reached out to the patient |
| **Pending Verification** | Waiting for benefit verification to complete |
| **Pending Authorization** | Waiting for authorization to be obtained |
| **Ready to Schedule** | All prerequisites are met; patient can be scheduled |
Update the sub-status as the patient moves through the pipeline. This gives the front desk a clear view of what step each referral is at without having to open individual patient charts.
***
## Creating a Patient in Referral Status
When a new referral comes in, create the patient account as normal but set their status to **Referral** on the Demographics page before saving. This routes them into the Referral Management view automatically.
Building the case in Referral status allows you to enter demographics, policy information, and begin benefit verification without the patient showing up in the active patient list or triggering Unscheduled Patient tasks.
**Referral status patients are excluded from Unscheduled Patient tasks.** This prevents new referrals who haven't been scheduled yet from generating dashboard noise while they're still in the intake pipeline.
***
## Scheduling a Referral
When a patient is ready to be seen, update their status from **Referral** to **Active** on their Demographics page. The patient's existing case, policy, and verification details carry over — nothing needs to be re-entered. They will then appear in your active patient lists and can be scheduled normally.
***
## Front Desk Ownership of Fax Tasks
When a referring physician faxes over a referral, the associated fax tasks can be owned and managed by the front desk rather than clinicians. The front desk can view inbound faxes, attach them to the correct patient account, and move the referral through the pipeline — keeping clinicians focused on documentation.
# Organization Insights
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/reporting/organization-insights
The Organization Insights Report is StrataEMR's primary analytics report for practice owners and managers. It delivers a multi-layered snapshot of business performance across scheduling, billing, and collections — for any date range and facility combination you choose.
**Navigate to Organization Insights: Dashboard > Analytics > Organization Insights Report**
**Access:** Available to all users who do not have the **Limit Financial Features** restriction applied to their account. See [User Permissions](/documentation/settings/user-permissions) for more on permission settings.
***
## How Organization Insights Works
Organization Insights pulls five layers of practice performance into a single report: scheduled visit activity, billing output, top CPT code trends, payer and facility breakdowns, and payment collections. Together, they give you a complete picture of how the practice performed across any period — without having to cross-reference multiple reports.
The report supports custom date ranges, whether you're reviewing a single week, a full month, or several months at once. You can also filter by facility, making it equally useful for a single-location snapshot or a multi-site comparison. Every section is designed to stand on its own or be read together as a full picture of practice health.
***
## Schedule Insights
Activity based on how appointments resolved on the schedule for the selected period.
| Metric | What it shows |
| - | - |
| Visits Scheduled | Total appointments on the schedule for the period |
| Visits Billed | Appointments that resolved as completed visits |
| Pending Documents | Visits with documentation still in draft status |
| Cancellations | Appointments cancelled during the period |
| No-Shows | Appointments where the patient did not attend |
Schedule Insights can also break down daily visits by category — for example, separating commercial visits from Medicare initial evaluations — giving you a granular view of how your visit mix is distributed across the period.
**Drilling in:** Select the magnifying glass icon next to any metric to see the individual dates of service behind the number.
***
## Billing Insights
Revenue and productivity metrics based on charges submitted during the selected period, broken out by facility.
| Metric | What it shows |
| - | - |
| Revenue | Total revenue from billed visits for the period |
| Avg Units per Visit | Average billable units submitted per visit |
| Avg Charges per Visit | Average charge amount per billed visit |
***
## Top Billed CPT Codes
A breakdown of your most frequently billed procedure codes for the selected period, organized by facility.
| Column | What it shows |
| - | - |
| CPT Code | The procedure code billed |
| Avg Units | Average units billed per visit for that code |
| Avg Charges | Average charge amount per visit for that code |
***
## Facility & Payer Scenario
A breakdown of collected money organized by payer type, showing how payments are distributed across the different insurance and payment sources your practice serves.
| Payer Type | Description |
| - | - |
| Auto Insurance | Payments received from auto insurance payers |
| Commercial | Payments received from commercial insurance payers |
| Medicare | Payments received from Medicare |
| Self-Pay | Payments received directly from patients |
| Workers' Comp | Payments received from workers' compensation payers |
***
## Payment Insights
Total payments collected for the period, broken down by collection source and facility.
| Column | What it shows |
| - | - |
| Total Collected | All payments received for the selected period |
| By Source | Collections broken out by type (e.g., patient payments, commercial insurance) |
| By Facility | Collections broken out by practice location |
# Practice Metrics
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/reporting/practice-metrics
Reporting can be access by clicking on the "Practice Metrics" button located under the Analytics section on the dashboard.\
Reports are designed to be easy to read but just as importantly provide you with a clear snapshot of how your practice and staff productivity. Reports are selected using the "Report Choices" dropdown at the top of the Practice Metrics page.
## **PRACTICE ANALYTICS**
### **Schedule Analytics Report**
This report provides an overview of your scheduling performance for a selected week based on the visit frequency that is established in the plan of care for each patient.
The "Target" is defined as the visit frequency per week based on the established plan of care for each patient. For example, if the plan of care establishes 3 times a week for the next 8 weeks, the "Target" would be 3. The "Target" can be set for each patient by selecting the desired frequency from the "Visits Per Week Target" dropdown which is located on the patient case page. Once this field is selected and saved, the report will automatically be updated.
This report also provides a summary of the total number of Scheduled, Completed, Cancelled and No Show visits. These values are calculated based on the "Status" that is indicated on the schedule.
The percentage noted under the "Scheduled" column represents the percentage of total visits scheduled vs. the total visit target. The percentages noted under the "Completed", "Cancelled" and "No Show" columns represent the percentage of completed, cancelled and no show visits vs. your total scheduled visits.
The objective of this report is to identify any under scheduling trends for the current or upcoming week based on the target number of visits that you have established in the plan of care for each patient. If a patient is under scheduled (i.e. Target = 3 and the Scheduled = 1), the patient will be highlighted in red.
This report is based entirely on your schedule completion, not on documents or charges submitted.
### **Staff Productivity (by Service Date) Report**
This report provides an overview of the total visits billed, units billed, average units per visit and the top 10 billing codes submitted by each therapist. All values are calculated based on the charges submitted for each patient during the selected time period. Please note that the time period is based on the date of service and not the date of charge submission. Total Revenue is subject to change over time as more charges are paid by both insurers and patients.
### **Staff Productivity (by Charge Submission) Report**
This report provides an overview of the total visits billed, units billed, average units per visit and the top 10 billing codes submitted by each therapist. All values are calculated based on the charges submitted for each patient during the selected time period. Please note that the time period is based on the date submitted and not the service date. Total Revenue is subject to change over time as more charges are paid by both insurers and patients.
### **Visit Totals Report**
This report provides an overview of the total visits per month at the practice and staff level. All values are calculated based on the charges submitted for each patient visit during the calendar month. These values are calculated using the date of service and not the date of charge submission. If billing charges have not been submitted (i.e. document is in Draft status) for a date of service, the report will not include the visit in the total count until the charges have been submitted.
### **Visit Totals (by Facility) Report**
This report provides an overview of the total visits per month at the practice and facility level. All values are calculated based on the charges submitted for each patient visit during the calendar month. These values are calculated using the date of service and not the date of charge submission. If billing charges have not been submitted (i.e. document is in Draft status) for a date of service, the report will not include the visit in the total count until the charges have been submitted.
### **Payer Analysis: New Patients (by Payer Name) Report**
This report provides an overview of the top 15 primary insurance payers at the practice level for a selected time period. The value displayed next to each payer indicates the total number of patients that have that payer listed as their primary insurance. The number of patients for a selected time period is calculated based on the initial evaluation date.
### **Payer Analysis: New Patients (by Scenario) Report**
This report provides an overview of the top primary payer types, at the practice level, for a selected time period. The value displayed next to each scenario indicates the total number of patients that have that scenario listed as their primary insurance. The number of patients for a selected time period is calculated based on the initial evaluation date.
### **Payer Analysis: Total Payments (by Payer Name) Report**
This report provides an overview of the top insurance payers for a selected time period. The value displayed next to each payer indicates the total payments posted during that time period.
### **Payer Analysis: Total Payments (by Payer Name) Report**
This report provides an overview of the top insurance scenarios for a selected time period. The value displayed next to each payer indicates the total payments posted during that time period.
### **Charge Detail (by Date) Report**
This report provides an overview of all billing charges submitted for the entire practice on the selected day. This report can be used for charge reconciliation purposes to ensure that all patient charges have been submitted accurately to the StrataPT Billing Team. Please note that all billing information is delayed 24 hours.
## **PENDING CHARGES**
This report provides an overview of all billing charges that have been submitted, but not yet sent out on a claim. You have the option to remove the entire encounter and reset the relevant documentation to a draft status, for re-submission. If billing corrections need to be made to charges that are not present on this report, please contact your StrataPT Billing Account Manager as soon as possible.
## **FINANCIAL REPORTS**
### **StrataPT Invoices Report**
This provides a list of invoice details on a month by month basis. Click on the "View Details" link in the right hand column to view details on a date-and-patient combination basis. The sub-sections of this report include deleted payments, payments received from patients grouped by type, and refunds.
### **Patient Balance Report**
This report provides an overview of all outstanding patient balances after claims have been processed and/or paid by all insurances on file. The "Financial Status" column displays the statement status for each patient as "Current", "Past Due" or "Final Notice" which are defined as follows:
* *Current:* One patient statement has been sent. A patient with a current status may also be in the 30-day grace period.
* *Past Due:* A second patient statement has been sent with no payments made since the last statement.
* *Final Notice:* A third patient statement has been sent with no payments made since the last statement. Patient statements will no longer be sent to the patient.
* *Default:* The patient has received three patient statements with no payments made. Patient accounts that are in default status will no longer be sent a patient statement by the StrataPT Billing Team.
The "Most Recent Statement Date" reflects the last date that a statement was sent to the patient.
*30-Day Grace Period:* Please note that patient statements are not sent until 30 days after the first claim has processed and/or paid by all insurances on file which may result in no most recent statement date noted. After the first patient statement is sent, the date will be noted.
*Statement Frequency:* Please note that statements are mailed to the patient every 60 days after the first statement (unless the account is in default status).
### **Patient Payments (by Date Report)**
This report provides an summary of patient payments for the entire practice on the selected date range. Please note: Any patient payments that have been deleted will appear as a separate entry, rather than being removed from the original list.
### **Payment Detail (by Date) Report**
This report provides an overview of all patient and insurance payments received for a selected time period. Please note that this report should not be used for import and accounting reconciliation purposes between your bank account and your accounting software (i.e. Quickbooks). This report can be used as a reference but all imports and accounting reconciliations should be performed directly between your financial institution and your accounting software. The ERA and payment receipt dates are entirely dependent on the insurance and financial institution processing times which are both uncontrollable factors by the StrataPT Billing Team.
### **Accounts Receivable Report**
This will provide you with your outstanding/unpaid balances by insurance. This report will provide all of that information for you and allow you the ability to drill into the balances, patient accounts, and patient notes regarding the open balances. By clicking on the hyperlinked insurance it will display a list of patient names that are contributing to that outstanding balance, and from there you can click on the patient name to view their Clarity Panel (where any denials, rejections, follow up calls/actions, appeals, or pending efforts will be noted for your review).
### **Payment Summary Report**
This report provides an overview of the total insurance and patient payments received per month. All values are calculated based on the date that the payment was posted and applied by the StrataPT Billing Team. Please note that in some cases, the StrataPT Billing Team will receive an Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) a few days before or a few days after the date that the payments are received in your bank account.
For example, if an ERA is received by the StrataPT Billing Team on January 31, 2016, the payment may not be received in your bank account until February 4, 2016. Alternately, if an ERA is received by the StrataPT Billing Team on February 4, 2016, the payment may have been received in your bank account on January 31, 2016. As a reminder, the values noted on this report are calculated based on date the ERA is received and applied by your StrataPT Billing Team. All ERA’s are posted by the StrataPT Billing Team within 24 hours of receipt in order to maintain the highest level of efficiency with our billing process.
Please note that this report should not be used for accounting reconciliations between your bank account and your accounting software (i.e. QuickBooks). This report can be used as a reference only but all imports and accounting reconciliations should be performed directly between your financial institution and your accounting software. The ERA and payment receipt dates are entirely dependent on the insurance and financial institution processing times which are both uncontrollable factors by the StrataPT Billing Team.
### **Payment Summary (by Facility) Report**
This report provides an overview of the total insurance and patient payments received per month at the practice and facility level. All values are calculated based on the date that the payment was posted and applied by the StrataPT Billing Team. Please note that in some cases, the StrataPT Billing Team will receive an Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) a few days before or a few days after the date that the payments are received in your bank account.
For example, if an ERA is received by the StrataPT Billing Team on January 31, 2016, the payment may not be received in your bank account until February 4, 2016. Alternately, if an ERA is received by the StrataPT Billing Team on February 4, 2016, the payment may have been received in your bank account on January 31, 2016. As a reminder, the values noted on this report are calculated based on date the ERA is received and applied by your StrataPT Billing Team.
All ERA’s are posted by the StrataPT Billing Team within 24 hours of receipt in order to maintain the highest level of efficiency with our billing process.
Please note that this report should not be used for accounting reconciliations between your bank account and your accounting software (i.e. QuickBooks). This report can be used as a reference only but all imports and accounting reconciliations should be performed directly between your financial institution and your accounting software. The ERA and payment receipt dates are entirely dependent on the insurance and financial institution processing times which are both uncontrollable factors by the StrataPT Billing Team.
### **Payment Application Summary (by Staff) Report**
This report provides an overview of the total insurance and patient payments *applied* per month at the staff level. If multiple staff members are involved on a charge, the assisting staff member is credited. All values are calculated based on the date that the payment was posted and applied by the StrataPT Billing Team. **This report should not be used for reconciliation of any kind.** Patient payments are not applied until insurance processing has fully completed. As such, this report can differ from the date that funds are received by a large margin.
### **Average Reimbursement Per Charge Code Report**
This report provides an overview of the reimbursement received for charge codes, both in aggregate and per payer. As flat-rate payers will pay codes in an arbitrary manner, all flat-rate payers are excluded from this report. This report includes only charges that have completely processed through insurance, which have an adequate sample size for reliability, and includes charges created within the date range specified.
### **Average Reimbursement Per Payer Report**
This report provides an estimation of the average reimbursement received per payer for each visit. This estimation is created by using historical data from your individual practice, and includes the total visit receipts (primary, secondary, tertiary, patient). This prevents high-deductible plans from altering your estimates. Only visits that are paid-in-full contribute to this estimate. Pending balances are not included in the calculation. A minimum of three visits within the time period are required for an average to appear.
### **Charge Losses Report**
This report provides an overview of the income lost due to failure to obtain authorizations with the payers in question.
## **MARKETING**
### **Referring Provider Report**
This report provides an overview of your top referring providers and the patients that they have referred to your practice. The date noted under each patient reflects the date that the patient was entered into StrataEMR which is referred to as the "Date Created" field located on the patient demographic page. This report displays the total number of referrals/new patients for the selected time period. All referring providers are displayed in descending order by the total number of patients referred to your practice for the selected time period.
### **Patient Discharge Report**
This report provides a list of patients that have been recently discharged.
### **Patient Geography Report**
This report provides a visual overview of your patient's home zip codes in relation to that of your locations. The date range selects patients by their creation date. Patient zip codes are intentionally staggered to show multiple patients more clearly.
### **Patient Mailing List Export**
This will allow you to export a CSV file of your patient demographics at any time, which can in turn be used to import them into your customer relationship management software.
### **Referring Provider Mailing List Export**
This will allow you to export a CSV file of your referrals at any time, which can in turn be used to import them into your referring provider relationship management software.
# Practice Metrics Overview
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/reporting/practice-metrics-overview
StrataEMR's reporting hub — what reports are available, how to access them, and what each one shows.
Practice Metrics is StrataEMR's reporting hub. It gives practice owners and managers a clear view of how the practice is performing — from daily schedule activity to long-term revenue trends, payer reimbursement rates, and staff productivity.
**Navigate to Practice Metrics: Dashboard > Analytics > Practice Metrics**
Reports are selected using the **Report Choices** dropdown at the top of the Practice Metrics page.
**Access:** Most reports in Practice Metrics are visible to all users. Financial and Marketing reports are permission-gated — staff members with the **Limit Financial Features** modifier on their account cannot view them. See [User Permissions](/documentation/settings/user-permissions) for details.
**Weekly Practice Summary:** StrataEMR automatically delivers a high-level performance snapshot to your Business Owner's email address every Monday morning. This report is separate from the in-app reports below and does not require navigating to Practice Metrics. Learn more: [Weekly Practice Summary Report](/documentation/reporting/weekly-practice-summary).
***
## Practice Analytics
These reports cover scheduling performance, visit activity, staff productivity, and payer trends across your practice.
| Report | What it shows |
| - | - |
| Organization Insights Report | The primary performance report for your organization. Shows scheduled, billed, pending, cancelled, and no-show visits alongside billing insights including revenue, units per visit, average charges, top billed CPT codes by facility, and payment breakdown by payer type. |
| Practice Dashboard Report 2.0 | Visual graphs for top referrals and annual reimbursement averages by payer. Well-suited for presentations. |
| Practice Dashboard Report | The original practice-level performance dashboard. |
| Patient Satisfaction Report | Patient satisfaction scores collected from your practice. |
| Authorizations Overview Report | Active patients split into two views: those without a current authorization (name, ID, payer) and those with one (payer, date range, auth number, type, and units or visits authorized, used, and remaining). Use it to catch authorization gaps before they cause a denied claim. |
| Schedule Analytics Report | Target vs. actual visit frequency for each patient, based on their Plan of Care. Patients who are under-scheduled are highlighted in red. Useful for identifying schedule gaps before they affect revenue. |
| Schedule Reconciliation Report | A reconciliation view of scheduled vs. completed visits for a selected period. |
| Schedule Performance Report | An overview of scheduling outcomes — completed, cancelled, and no-show visits — across the practice or by staff member. |
| Schedule Cancellations Report | A breakdown of cancelled appointments, useful for identifying cancellation patterns by patient, staff, or time period. |
| Telehealth Eligibility Report | A list of patients and their eligibility status for telehealth services. |
| Staff Productivity (by Service Date) Report | Total visits billed, units billed, average units per visit, and top 10 billing codes per therapist — calculated by date of service. |
| Staff Productivity (by Charge Submission) Report | Same as above, calculated by the date charges were submitted rather than the service date. |
| Visit Totals Report | Monthly visit counts at the practice and staff level, calculated from submitted charges by date of service. |
| Visit Totals (by Facility) Report | Same as Visit Totals, broken out by facility. |
| Payer Analysis: New Patients (by Payer Name) Report | Top 15 primary insurance payers ranked by new patient volume for a selected time period. |
| Payer Analysis: New Patients (by Scenario) Report | Same as above, grouped by payer scenario type rather than payer name. |
| Payer Analysis: Total Payments (by Payer Name) Report | Top payers by total payments posted for a selected time period. |
| Payer Analysis: Total Payments (by Scenario) Report | Same as above, grouped by payer scenario type. |
| Payer Analysis: Monthly Payment Application (by Payer Name) Report | A monthly breakdown of payments applied, organized by payer name. |
| Charge Detail (by Date) Report | All billing charges submitted for the practice on a selected day. Use this for charge reconciliation. Note: billing data is delayed 24 hours. |
| Patient Discharge Followup Report | A list of recently discharged patients, used to track post-discharge follow-up activity. |
**Staff productivity benchmark:** A healthy average is 3.5–4 units billed per visit. An average consistently below 3 units may indicate underbilling and is worth a conversation with your StrataPT team.
***
## Pending Charges
| Report | What it shows |
| - | - |
| Pending Charges Report | Charges that have been submitted but not yet sent on a claim. You can remove an encounter from this view and reset the related documentation to Draft status for resubmission. |
***
## Financial Reports
These reports give you visibility into revenue, reimbursements, payments, and outstanding balances. They are the most commonly used reports for practice owners reviewing financial health.
| Report | What it shows |
| - | - |
| StrataPT Invoices Report | Month-by-month invoice details. Click **View Details** for a date-and-patient breakdown, including deleted payments, patient payments by type, and refunds. |
| Clarity Panel Summary Report | A summary view of claim activity and billing status across patient accounts, as tracked in the Clarity Panel. |
| Patient Balance Report | Outstanding patient balances after insurance processing. Shows statement status: Current, Past Due, Final Notice, or Default. |
| Patient Payments (by Dates) Report | Summary of patient payments received for a selected date range. Deleted payments appear as separate line items. |
| Payment Detail (by Date) Report | All patient and insurance payments received for a selected time period. For reference only — do not use this report for accounting reconciliation with your bank or QuickBooks. |
| Point of Sale Summary Report | A summary of point-of-sale patient payments collected at your practice locations. |
| Patient Financial Arrangements Report | An overview of payment arrangements set up for patients with outstanding balances. |
| Patient Credit Balances Report | A list of patients with credit balances on their accounts. |
| Accounts Receivable Report | Outstanding unpaid balances organized by insurance. Click any payer to see contributing patient accounts, open balances, and notes logged by the StrataPT Billing Team. |
| Accrual Accounting Report | A report supporting accrual-based accounting, reflecting revenue earned rather than payments received. |
| Payment Summary Report | Total insurance and patient payments received per month, based on the date the payment was posted by the StrataPT Billing Team. |
| Payment Summary (by Facility) Report | Same as Payment Summary, broken out by facility. |
| Payment Application (by Dates, Staff) Report | Total payments applied per month at the staff level, organized by date. For reference only — not for reconciliation. |
| Payment Application (by Facilities, Staff) Report | Same as above, broken out by facility and staff member. |
| Average Reimbursement Per Charge Code Report | Reimbursement received per CPT code, both in aggregate and broken out per payer. Excludes flat-rate payers. |
| Average Reimbursement Per Payer Report | An estimated average reimbursement per visit, per payer, based on your practice's historical data. Particularly useful when renegotiating payer contracts. |
| Average Reimbursement Per Hour Report | An estimated average reimbursement per hour of treatment, based on your practice's historical data. |
| Charge Losses Report (by Dates, Staff) | Income lost due to missing or lapsed authorizations, broken out by date range and staff member. |
| Medicare Therapy Cap Report | A report tracking Medicare therapy cap utilization across your patient population. |
**Clarity Panel row limit:** The Clarity Panel Summary Report has a maximum of 10,000 rows. Larger practices running reports beyond a 30-day date range may hit this limit. If results appear cut off, narrow the date range or filter by facility.
**Accounting reconciliation:** The Payment Detail and Payment Summary reports reflect the date that an ERA was received and applied by the StrataPT Billing Team, which may differ from when funds appear in your bank account. Always reconcile directly between your financial institution and your accounting software.
***
## Marketing
These reports help you understand where your patients come from and support outreach efforts.
| Report | What it shows |
| - | - |
| Patient Geography Report | A visual map of patient home zip codes relative to your practice locations. |
| Patient Email List Export | A CSV of patient email addresses for use in email marketing or CRM tools. |
| Patient Mailing List Export | A CSV of patient demographics, formatted for import into CRM software. |
| Referring Provider Report | Top referring providers ranked by patient volume for a selected period, with a list of referred patients and their creation dates. |
| Referring Provider Summary Report | An aggregate summary of referral activity by provider for a selected time period. |
| Referring Provider Mailing List Export | A CSV of referring provider records, formatted for import into referral management software. |
***
## Census
These exports provide snapshots of your active patient population for reporting and analysis purposes.
| Report | What it shows |
| - | - |
| Census Export - Patient Demographics | A data export of patient demographic information across your practice. |
| Census Export - Patient Visits | A data export of patient visit activity for a selected time period. |
# Reporting Overview
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/reporting/reporting-overview
Where reporting lives in StrataEMR and what each category of reports covers.
StrataEMR's reporting tools give you visibility into how your practice is performing — from daily schedule activity to long-term billing and revenue trends. Most reports are accessible from **Practice Metrics**, which is reached by clicking the **Practice Metrics** button in the Analytics section of the Dashboard.
Patient-level reporting — statements, payment history, itemized charges, and benefits confirmation — lives on the individual patient case under the [Reports tab](/documentation/patients/patients-overview).
***
## The Dashboard
The Dashboard is the first screen you see when you log in and updates in real time throughout the day. It shows a snapshot of today's schedule activity — scheduled, completed, cancelled, and no-show visits — along with pending tasks and recent messages.
The Analytics section at the bottom of the Dashboard displays scheduling metrics for the day, week, and month, filterable by staff member. For deeper reporting, use the **Practice Metrics** button from this section.
***
## Practice Metrics
Practice Metrics is the main reporting hub for your organization. Reports are grouped into several areas.
**Schedule & Operations** — Schedule performance, visit totals, cancellations, no-shows, pending documents, and documentation status by therapist. The Schedule Analytics Report is particularly useful for tracking days since last visit and target versus actual visit frequency.
**Financial & Billing** — Revenue from billed visits, reimbursement rates by payer and by CPT code, payment detail breakdowns, outstanding AR, and charge submission summaries. The Average Reimbursement by Payer report is especially useful when renegotiating payer contracts.
**Staff & Productivity** — Staff productivity by service date or charge submission, including unit billing patterns and time-per-visit analysis.
**Patient Management** — Active patient insurance authorizations, discharge follow-up tracking, patient balance summaries, and referral source performance. The **Authorizations Overview Report** splits active patients into two views: those without a current authorization (patient name, ID, and payer, so you know who to follow up with) and those with a current authorization (payer, start/end date, auth number, type, and units or visits authorized, used, and remaining).
**Invoicing & Charges** — StrataPT invoice history, pending charges, write-off and charge loss tracking.
**Access to financial and marketing reports is permission-gated.** Staff members with the Limit Financial Features modifier on their account cannot view reports in Practice Metrics. See [User Permissions](/documentation/settings/user-permissions) for details.
# Weekly Practice Summary Report
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/reporting/weekly-practice-summary
A weekly email snapshot of your practice's key metrics — delivered automatically to Business Owners every Monday morning.
The Weekly Practice Summary Report is a high-level performance snapshot delivered automatically to your inbox every Monday at 7:00 AM ET. StrataEMR compiles and sends it — you do not need to log in or run anything to receive it.
Each section compares last week's numbers (Sunday–Saturday) against the prior week, so you can spot trends and flag issues without pulling a single report yourself.
**Access:** Only staff members with the **Business Owner** permission receive this email. It is delivered to the email address on file for your StrataEMR user account. Contact StrataPT support if you have the Business Owner permission but are not receiving the email.
***
## Practice Metrics
Your practice's core operational activity for the week.
| Metric | What it tracks |
| - | - |
| Scheduled Appointments | Total appointments on the schedule for the week |
| Billed Appointments | Appointments that were completed and submitted as charges |
| Evaluations | Initial evaluations completed during the week |
| Discharges | Patients discharged during the week |
| Pending | Appointments awaiting charge submission |
| No-Show | Appointments where the patient did not attend |
| Cancelled | Appointments cancelled by the patient or practice |
***
## Strata Metrics
A view into the billing and claims work StrataPT is handling on your practice's behalf. This section surfaces backend activity you would not otherwise see without digging into individual reports.
| Metric | What it tracks |
| - | - |
| Claims Processed | Total claims submitted on your behalf during the week |
| Denials Processed | Claim denials worked by the StrataPT Billing Team |
| ERAs Processed | Electronic Remittance Advices received and applied |
| ERA Payments Posted | Total dollar amount posted from ERAs |
| Manual Payments Processed | Manual payment transactions handled during the week |
| Manual Payments Posted | Total dollar amount posted from manual payments |
***
## Financial Metrics
A financial summary of the week's activity.
| Metric | What it tracks |
| - | - |
| Amount Billed | Total charges submitted for the week |
| Billed Units | Total billable units submitted |
| Billed Visits | Total visits submitted as charges |
| Avg Units per Visit | Average units billed across all visits |
| Avg Billed per Visit | Average charge amount per visit |
| Insurance Payments | Total payments received from insurance |
| Patient Payments | Total payments received from patients |
| Point of Sale Payments | Total payments collected at point of sale |
| Patient Refunds | Total refunds issued to patients |
| Accounts Receivable | Outstanding unpaid balance across all payers |
| On Hold Pending Client Action | Balances paused while awaiting action from your team |
***
## Drilling Into the Details
Every metric in the email links directly to its corresponding report in StrataEMR. Select any number to open the full report and investigate further.
**Share feedback:** Use the feedback link at the bottom of every Weekly Practice Summary email to share what's working or what you'd like to see added. You can also visit [feedback.stratapt.com/emr/p/weekly-practice-summary](https://feedback.stratapt.com/emr/p/weekly-practice-summary) directly.
***
## Related
* [Practice Metrics Overview](/documentation/reporting/practice-metrics)
* [Reporting Overview](/documentation/reporting/reporting-overview)
* [User Permissions](/documentation/settings/user-permissions)
# Adding an Appointment
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/schedule/adding-an-appointment
How to schedule patient appointments in StrataEMR — from the schedule, from a patient's page, recurring appointments, and appointment status flow.
Appointments are scheduled from the schedule calendar in StrataEMR.
**Access:** All staff can add and manage appointments.
***
## From the Schedule
1. Click **Schedule** in the blue Menu Bar to open the schedule calendar.
2. The default view shows the daily schedule for all staff assigned to the selected facility. To switch to an individual's weekly view, click that staff member's name at the top of the schedule.
3. To navigate to a different day, use the date selector above the staff member names.
4. Click on the time slot where you want to schedule the appointment. Available slots may be highlighted in a specific color depending on your schedule template setup.
5. Search for the patient by name and press Enter. If this is a new patient, click the **+** icon to add them to the system as you schedule them.
6. From the pop-up, select the **visit type**, **timing**, and whether this will be a **recurring appointment**.
7. Click **Save Changes**.
***
## Recurring Appointments
To schedule a patient for multiple recurring visits at once, select **Yes** in the **Recurring?** field when creating the appointment. Then:
* Select the days of the week for the visits
* Choose whether to schedule for a set number of weeks or a set number of visits (useful when working within authorization limits)
* Click **Save Changes** — all appointments are added to the schedule at once
StrataEMR will alert you if any of the recurring slots conflict with an existing appointment. You can still proceed with double booking on non-Medicare cases, but you'll be warned first. If a time slot is double-booked, an additional column appears on the schedule for that day.
**Modifying recurring appointments:** When editing a recurring appointment, you'll be prompted to change just that one occurrence or the entire series.
***
## Appointment Status Flow
Appointments move through a progression of statuses throughout the day:
| Status | What it means |
| - | - |
| **Scheduled** | Appointment is on the calendar |
| **Confirmed** | Patient has confirmed via reminder link or front desk update |
| **Arrived / Waiting** | Patient has checked in and is in the waiting room |
| **In Progress** | Treatment is underway; documentation has been started |
| **Complete** | Visit is finished |
| **Cancelled** | Appointment was cancelled; slot is freed and patient moves to the Cancelled section |
Copay amounts display on the appointment at check-in, making it easy for front desk staff to collect at the point of service.
***
## Cancelling an Appointment
To cancel a visit, change the appointment status to **Cancelled**. This removes the patient from the schedule slot and moves them to the **Cancelled Appointments** section next to the waiting list, freeing the time slot for another patient.
# Kiosk Check-In
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/schedule/kiosk-check-in
A self-service check-in mode that lets patients arrive, find their appointment, complete intake forms, and pay their balance, all without staff involvement.
Kiosk Check-In transforms a standard tablet or laptop in your waiting room into a self-service check-in station. Patients can tap in, complete intake forms, and access the payment portal on their own device or on yours.
**Access:** Any staff member with schedule access can activate Kiosk mode. No special permissions are required.
***
## How Kiosk Check-In Works
When you activate Kiosk mode from the Schedule, StrataEMR locks down access to the full EMR on that device. Patients see only the check-in interface. Your staff credentials and patient records stay protected.
Once a patient checks in, their status on the Schedule automatically updates to **Arrived and Waiting**. No manual update needed. Patients then have the ability to view any incomplete forms and outstanding copays and patient responsibility within their Patient Portal.
If your practice has multiple facilities, Kiosk mode applies only to patients scheduled at the facility tied to that device.
***
## Activate Kiosk Mode
1. Open the Schedule from the blue **Menu Bar**.
2. Click the **Kiosk View** icon in the schedule toolbar. The device immediately enters Kiosk mode.
![Kiosk View]()
**Clicking Kiosk View will log your staff account out of StrataEMR on that device.** The best method for Kiosk Check-In is a secured standalone tablet at your front desk.
***
## The Patient Check-In Experience
When a patient approaches the kiosk device, they see a **TAP TO CHECK-IN** button. Patients who prefer to use their own phone can scan the QR code displayed on screen instead. Both options lead to the same check-in flow.
![Check In Screen]()
After tapping or scanning, the patient is prompted to locate their appointment:
1. Enter first name and last initial.
2. Select the green **FIND APPOINTMENT** button.
![Appointment Check In]()
If a patient can't locate their appointment through the name search, they can select **VIEW ALL APPOINTMENTS** to browse the day's schedule.
***
## Complete Intake Forms
Patients can complete queued intake forms (registration, health questionnaire, consent forms) directly from the check-in flow. On a shared kiosk device, they scan a QR code displayed after checking in to pull the forms up on their own phone. Patients who already checked in on their own device via QR code are taken straight to their forms with a direct link. Completed forms automatically write back to the patient's demographics and case record in StrataEMR.
![Review Forms]()
To queue intake forms for a patient before their appointment, see [Patient Engagement](/documentation/patients/patient-engagement).
***
## Collect Payment at the Kiosk
After a patient checks in, they can access the payment portal to view and pay their balance. On a shared kiosk device, this means scanning a QR code shown on screen. Patients who checked in on their own device via QR code go straight to the payment portal through a direct link. Balance information will only be displayed if the patient has an existing balance or copay to pay.
***
## Exit Kiosk Mode
To return the device to full StrataEMR access, close the browser window and log back in with your staff credentials from the StrataEMR homepage.
# Manage Appointment Types
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/schedule/managing-appointment-types
How to create and configure appointment types in StrataEMR — colors, duration, encounter settings, Exclude Template Update, and Plan of Care eligibility.
Appointment types define the visit categories that appear on your schedule — Daily Visit, Initial Eval, Work Comp, Lunch, and any custom types your practice uses. Each type has configurable settings that control how it looks, how long it lasts, and how it behaves within scheduling automations.
Appointment type settings live in the schedule legend: **Schedule > Edit Settings** (under the Legend on the schedule calendar).
**Access:** Editing appointment types is available to all staff members, but caution should be taken when making updates. Appointment types are universal to all staff at all clinics in the account, so settings should be left to what is universally acceptable.
***
## Global Schedule Settings
At the top of the Edit Settings interface are two practice-wide settings that apply to all appointment types:
* **Time increment** — The number of minutes each block on the schedule represents (e.g., 15, 30, or 45 minutes)
* **Schedule hours** — The global start and end time for the schedule calendar
***
## Per-Appointment Type Settings
Each appointment type has its own row in the Edit Settings interface with the following configurable fields:
### Color
Two color settings control the visual appearance of each appointment type on the calendar:
* **Text color** — The color of the patient name and appointment details text
* **Box color** — The background color of the appointment block
Choose combinations that are easy to read at a glance. Some text colors can be difficult to read on certain background colors, so test the pairing before saving.
### Duration
The default duration for this appointment type in minutes. This value pre-fills when scheduling a new appointment of this type but can be changed on a visit-by-visit basis.
### Encounter
Controls whether this appointment type is expected to generate billable charges.
Set to **Yes** for clinical visit types (Initial Eval, Daily Visit, Re-Evaluation, etc.).
Set to **No** for internal blocks that don't involve patient treatment — lunch breaks, staff meetings, vacation holds, and similar non-clinical events. This setting affects reporting, task generation, and billing automations. Incorrect encounter settings on internal blocks can interfere with clean claim filing.
**Set Encounter to No for all non-clinical appointment types.** Internal blocks like lunch and vacation marked as encounters could generate unintentional tasks and affect billing reports. This is one of the most common configuration mistakes at go-live.
### Exclude Template Update
Relevant only for practices using [Schedule Templates](/documentation/settings/schedule-templates).
When the nightly schedule template job runs, it clears any empty, non-excluded slots and replaces them with the template. Setting **Exclude Template Update** to **Yes** on an appointment type prevents the nightly job from overwriting blocks of that type — even if they have no patient assigned.
Use this for lunch breaks, vacation holds, staff meetings, and any recurring non-patient block you want to protect from the nightly template rebuild.
### Plan of Care Eligible
When set to **Yes**, this appointment type is available for use in the Appointment Manager scheduling tool (in Early Access), which allows appointments to be booked as part of a patient's prescribed treatment plan.
***
## Best Practices
* **Create "Available" types for schedule templates.** For practices using Schedule Templates and the Appointment Manager, create neutral types like **Available 30** and **Available 60** to represent open slots. This gives the Appointment Manager visibility into bookable blocks and avoids tying templates to specific visit types.
* **Use consistent naming.** Appointment type names control how StrataEMR routes documentation from the schedule. Types containing `eval`, `progress`, `discharge`, or `plan` in the name trigger the Clinical Documents routing. Name your evaluation and progress note types accordingly.
# Managing the Waiting List
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/schedule/managing-the-waiting-list
How to use the StrataEMR schedule waiting list — adding patients, tracking preferences, moving patients to the schedule, and finding the next available slot.
The Waiting List on the schedule is a built-in tracking tool for patients who aren't ready to be scheduled yet — whether they're waiting for a cancellation, pending insurance approval, or awaiting post-surgery clearance. It replaces sticky notes and external trackers with a structured list that lives directly on your schedule calendar.
The Waiting List is located on the schedule next to the Legend.
**Access:** All staff can view and manage the Waiting List.
***
## Adding a Patient to the Waiting List
Click the **Add to Waiting List** button under the Waiting List header. A pop-up will appear where you can enter:
* **Patient name** — Search and select the existing patient. For new patients, click the **New** button to create their account from this screen.
* **Type of visit** — The appointment type they're waiting for
* **Staff preference** — The preferred clinician (if applicable)
* **Earliest time** — The earliest time of day they can be seen
* **Timing flexibility** — How flexible the patient is on timing
* **Day preference** — Preferred days of the week These preferences help front desk staff quickly identify the right slot when one opens up.
![Image 20250908 211120]()
***
## Editing a Waiting List Entry
To update the details on a waiting list entry — preferences have changed, insurance has been approved, or a note needs to be added — click the **pencil icon** in the top-right corner of the waiting list entry.
***
## Moving a Patient from the Waiting List to the Schedule
When a slot opens up and a waiting list patient is ready to schedule, the process is a quick two steps:
1. **Click the patient's name** on their waiting list entry. This opens their case and makes them your most recently viewed patient. Review their details and confirm everything is in order.
2. **Go to the schedule** and click on the appointment slot that matches their waiting list preferences. When the scheduling window opens, **select the most recently opened patient** — this auto-fills the patient's information, speeding up the process.
***
![Clean Shot2025 10 17at09 10 03@2x]()
***
## Finding the Next Available Slot
The **Find Next Available** feature helps you quickly find open slots without manually scanning the calendar. It surfaces the next 20 available openings based on the desired appointment type, clinician, preferred days, and preferred time range.
Once the list displays, click any opening to be taken directly to that day on the schedule.
# Schedule Overview
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/schedule/schedule-overview
How the StrataEMR schedule is organized, what it displays, and how its core features work.
The Schedule is where your practice's daily and weekly appointment activity lives. It's accessible from the blue **Menu Bar** at the top of StrataEMR and is the primary workspace for front desk staff and clinicians managing patient appointments.
The default view shows the daily schedule for all staff members assigned to the selected facility, organized in columns by clinician. Each appointment block is color-coded by appointment type, and status updates — from Scheduled through Arrived, In Progress, and Completed — are reflected in real time across the schedule.
***
## Schedule Layout
The schedule is built around a few consistent elements that appear on every view.
**The Legend** runs alongside or below the schedule and displays all active appointment types with their assigned colors. It also contains the **Edit Settings** button, where appointment types, colors, time increments, and clinic hours can be configured.
**The facility selector** in the upper area of the schedule controls which location's schedule is displayed for clinics with multiple locations.
**The date picker** displays the current date in view, along with providing buttons to navigate forward and back in the calendar. The red calendar button navigates back to the current day.
***
## Schedule Views
The schedule supports several views depending on what you need to see.
**Daily view** is the default. It shows all staff members at the selected facility in a side-by-side column layout for the current day. Click any staff member's name to switch to their individual weekly view.
**Weekly view**, accessible by clicking a clinician's name, shows a single clinician's schedule across a full week. Use the toggle at the top to move between staff members. Return to the daily view by selecting **Return to Day View**.
**Map view** is accessed from the map icon at the top of the schedule. It shows the day's appointments plotted on a map, with pins color-coordinated to each clinician. It displays drive times and distances between appointments, and surfaces route suggestions when a more efficient order is available. This view is designed for mobile and home-health practices.
**Mobile-friendly view** is accessed via the phone icon at the top of the schedule. It displays the logged-in clinician's agenda for the day — appointment times, patient names, and addresses — along with quick-action buttons for calling or texting patients, editing appointments, and starting documentation. Personal productivity statistics (units billed, mileage, pay) appear at the bottom.
***
## Appointments
Click any open time slot on the schedule to create an appointment. The appointment dialog lets you select the patient, appointment type, duration, and recurrence. Recurring appointments can be scheduled up to 52 weeks out.
If a time slot is already occupied, StrataEMR will alert you before allowing a double-book. Double-booked slots generate an additional column on the schedule for that time period.
Every appointment change — including who made it and when — is tracked in the appointment change log.
***
## Appointments for Inactive Staff
If a clinician is set to **Inactive** while they still have appointments on the schedule, those appointments don't disappear. StrataEMR moves them into a **No Staff** column so the visit history and any linked documentation stay visible and accessible.
This applies to both past and future dates. On past dates, the No Staff column preserves the record of who was seen and when. On future dates, it flags appointments that need to be reassigned to an active clinician before that day arrives.
Before making a clinician inactive, check their upcoming schedule and reassign any future appointments to another active clinician. This keeps the No Staff column limited to historical records rather than a backlog of unassigned visits.
***
## Waiting List
The Waiting List appears next to the Legend on the schedule. It tracks patients who are waiting for an opening — either same-day cancellations or patients pending insurance or surgery before scheduling.
Add a patient to the Waiting List by clicking the open space beneath the Waiting List header and filling in their preferences: provider, appointment type, earliest and latest acceptable times, and day preference. When a slot opens up, you can transfer the patient directly from the Waiting List to the schedule.
**The Waiting List does not automatically notify patients when a cancellation opens.** Contacting the patient to confirm is a manual step.
***
## Kiosk Check-In
The Kiosk allows patients to check themselves in from a shared device in your waiting room, or from their own phone via QR code. Launching the Kiosk switches the device into a restricted mode that limits access to the full EMR.
When a patient checks in, their appointment status updates to Arrived/Waiting automatically. After check-in, patients can also complete queued intake forms and pay their copay via a QR code scan-to-pay flow.
The Kiosk icon only appears on the schedule when a single facility is selected.
***
## Schedule Templates
Schedule Templates let you define repeating weekly availability blocks for each clinician. Templates are managed under **Setup > Schedule Templates** and must be enabled by StrataPT before they are active.
A nightly process clears empty template slots and reapplies the active template. Blocks that should not be cleared — like lunch breaks or time off — can be protected using the **Exclude Template Update** setting on the appointment type.
**Schedule Templates are required for the Appointment Manager feature to function.** The Appointment Manager uses available template slots to surface scheduling recommendations based on a patient's plan of care.
***
## Appointment Reminders
Appointment reminders are sent automatically each day for all patients on the schedule who have a reminder method set on their Demographics page. Reminder scripts, delivery method (voice, text, or email), and lead times are configured under **Setup > Appointment Reminders**.
Patients can confirm, cancel, or request to reschedule directly from a reminder message when the `ConfirmationLink` keyword is included in the reminder script.
# View Schedule as a Map
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/schedule/view-schedule-as-map
A map-based view of all daily appointments across clinicians, with distance calculations, schedule notes, and drive time estimates.
The schedule map view plots all appointments for the day on an interactive map. It is designed for practices with clinicians traveling between patient locations — home health, mobile therapy, and multi-site practices.
**Permissions:** All staff can access the schedule map view. The **View Only Own Facilities Schedules** permission modifier restricts which facilities appear in the facilities dropdown on the map.
***
## Open the Schedule Map
From the main schedule, select the **map icon** at the top of the screen.
The map defaults to showing all appointments for all clinicians for the current day. Each clinician is assigned a color, and their appointment pins on the map reflect that color so you can distinguish routes at a glance.
***
## Navigate the Map
* **Click and drag** to pan the map.
* **Ctrl+scroll** (Cmd+scroll on Mac) to zoom in and out.
* Use the **eye icons** below the map to show or hide specific clinicians or specific days.
***
## Appointment Timeline
Below the map, a timeline lists each clinician's appointments for the day in order. The timeline shows the distance calculated between each consecutive appointment location.
To schedule a new appointment directly from the map view, select the **plus button** at the end of a clinician's timeline row.
***
## Schedule Notes
Select the **spyglass icon** next to a clinician's name to open their schedule notes for the day. Schedule notes include:
* Total treatment time for the day
* Total drive time and downtime
* A fuel cost estimate based on the day's mileage
* Any flagged issues — for example, if the distance between two back-to-back appointments means the clinician may arrive late
* A suggested route, if a more efficient sequence of visits is available for that day
**The suggested route is a recommendation only.** StrataEMR does not automatically reorder or optimize a clinician's appointments. If a route suggestion appears, you can use it as a reference when manually adjusting the schedule.
# View Mobile-Friendly Schedule
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/schedule/viewing-a-mobile-friendly-schedule
A condensed, phone-optimized view of your daily schedule with patient contact links, documentation shortcuts, and productivity stats.
The mobile-friendly schedule is a phone-optimized view of your daily appointments. It is designed for clinicians who see patients in the field — home health, mobile therapy, and any setting where you're navigating between locations throughout the day.
**Access:** Any clinician can view their own mobile schedule. Therapy Directors and above can view the mobile schedule for other staff members.
***
## Open the Mobile-Friendly Schedule
From the main schedule, select the **phone icon** at the top of the screen. The view defaults to the agenda for the currently logged-in clinician for today's date.
***
## What You'll See
At the top of the screen, a summary preview shows the total number of appointments for the day along with the time of the first and last appointments.
Below the preview, the day's timeline lists each appointment in order. For each appointment, you'll see:
* Patient name
* Appointment time
* Patient address
* Action icons for calling or texting the patient number on file, editing the appointment, and beginning documentation
A map link is also available to view all appointments plotted on a map and get driving directions between locations.
At the bottom of the screen, personal productivity stats for the clinician are displayed. These include total units billed, total mileage, and total pay based on submitted encounters and the defined pay rate.
***
## Start Documentation from the Mobile View
Select the clipboard icon on any appointment to open and begin the clinical document for that visit. You don't need to return to the full schedule view first.
# Send Documents to StrataPT
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/send-documents-to-strata-pt
Any insurance paperwork your practice receives — Explanations of Benefits (EOBs), claim denials, refund requests, appeals, and other insurance correspondence — needs to be forwarded to the StrataPT billing team. Sending these documents promptly keeps AR follow-up on track and ensures payments are posted without delay.
**Access:** All staff can access the Upload page and submit documents to StrataPT.
***
## Upload Page
The primary method for sending documents to StrataPT is the **Upload** page.
**Navigate to Upload: Menu Bar > Upload**
The page uses a two-column layout:
* **Left column** — Instructions for what to upload, plus a multi-file upload area. You can drag files into the drop zone or click to browse. Multiple files can be uploaded at the same time.
* **Right column** — A table showing all documents you've previously submitted, including who uploaded each file and when.
Documents submitted through the Upload page are received as work orders by the StrataPT billing team, processed, and automatically classified into the appropriate team queues (payment posting, denials, AR follow-up, etc.).
![Clean Shot 2026 04 28 At 15 15 20]()
***
## Fax
As an alternative to uploading, documents can be faxed directly to StrataPT at **941-375-0460**. A cover sheet is not required.
***
## What to Send
Send all paperwork received from insurance companies, including:
* **EOBs (Explanations of Benefits)** — Send daily as received. Prompt submission allows StrataPT to post payments and follow up on denials efficiently.
* **Claim denials** — Any denial notices received by mail or fax
* **Refund requests** — Insurance requests for money back on previously paid claims
* **Correspondence and notifications** — Any other insurance communication that requires billing team action
**Do not send insurance paperwork through the Messaging platform.** Messaging is for account manager and support communication — it is not monitored for billing documents. Always use the Upload page or fax for insurance paperwork.
***
## What Happens If EOBs Are Not Sent
StrataPT requests that EOBs are submitted daily. If no EOBs are received for **10 days**, StrataPT will temporarily hold AR follow-up and patient invoicing for your account. A message will appear on your dashboard advising of the hold. Services resume once EOBs are submitted.
***
## Insurance Refund Requests
When an insurance company sends a refund request, forward the paperwork to StrataPT using the Upload page or fax. StrataPT will review the request for accuracy and determine the appropriate response.
If a refund is owed, StrataPT will send your office a message with instructions. Once your office issues the refund, enter the check number in the message thread to confirm it has been sent. StrataPT's payment posting team will then apply the refund to the account.
**Do not issue refunds outside the StrataPT workflow.** Refunds issued without completing the refund task or message thread cannot be tracked properly and will not be reflected accurately in StrataEMR or your invoice.
# Credit Card Processing
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/settings/credit-card-processing
How credit card processing works in StrataEMR through the Authorize.net integration — setup, storing cards on file, processing payments, and the patient portal bill pay.
StrataEMR supports integrated credit card processing through **Authorize.net**, an industry-leading payment gateway. The integration connects StrataEMR directly to your existing merchant account, allowing staff to store cards on file and process patient payments without leaving the EMR — and without entering the transaction separately in a merchant portal.
Credit card processing is an optional add-on. Contact your StrataPT account manager to get started.
**Access:** Processing credit card payments is available to all staff. Configuring the Authorize.net integration requires **Practice Admin** permissions or above.
***
## How the Integration Works
Authorize.net acts as the secure connection between StrataEMR and your merchant account. It does not replace your existing merchant account or change your transaction fees — all existing service terms with your merchant provider remain in place. Authorize.net simply provides the API layer that allows StrataEMR to communicate with your merchant account seamlessly.
Once connected, you can:
* **Store a patient's credit card on file** directly from the StrataEMR payment page — no need to re-enter card details at each visit
* **Process payments with one click** — the charge is applied and communicated to the StrataPT billing team in a single action
* **Enable patient portal payments** — patients can log in to the portal and pay their outstanding balance using a saved or new card
If Authorize.net is not connected, patient payments must be entered manually in **Financial > Payments** within the patient's case.
***
## Setting Up the Integration
To activate Authorize.net, you'll need credentials from your merchant service provider:
* **Authorize.net API Login ID** (not user name)
* **Transaction Key**
Once you have these, navigate to: **Menu Bar > Settings > Credit Card Processing**. Enter the credentials and click **Save**.
**Getting your credentials:** Contact your merchant service provider (e.g., your bank's merchant services department) to obtain your Authorize.net API credentials. Your StrataPT account manager can also help coordinate this during onboarding.
![Credit Card Processing tab showing API Login ID and Transaction Key fields]()
*The Credit Card Processing tab with both credential fields*
***
## Processing a Payment
Once the integration is active, patient credit card payments can be collected from the patient's **Financial > Payments** page. Copay amounts for scheduled appointments also display on the appointment for easy collection at check-in.
Payment applies to the oldest outstanding balance by default. If you need to apply a payment to a specific date of service, select that date before processing.
Receipts can be generated after payment via **Reports > Schedule and Receipt**.
***
## Patient Portal Payments
With Authorize.net active, patients can pay their balance through the StrataEMR patient portal. The portal link is sent from the Patient Engagement page via text or email. Patients can view their outstanding balance and pay with a saved card or enter new card details.
***
## Storing Cards on File
A patient's credit card can be saved to their account for repeat payments. Card information is stored securely through Authorize.net — StrataEMR does not store raw card data. Once a card is on file, staff can charge it without re-entering the card number.
# Documentation Templates
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/settings/documentation-templates/documentation-templates
A reference guide to every setting available on a documentation template in StrataEMR, including template type, document actions, and access controls.
Each documentation template in StrataEMR includes a set of settings that control how documents behave when clinicians use them. These settings determine what type of note the document produces, what happens automatically when it's completed, who can access it, and how it connects to billing and scheduling.
To reach template settings, go to **Setup** in the blue Menu Bar, then select **Templates Library** from the left-side menu. Locate the template you want to view and click the pencil icon to open it.
**Access:** Editing template settings requires Therapy Director-level access or higher. Clinicians with Clinical Staff permissions can use templates but cannot modify their settings. Contact your StrataPT Customer Success Manager if you need to change a template configuration.
***
## Document Family
Document Family groups related templates together within the Templates Library. StrataEMR uses this grouping to organize templates and control which are available in a given clinical context. Common families include Physical Therapy Templates, Occupational Therapy Templates, and Patient Engagement Forms.
This field is set during your account build. Fragments must also be assigned to the correct Document Family to inherit properly into templates within that family.
***
## Template Name
Template Name is the display name clinicians see when selecting a document from the patient chart. Names should clearly identify the note type and any relevant context — for example, "Initial Evaluation (Cervical)" or "Daily Note (PT)."
***
## Include Time In / Time Out
When set to **Yes**, StrataEMR adds Time In and Time Out fields to the top of the document. Clinicians record the start and end time of the treatment session.
Enable this for templates where timed services are being billed, such as therapeutic exercise or manual therapy. Some payers — including certain Medicaid plans — require time documentation on all note types. Practices that treat workers' compensation patients often enable this across all templates for consistency.
***
## Template Type
![Form dropdown for Template Type showing the options listed below in this section]()
The Template Type field determines how a document behaves when it is used - what UI elements appear, what billing logic Mako runs, and what case data gets updated on completion. It is set when creating or editing a template, and is locked once a document is started from that template.
**Template Type affects billing compliance.** Assigning the wrong type can cause documents to be missing required certification language or physician signature fields, which may result in claim denials. Confirm the type with your StrataPT contact if you're unsure.
### Daily Note / General Document
*(no certification or physician signature)*
The default type for treatment notes. No certification block appears. The document submits charges to billing when completed and applies standard billing validations (treatment minutes, 8-minute rule, plan of care date check). Does not update any case dates.
### Initial Evaluation
*(includes certification and physician signature)*
Displays the Certification of Medical Necessity panel with the physician signature block. On completion:
* Updates Initial Evaluation Date in the case to the document date
* Updates Plan of Care Certification Start to the document date
* Updates Plan of Care Certification Expires based on the certification period entered in the document
### Initial Evaluation New Case
*(includes certification and physician signature)*
Identical to Initial Evaluation in every respect. The distinction is organizational - intended for cases that represent a brand-new episode of care rather than a continuing one. Same certification panel, same case date updates, same billing behavior.
### Progress Report
*(with certification and physician signature)*
Displays the Certification of Medical Necessity panel. On completion:
* Updates Plan of Care Certification Expires based on the certification period in the document
* Does not update Initial Evaluation Date or Certification Start
Used when the progress report doubles as a plan of care recertification and requires physician sign-off. Exempt from the "signed plan of care required" check. Payers with the 10-visit progress note requirement will evaluate this document against that requirement.
### Progress Report
*(no certification or physician signature)*
No certification panel. Submits charges to billing and applies standard billing validations. Does not update any case dates. Used for interim progress notes that are purely clinical documentation with no recertification component. Payers with the 10-visit progress note requirement will still evaluate this document.
### Re-Evaluation
*(includes certification and physician signature)*
Displays the Certification of Medical Necessity panel. On completion:
* Updates InitialEvaluationDate to the document date
* Updates CertificationStart to the document date
* Updates CertificationExpires based on the certification period entered in the document
Re-Evaluations indicate a meaningful change in diagnosis and function similarly to an Initial Evaluation in establishing a new sequence of care. Updating the evaluation date reflects this reset.
Some payers require a minimum number of days between re-evaluations (or between an initial evaluation and first re-evaluation). Mako will enforce these minimums during document completion and will block submission if the minimum has not been met.
### Discharge Summary
*(no certification or physician signature)*
No certification panel. When paired with a discharge document action (set separately), completing this document can trigger the patient's case to be marked as discharged. If the organization has the discharge-outside-plan-of-care setting enabled, this type is exempt from the certification period expiry enforcement that blocks other document types from being completed after the plan expires.
### Non-Clinical Document
*(Sign-In Sheet, Missed Visit, Correspondence)*
No certification panel. Treatment minutes validation and the CMS 8-minute rule are bypassed entirely. Intended for administrative documents that are not clinical encounters - sign-in sheets, missed visit records, correspondence letters. These documents do not generate billable charges and are not subject to billing validations.
### RTM Setup and Engagement
No certification panel. Exempt from the standard plan of care billing check. When saved as a draft, the system creates a billing reminder task specifically for RTM setup and engagement charges. Billing plan of care visit-count logic is excluded for RTM documents. Used for Remote Therapeutic Monitoring enrollment and initial engagement documentation.
### RTM Monthly Monitoring
Identical behavior to RTM Setup and Engagement. The billing task created on draft save is specific to monthly monitoring charges rather than setup charges.
***
## Include Charge Advice
When set to **Yes**, StrataEMR displays CPT code recommendations inside the document as the clinician works. Charge Advice surfaces suggested billing codes and units based on documented services.
Most practices set this to **Yes** to support accurate charge capture at the point of documentation. Set it to **No** for non-billable document types, such as non-clinical notes or administrative forms.
***
## Document Action(s)
Document Actions define what StrataEMR does automatically when a clinician completes the document. Every action clears charge-related tasks for the patient on that document date and marks the corresponding schedule visit as "Completed."
**Mark daily documentation task as completed** — Completes the document and marks the visit as done. No additional tasks are created. Use this for standard daily notes where no follow-up action is needed.
**Create task to fax this document to referring physician** — Completes the document and creates a "Faxing Required" task that expires 20 days from the completion date. Front desk or admin staff work this task when the fax hasn't been sent yet. Once the document is faxed, the Faxing Required task automatically resolves and a "Pending Signature" task is created to track the physician's signed return. Use this when you want faxing handled by admin staff rather than the treating clinician.
**Redirect to document faxing upon completion** — Completes the document and immediately opens the fax page so the clinician can send the fax at that moment. No task is created. Use this when you want the clinician to handle faxing directly rather than delegating to front desk.
**Update patient status to inactive (discharged)** — Completes the document, changes the patient's status to "Inactive / Discharged," saves the discharge date, and deletes all future appointments for that patient.
**The discharge action is irreversible at the time of document completion.** All future appointments are deleted automatically when the document is completed. Only assign this action to Discharge Summary templates.
***
## Signature Mode
Signature Mode controls whose signature is captured when the document is completed. The default setting, **Staff**, captures the signature of the clinician who is logged in and completing the note.
For practices using a PTA or COTA cosign workflow, this setting works alongside the "Prevent Document (with Billable Charges) Completion" staff permission. When that permission is enabled for an assistant, their notes save as drafts and generate a review task for the supervising therapist, who must co-sign to complete and bill the document.
**Signature Mode options beyond "Staff" may be available depending on your account configuration.** If you need a different signature workflow — such as requiring a PT signature on all evaluation templates — contact your StrataPT Customer Success Manager.
***
## Case Type Required
When a value is selected, this template is restricted to patients with an active case of that type — for example, "Physical Therapy." Clinicians cannot use this template on patients with a different case type.
Leave this field blank if the template should be available regardless of case type. Setting Case Type Required on PT templates prevents them from appearing in OT or Speech cases, reducing the risk of cross-discipline documentation errors.
***
## Staff Type Required
Staff Type Required controls which staff role must be the one to sign and complete the document. This is a safeguard to prevent regulated documents from being inadvertently completed by an unauthorized staff member — for example, preventing assistants from completing initial evaluation templates.
Leave this field blank if any staff type should be able to complete the template.
***
## Require Documentation Upload
When enabled, StrataEMR requires the clinician to attach an external document before the note can be completed. This setting is typically used on billing-only document templates, where a PDF from a prior EMR system must accompany the claim to prevent denials.
Leave this field blank for standard clinical documentation templates where no external upload is required.
# Signature Compliance & Role Restrictions
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/settings/documentation-templates/signature-compliance-and-role-restrictions
How document ownership, signing rules, and role-based restrictions work in StrataEMR — including the Enhanced Document Signature Compliance feature and the PTA/COTA workflow.
Every patient encounter requires a corresponding clinical document to support the claim during the approval process. StrataEMR enforces signing rules and role-based restrictions to ensure documentation is compliant, complete, and associated with the correct provider before billing occurs.
**Access:** Clinical Staff and above can create and sign clinical documents. A non-assistant staff type is required to receive review tasks and complete documents requiring supervisor sign-off.
***
## Document Task Ownership
Ownership of documentation-related tasks is tied to the schedule. The therapist scheduled for the appointment's date of service is the initial owner of any related draft and clinical tasks.
**Ownership transfers** occur when another clinician edits an existing document — the last person to edit the note takes ownership of all related tasks. This ensures the correct clinician is accountable for completing and signing the document.
To view your clinical tasks, navigate to the **Tasks** page from the blue Menu Bar and select the **Clinical** tab. Use the Staff filter dropdown to see tasks assigned specifically to you.
***
## Understanding Color Codes in Documents
As you complete a document, text color indicates the status of each field:
| Color | Meaning |
| - | - |
| **Red** | Required — document cannot be saved as Complete without this information |
| **Blue** | Recommended — not technically required but should be completed for thorough documentation |
| **Green** | Inherited — information carried forward from a prior document or intake form |
Any selector that has not been updated will appear in the completed document. Remove fragments that don't apply to the care provided rather than leaving them blank.
***
## Charge Advice
Once clinical content is entered, complete the Charge Advice section at the bottom of the document:
* Enter all relevant CPT codes, units, and minutes for the encounter
* Confirm the Place of Service has carried over correctly from the patient's Case Info
* **For assistants:** Select **Assistant Involved** on the far right for any CPT codes you administered — this applies the required billing modifiers (GP/GO/GN) automatically
***
## Enhanced Document Signature Compliance
StrataEMR's optional Enhanced Document Signature Compliance feature enforces strict rules on how documents are signed and completed.
**Critical rules:**
* **Logged-in user requirement** — A document can only be marked Complete if the signature of the currently logged-in user is included on the document. You cannot complete a note signed only by someone else.
* **No automatic signature carry-over** — Signatures do not carry forward from prior documents. Every note requires a fresh signature for that encounter.
* **Easy selection** — Your own signature appears at the top of the signature dropdown by default to prevent mis-clicks.
If you are interested in enabling this feature for your clinic, please reach out to your StrataPT account manager.
***
## Role-Based Restrictions
Template-level restrictions ensure the correct provider type signs specific document types:
| Document Type | Signing Restriction |
| - | - |
| PT Initial Evaluations, Progress Notes, Discharge Summaries | Must include a **Physical Therapist** signature |
| OT Initial Evaluations, Progress Notes, Discharge Summaries | Must include an **Occupational Therapist** signature |
| Daily Treatment Notes | Can be completed by PT, PTA, OT, or COTA |
These restrictions are set at the template level and apply across all patients — they cannot be overridden on individual documents.
**State-specific requirements vary.** PTA and COTA co-signing requirements differ by state and sometimes by payer. Consult your state practice act and legal counsel for edge cases not addressed by StrataEMR's default template restrictions.
***
## Workflow for Assistants (PTA/COTA)
Every clinical document requires a supervising therapist's NPI on the note, regardless of who treats the patient. The workflow depends on your clinic's policy:
**If your clinic requires supervisor review before completion:**
1. Complete all clinical content and enter Charge Advice — select **Assistant Involved** for applicable CPT codes
2. Select your supervising therapist in the signature section
3. Save the document as **Draft** — do not mark it Complete
4. Use the dropdown next to the document status to generate a **Review Documents** task for your supervisor
5. The supervising therapist opens the task, reviews, adds their signature, and marks the document **Complete**
6. Billing triggers after the supervisor completes the document
**If your clinic allows assistants to complete daily notes directly:**
1. Complete all clinical content and Charge Advice — select **Assistant Involved**
2. Ensure the supervising therapist's signature or name is included on the document
3. Mark the document **Complete**
**Billing always submits under the supervising therapist's NPI**, regardless of who completes the document. Ensure the correct supervising therapist is identified on every note.
# Updating a Template Fragment
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/settings/documentation-templates/updating-a-template-fragment
How to edit a fragment in StrataEMR — the building blocks of your clinical documentation templates — along with important considerations for the updating of fragments.
Template Fragments and Selections are the core building blocks of clinical documentation in StrataEMR, designed to ensure **speed, compliance, and accurate data capture** across your practice. By pre-filling repetitive information, you reduce manual entry and allow clinicians to focus on patient care, contributing to the platform's goal of high first-pass clean claims. This article explains how to efficiently and safely update these fragments.
**Access:** All clinical staff can create and complete documents. Editing fragments and selections in the Setup area requires **Therapy Director** permissions or above. Front Desk staff can view clinical documents but cannot edit them.
***
## Key Concepts
Template documents are structured with two main components:
* **Fragments:** These are the larger, re-usable content sections within a template (e.g., a "Goals Table" or a block of text). Think of them as the *questions* or sections that need to be completed in a clinical note.
* **Selections:** These are the smaller, interactive fields within a Fragment. They represent the *answers* and can be open-ended text boxes (Free Text) or pre-defined pick-list options (like "Goal Type: Short Term").
![Clean Shot 2025 10 31 At 11 38 14 20251031 164010]()
*An example of a goal Fragment, with the goal description Selection circled*
***
## Critical Considerations Before Editing
Because templates are used system-wide and rely on the concept of **document inheritance** to pull forward information, any changes you make can have a broad impact. Before saving your edits, consider the following:
* **Template Settings:** Each template has a list of settings at the top, in a light gray box. When editing a template or its included Fragments, the content will be subject to the settings for the overall template. Confirm the settings before saving the template so that the content and the subsequent actions function as expected when used as a clinical document.
* **Clinician Impact:** Templates are visible to **all clinicians**. Your edits will immediately change everyone's documentation experience. Ensure the information you are adding is universally applicable or desired.
* **Document Inheritance:** To ensure data flows correctly from one note to the next (e.g., from an Initial Evaluation to a Daily Note), verify that all related template documents use the *exact same* Fragment for the section you are updating.
* **Fragment Name Changes:** If you change the name of a Fragment, the system treats it as creating a new, **forked version**. You must then manually update all templates that should use this new version to maintain correct inheritance.
* **Formatting Test:** Formatting (like bolding) may not display exactly as expected in the editor. Always test the final document output on the **Strata Sample** patient *after* saving but *before* using the template on a real patient.
\--
## Step-by-Step Guide to Editing a Fragment
1. **Navigate to the Fragment Library:**
* In the Top Blue Bar, go to **Settings**.
* Select **Fragment Library**.
![Clean Shot 2025 10 31 At 11 44 23 20251031 164452]()
2. **Locate the Fragment:**
* Select the **Fragment Family** (e.g., "Goals Fragment Family") to narrow your search.
![Clean Shot 2025 10 31 At 11 43 00 20251031 164344]()
**Tip:** To determine the name of a fragment used in a specific template, view the template and look for the blue-outlined box on the right side which displays the Fragment Name.
* Select the specific fragment you wish to edit (e.g., "Goals Table Free Text").
3. **Open the Editor:**
* Click the **pencil icon** to open the Fragment editor.
4. **Select Editing Mode:**
* **Text Editing Mode:** Select this to edit the actual static text displayed in the fragment.
* **Interactive Mode:** Select this to edit the way Selections (the interactive text fields) function or to pre-fill their content. *This is the most common mode for adding default content.*
![Clean Shot 2025 10 31 At 11 46 56 20251031 164723]()
5. **Edit the Selection (in Interactive Mode):**
* Click the specific **Selection** you want to update (e.g., the Free Text Goal Description).
* A pop-up will appear. Type in the text you want pre-filled (e.g., “able to stand on one leg for 30 seconds without support”) or select the pre-defined option (e.g., setting the Goal Type as “Short Term”).
* Click **“Use Text”** or **“OK”** depending upon the pop-up type.
![Clean Shot 2025 10 31 At 11 49 41 20251031 165002]()
6. **Save Your Changes:**
* Click the green **“Save Document”** button at the bottom of the screen.
Every template that uses this Fragment will now automatically display the new, pre-filled information, significantly reducing repetitive typing for clinicians.
# Emergency Notifications
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/settings/emergency-notifications
Temporarily suspend regular appointment reminders and send a custom mass message to patients affected by a clinic closure or unexpected disruption.
Emergency Notifications let you pause your regular appointment reminder schedule and send a one-time custom message to patients who are scheduled during a specific window. Use this feature when your clinic is unexpectedly closing — due to severe weather, a facility issue, or another emergency.
**Use sparingly.** Sending emergency notifications too frequently can cause your messages to be flagged as spam by mobile carriers. Reserve this feature for genuine disruptions.
***
## How It Works
When you activate Emergency Notifications mode, StrataEMR does two things:
1. Suspends all regular automated appointment reminders for the duration you choose.
2. Allows you to manually send a custom text and/or voice message to the affected patients — up to once per day.
Emergency notifications are not sent automatically. You must click **Send Message** or **Place Calls** to trigger each delivery. Patients affected are determined by how many days out from the current date you select — for example, selecting 3 days on a Tuesday targets patients scheduled Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
**Text messages sent via Emergency Notifications do not allow patient replies.** Patients cannot respond to the message. If two-way communication is needed, direct patients to your clinic phone number in the message script.
***
## Activate Emergency Notifications
1. From the blue Menu Bar, select **Setup**.
2. In the left column, select **Patient Engagement**.
3. In the **Current Reminder Mode** dropdown, select **Emergency Notifications**.
4. In the **Days Out** selector, choose how many days of scheduled appointments to include.
5. In the **Message Text** field, type the text message script you want to send.
6. In the **Phone Script** field, type the voice call script, if you also want to place calls. (Both fields are optional — fill in one or both depending on your reminder settings.)
7. Click **Save** to apply your changes.
A **Patients Affected** list appears to the right. Review it to confirm the correct patients will receive the notification before sending.
***
## Send the Notification
Once your scripts are saved and you've reviewed the patient list:
* Click **Send Message** to send the text notification.
* Click **Place Calls** to send the voice notification.
Both can be triggered together or separately. Emergency notifications are limited to once per day — the buttons will not allow a second send within the same day.
***
## Return to Regular Reminders
When the disruption has passed and you are ready to resume normal appointment reminders:
1. Return to **Setup** > **Patient Engagement**.
2. In the **Current Reminder Mode** dropdown, select **Regular Appointment Reminders**.
3. Click **Save**.
**Do not forget this step.** If you leave Emergency Notifications mode active after the disruption ends, your regular appointment reminders will not go out and patients will stop receiving their scheduled reminders.
# Facilities
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/settings/facilities
How to manage facility locations in StrataEMR — adding new facilities, what facility settings control, letterheads, and how address changes impact billing.
Facilities in StrataEMR represent your physical practice locations. Each facility has its own dashboard, schedule, task list, and letterhead. When multiple locations are active, staff and patients are associated with specific facilities, and all reporting and billing flows through the correct location automatically.
Navigate to Facilities setup: **Menu Bar > Settings > Facilities**.
**Access:** Viewing facility settings requires Therapy Director permissions or above. Adding new facilities and making address or letterhead changes requires coordination with StrataPT — these are not fully self-serve.
***
## Adding a New Facility
To add a new facility, select **Add New Facility** from the **Selected Facility** dropdown. Enter the facility's name, address, phone, fax, email, and other contact details.
**Adding a facility generates a work order for StrataPT staff to complete.** Creating the facility record in Setup initiates the process, but StrataPT completes the configuration — including assigning staff to the facility to add them to the schedule. Contact your account manager with details about which staff should be assigned to the new location.
Facility information must be correct before go-live. An incorrect or missing address can cause Medicare EDI enrollment delays and claim processing issues.
***
## Facility Letterhead
Each facility has a custom letterhead that appears on faxes, clinical documentation, and patient forms. The letterhead auto-builds from the facility's contact settings — phone, fax, website, and name — and displays dynamically based on the patient's treatment location. Patients always see the letterhead for the facility where they are being treated.
If you would like to change your letterhead image, provide your StrataPT account manager with the best quality version of the image you want to use and they will apply it. A style control file is maintained behind the scenes that defines the header, fonts, and print formatting.
***
## Switching Between Facilities
If your practice has multiple locations, use the **facility dropdown in the top-left corner of the dashboard** to switch between them. Selecting a different facility updates the Waiting Room, Tasks, Analytics, and Schedule to show information specific to that location.
Staff with the **View Only Own Facilities Schedules** permission modifier will only see facilities they are explicitly assigned to in the dropdown.
***
## Assigning Staff to a Facility
You can assign a staff member to a facility, or update an existing assignment, directly from their profile - no support ticket required. To learn more, visit [Staff Settings > Assign Staff to a Facility](/documentation/settings/staff#assigning-a-staff-member-to-a-facility).
Staff who are not assigned to a facility will not appear in patient demographics dropdowns for that location.
***
## Address Changes and Insurance Notifications
Changing a facility's address is not just an internal update — it has billing and credentialing implications.
**Required steps when a facility address changes:**
* Notify all insurance companies you are contracted with in advance
* For Medicare, submit a new 855B application with a copy of the signed lease and updated malpractice certificate showing the new address. StrataPT will place a credentialing hold while the Medicare application is in process.
* For commercial payers, requirements vary — contact each payer to confirm their update process. An improperly updated address can result in claims processing as out-of-network.
# Images
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/settings/images
Upload and manage images in the Image Library so they can be inserted into clinical document templates.
The Image Library is a central storage area for images that your practice wants to use inside clinical document templates. Once an image is uploaded here, it becomes available to include in any template — typically for custom exercise illustrations, body diagrams, or other reference visuals.
**The Image Library is for template images only.** It is not used for patient intake documents or faxing. To store documents for a specific patient, use the Stored Documents page on their case instead.
***
## Navigate to the Image Library
1. From the blue **Menu Bar**, select **Setup**.
2. In the left column, select **Image Library**.
***
## Upload an Image
From the Image Library page, select the upload option and choose the image file from your computer. Once uploaded, the image is saved to your organization's library and is available for use in templates.
Accepted file types are JPEG and PNG. PDF files are not supported.
***
## Using Images in Templates
After uploading an image, it can be inserted into a template from within the template editor. Images are typically added by a StrataPT team member when setting up or customizing a template for your practice. If you need an image added to an existing template, contact your StrataPT account team through the [Messaging](/documentation/messaging) feature.
**Staff signatures and facility logos are managed separately.** Staff signature images are uploaded via **Setup** > **Staff** > the individual staff member's profile. Facility logos and letterhead are managed through facility settings and are updated by the StrataPT team. See [Facilities](/documentation/settings/facilities) for details.
***
## Content Library
The Image Library is one part of the Content Library in StrataEMR. The full set of content building blocks includes:
* **Templates** — Full document containers (Initial Evaluations, Daily Notes, etc.)
* **Fragments** — Reusable content sections used across multiple templates
* **Selections** — Interactive answer fields within fragments
* **Images** — Visual assets available for use in templates
# Organization
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/settings/organization
Reference for the Organization settings page in StrataEMR, where practice-wide information, identifiers, and patient engagement links are configured.
The Organization page in StrataEMR is where your practice-wide settings live. These settings form the foundation for billing, documentation headers, fax cover sheets, appointment reminders, and patient-facing materials. Most fields are configured once during onboarding and rarely need to change.
**Access:** Organization settings are managed with StrataPT involvement. Many fields — particularly billing identifiers and NPI numbers — affect claim submission directly. Once se, these fields cannot be changed without first coordinating with your StrataPT account team. See [Getting Help](/after-go-live/getting-help) if you're unsure.
***
## Navigate to Organization Settings
1. From the blue **Menu Bar**, select **Settings**.
2. In the left column, select **Organization**.
***
## Practice Information
These fields control how your practice is identified in StrataEMR and how it appears across documentation, faxes, and patient communications.
**Practice Name** — The legal name of your practice. This appears on clinical documentation headers, fax cover sheets, and patient-facing appointment reminders. If you change the practice name, update your reminder templates as well, since the name may be referenced in the reminder scripts.
**Website** — Your practice website URL. This populates the facility header that appears on printed documents and faxes.
**Billing Address** — The address used on claim submissions and fax cover sheets. This must match the address on file with your payers. Contact your StrataPT billing team before changing this field.
***
## Billing Identifiers
These fields are used on every claim submitted on your behalf. They must be accurate and match your credentialing records exactly.
**Tax ID** — Your practice's federal tax identification number. Required for all claim submissions.
**Group NPI (Type 2)** — The National Provider Identifier for your practice as an organization. Required for group billing.
**Changes to Tax ID or NPI affect all active claims.** These fields are closely tied to your credentialing records with each payer. Incorrect or mismatched values cause claim denials. Always confirm changes with your StrataPT billing team before saving.
***
## Patient Engagement Links
These fields connect StrataEMR's patient engagement features to your external review platforms.
**Google Reviews URL** — Paste your practice's Google Reviews link here. When patients complete the Share Your Review document in their patient portal, they are directed to this URL to post their review.
**Facebook Reviews URL** — Paste your practice's Facebook Reviews link here. Used in the same Share Your Review workflow.
To find your Google Reviews URL, search for your practice on Google, open your Business Profile, and copy the link from the Reviews section. Paste it directly into this field and click **Save**.
***
## Relationship to Facility Settings
Organization settings apply practice-wide and serve as the default for all facilities. Individual facilities can override certain settings — such as phone number, fax number, and address — at the facility level. This means multi-location practices get location-specific letterhead on clinical documents and faxes, even though billing identifiers are shared at the organization level.
See [Facilities](/documentation/settings/facilities) for details on facility-level configuration.
# Point of Sale
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/settings/point-of-sale
Set up and apply flat-rate charges for products and services — such as cancellation fees, supply charges, and equipment sales — that are billed directly to patients outside of insurance.
The Point of Sale feature lets your practice track and bill flat-rate charges for products and services that are not submitted to insurance. Common uses include cancellation and no-show fees, over-the-counter supply sales, and equipment charges such as resistance bands or ice packs.
**Point of Sale charges are billed directly to patients — StrataPT does not invoice your practice on these payments and does not send patient statements for accounts that carry only a Point of Sale balance.** Collect these fees at the time of service when possible.
***
## Set Up Point of Sale Items
Point of Sale items are configured once in Setup and then become available to apply to any patient account.
1. From the blue **Menu Bar**, select **Setup**.
2. In the left column, select **Point of Sale**.
3. Enter a **Description** for the item (e.g., "Cancellation Fee," "Resistance Band," "No-Show Fee").
4. Enter the flat **Price** for the item.
5. Click **Save**.
Repeat for each item your practice wants to track. Prices are flat rate — percentage-based calculations are not supported. If your fee varies by circumstance (e.g., same-day cancellation vs. 24-hour notice), set up separate items for each rate.
***
## Apply a Point of Sale Charge to a Patient
Once items are configured in Setup, they can be added to individual patient accounts.
1. Open the patient's account.
2. From the **Patient Menu Bar**, select **Financial**.
3. Select **Point of Sale**.
4. From the **Description** dropdown, select the item you want to charge.
5. Confirm the amount and save.
The charge is added to the patient's account and appears in their financial record. If your practice uses Authorize.net for credit card processing, the charge can be collected through the integrated payment flow. Otherwise, collect payment manually and record it as a patient payment against the Point of Sale balance.
**Point of Sale charges do not appear in the "amount to collect" field on the schedule.** They must be applied manually from the patient's Financial page. Staff will need to check the account before or after the visit if a fee is owed.
***
## What Point of Sale Is Not For
Point of Sale is designed for patient-direct charges only. It is not the right tool for:
* **Cash-pay or self-pay visit billing** — use a financial arrangement on the patient's Policies page instead. See [Policies overview](/documentation/patients/policies/policy-overview) for details.
* **Insurance-submitted charges** — all billable therapy CPT codes are handled through clinical documentation and charge advice.
* **Reducing a patient's insurance-billed balance** — use a financial arrangement or write-off process for that.
# Referral Sources
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/settings/referral-sources
How to add and manage referring providers in StrataEMR — the Referral Sources setup area, NPI lookup, and how referrer records power faxing and claim submission.
Referral Sources is where referring providers — physicians, NPPs, and other referrers — are entered and maintained. A referrer must exist in StrataEMR before they can be linked to a patient's case, and their record drives several downstream functions including fax cover sheet population and claim submission.
Navigate to the Referral Sources setup area: **Menu Bar > Settings > Referral Sources**.
**Access:** Viewing referral sources is available to all staff. Adding and editing referral sources requires **Therapy Director** permissions or above.
***
## Adding a Referral Source
In the Referral Sources setup area, click the **Selected Referral Source** dropdown and select **Add New Referral Source**.
Fill in the referring provider's details. The most critical fields are:
* **Name** — The provider's full name as it should appear on documentation and fax cover sheets
* **NPI** — The provider's National Provider Identifier, required for Medicare claim submission
* **Fax number** — Used to auto-populate the fax cover sheet when sending Plans of Care and clinical documents
**NPI lookup:** A direct link to the NPPES NPI Registry is available on the Referral Sources page. Clicking it opens the registry in a new tab so you can look up a provider's NPI without leaving StrataEMR.
Once a referring provider is added, they can be selected for any future patient without re-entering their details.
***
## Editing a Referral Source
Select the provider's name from the **Selected Referral Source** dropdown to view and edit their details. Update any fields as needed and save.
If an error was made when the referral source was originally entered on a patient's case, an admin can correct it here and the updated information will reflect across all patients linked to that referrer.
Referral source editing requires administrative privileges. If you do not have access, contact your practice administrator to make the correction.
***
## Deleting a Referral Source
Click the **Delete** button in the bottom-left corner of the Referral Sources setup area to remove a referrer. Use this only for true duplicates or data entry errors — deleting a referrer who is linked to active patient cases may affect those records.
***
## How Referrer Records Are Used
**Faxing:** When a clinician faxes a Plan of Care or clinical document from a patient's case, the fax cover sheet auto-populates the referring provider's name and fax number from their referral source record using the **Quick Select** menu. If the fax number is missing or incorrect on the referral source record, the fax will fail.
**Claim submission:** The referring provider's NPI is submitted on claims. For Medicare patients, a referring provider with a valid NPI is required — claims cannot be submitted without one.
**Plan of Care:** The referring provider's information flows into the Plan of Care section of clinical documentation, where the physician's certification is tracked.
***
## Referring Provider Mailing List Export
A **Referring Provider Mailing List Export** is available in Practice Metrics under the Marketing reports section. This exports referral source contact and mailing details as a CSV file — useful for outreach campaigns or keeping a current provider directory.
# Schedule Templates
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/settings/schedule-templates
How to create and manage schedule templates in StrataEMR — defining recurring availability blocks by date range so the nightly job can automatically populate your schedule.
Schedule Templates let you define what your practice's standard schedule looks like for a given time period. Once a template is active and the nightly job is enabled, StrataEMR automatically applies it each night — keeping your schedule populated without manual setup each week.
Navigate to Schedule Templates: **Menu Bar > Settings > Schedule Templates**.
**Access:** Configuring Schedule Templates requires **Therapy Director** permissions or above.
***
## How Schedule Templates Work
StrataEMR runs a **nightly job at 11 PM ET** that:
1. Clears any empty, non-excluded appointment slots from the schedule
2. Applies the active template to the cleared spaces
This means your schedule is automatically refreshed each night based on your template configuration.
If no template is active for the current date, meaning today's date doesn't fall within any saved template's start and end date range, the job still runs. It will clear unassigned, non-excluded slots as usual, but it won't apply any template blocks in their place.
**The nightly job must be enabled by StrataEMR staff.** Creating templates in the Setup area alone does not initiate the process. The automation that applies them each night requires a separate activation step by StrataPT. Submit a request through your account manager or support to have the job turned on for your organization.
**Inactivating a clinician moves their template-generated "Available" slots into a No Staff column.** If a clinician has a full day of template-driven Available slots and is set to Inactive, all of those slots land in No Staff rather than clearing. Remove or reassign the clinician's future template blocks before deactivating them, or plan to clean up the No Staff column afterward. See [Appointments for Inactive Staff](/documentation/schedule/schedule-overview#appointments-for-inactive-staff) for how the No Staff column behaves.
***
## Creating a Template
The Schedule Templates page displays a numbered list of up to 10 template slots. Each template has three fields:
* **Description** — A name for the template (e.g., "Q1 2026 Schedule," "Summer 2026 Schedule")
* **Start Date** — The first date this template should be active
* **End Date** — The last date this template should be active
Click **Edit** next to any template slot to open the template editor. Click **Save** on the main page after making changes.
Templates are date-driven — you can create multiple versions with non-overlapping date ranges to handle seasonal schedules, staffing changes, or quarterly rotations. The nightly job uses whichever template's date range covers the current date.
**The date range tells the nightly job which template to use — it doesn't control which calendar dates get filled in.** Each night, the nightly job checks today's date, finds the template whose date range includes today, and uses it to populate the next 300 days of the schedule. It does not reach ahead and fill in future calendar dates with future templates. It is not possible to have two different templates active and governing a different portion of the future calendar at the same time.
***
## Editing a Template
Clicking **Edit** opens a view similar to the standard schedule calendar, with one key difference: you are building availability blocks, not scheduling patients. No patients are assigned in the template editor.
Configure the template by placing the appointment types you want available during each time slot for each staff member. The appointment types, their durations, and their colors are all defined in the **schedule legend** (Schedule > **Edit Settings** under the Legend) — not in the template editor itself. The template simply places those pre-configured types onto the calendar grid.
To speed up setup when multiple days share the same layout, use the **Copy Current View** feature to copy one day's configuration to other days.
**Appointment type settings live in the schedule legend, not the template.** If you need to adjust durations, colors, or add new visit types, do that in Schedule > Edit Settings first, then apply them in your template.
***
## Protecting Blocks from the Nightly Job
When the nightly job runs, it clears empty, unassigned slots before applying the template. To prevent a recurring block — such as a lunch break or an internal hold — from being overwritten, set its appointment type's **Exclude Template Update** to **Yes** in the schedule legend settings.
Any slot marked as excluded will not be cleared or replaced by the nightly job, regardless of whether it has a patient assigned.
**Unexcluded internal blocks will be overwritten.** If a lunch break or staff hold is not marked "Exclude Template Update: Yes" on its appointment type, the nightly job will treat it as an empty slot and replace it. Set this flag on any appointment type used for recurring non-patient blocks.
***
## Best Practice: "Available" Appointment Types
When building your template, create dedicated appointment types in the schedule legend that represent open availability rather than specific visit types — for example:
* **Available 30** — a 30-minute open slot
* **Available 60** — a 60-minute open slot
Using neutral "Available" types in your template sets your clinic up for the **Appointment Manager** feature, which uses these blocks to facilitate bulk scheduling. Even if you're not using the Appointment Manager today, building your template this way means you won't need to rebuild it if you adopt it later.
**Available slots follow the clinician, not just booked appointments.** If the staff member assigned to a template is later made Inactive, their Available slots move to a No Staff column along with any patient appointments. See [How Schedule Templates Work](#how-schedule-templates-work) above.
# Selections
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/settings/selections
Understand how Selections work as the interactive answer fields within clinical document templates in StrataEMR.
Selections are the interactive answer fields inside clinical document templates. When a clinician is completing a note, the fields they tap or type into are Selections. They are the smallest building block in StrataEMR's documentation system and live inside Fragments, which are in turn organized into Templates.
***
## How Selections Work
Each Selection represents a single answerable element in a document — for example, a body area, a goal type, a pain level, or a free-text narrative field. When a clinician interacts with clickable text in a document, they are interacting with a Selection.
***
## Selection Types
StrataEMR supports nine Selection types. The type controls how the clinician interacts with the field and how the value is stored.
The clinician picks exactly one option from a predefined list. Use this when the answer must be one specific choice, such as a side of body, a severity level, or a goal status.
The clinician can pick one or more options from a predefined list. Use this when multiple answers can apply simultaneously, such as treatment techniques used or impairments addressed.
The clinician types a free-form response. This is the most flexible type and is common in narrative sections like Subjective, Assessment, and Plan. Free Text Areas can be pre-filled with default language at the template level to reduce repetitive typing.
A special-purpose field that connects directly to ICD-10 diagnosis codes. When a clinician interacts with this field, it opens the diagnosis code search and links the selected codes to the document and charge record. This type should only appear in designated diagnosis sections of a template.
Captures the start and end dates of the plan of care certification window. This field auto-calculates from the Initial Evaluation fragment when the standard fragment is used. If a template uses a copied or customized fragment instead of the standard one, the auto-calculation may not work correctly and the dates will need to be entered manually.
Records how often the patient is scheduled to be seen (e.g., 3x/week). This value feeds into plan of care calculations, so it must be entered as a single specific number rather than a range. Entering "2–3x/week" will break the calculation. If frequency varies, enter the primary expected frequency.
Records the total number of visits planned or authorized for the certification period. Like Frequency, this value is used in plan of care calculations and should reflect the number in the authorization or clinical plan.
A general-purpose date picker for any date field that is not covered by a more specific type, such as a surgery date, last treatment date, or follow-up target date.
Captures the date when the patient's condition began or the injury occurred. Some payers require this on claims. If the exact date is unknown, a best estimate is acceptable
***
## Where Selections Live
Selections exist within Fragments. You can add or edit a Selection either within the Fragment it belongs to or from the **Selection Library**. To modify a Selection within a Fragment, you edit it in **Interactive Mode** within the Fragment editor.
**Changes to Selections affect all future uses of that Fragment.** Because Fragments are shared across templates, updating a Selection changes the documentation experience for all clinicians using any template that includes that Fragment. Coordinate with your practice administrator and test on the Strata Sample patient before applying changes to live templates.
***
## Edit a Selection Within the Fragment Library
1. From the blue Menu Bar, select **Setup**.
2. In the left column, select **Fragment Library**.
3. Locate and open the Fragment that contains the Selection you want to edit.
4. Switch the editor to **Interactive Mode** using the dropdown in the top right corner.
5. Click the Selection field you want to update.
6. In the pop-up, edit the default text or pick-list options as needed.
7. Click **Use Text** or **OK** to confirm, then click the green **Save Document** button.
**Switching between Text Editing and Interactive Mode** affects what you can change. Text Editing Mode edits static instructional text. Interactive Mode edits the Selections (the actual answer fields). Always confirm which mode you're in before making changes.
***
## Edit a Selection from the Selection Library
1. From the blue **Menu Bar**, select **Setup**.
2. In the left column, select **Selections Library**.
3. Locate and open the Selection you want to edit.
4. In the pop-up, edit the default text or pick-list options as needed.
5. Click the green **Save & Return** button.
***
## Making a Selection Required
You can mark a Selection as required so that clinicians cannot complete a document without filling it in. To do this, open the Selection and set the **Required** dropdown to **Yes**, then save the Selection.
Required Selections appear highlighted in the document and block completion until filled. Use this to enforce documentation compliance for fields your practice cannot leave blank.
***
## Content Library
Selections are one part of the Content Library in StrataEMR. The full set of content building blocks includes:
* **Templates** — Full document containers (Initial Evaluations, Daily Notes, etc.)
* **Fragments** — Reusable content sections used across multiple templates
* **Selections** — Interactive answer fields within fragments
* **Images** — Visual assets available for use in templates
# Settings Overview
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/settings/settings-overview
What each section of the StrataEMR Settings area contains and who can access it.
The **Settings** area is where your practice is configured in StrataEMR. It controls everything from who has access to the system and what they can do, to how your clinical documents are built, how patients are reminded of their appointments, and how your schedule is structured.
Settings is accessible from the blue Menu Bar at the top of StrataEMR. Most sections require Therapy Director permissions or higher. A few sections — like password changes — are available to all staff.
***
## Organization
The Organization section contains your practice's core identity information as it appears throughout StrataEMR. This includes your clinic name, phone and fax numbers, website, and the review URLs used in patient-facing communications. Letterhead and header styling for printed documents is also managed here.
***
## Staff
The Staff section is where user accounts are created and managed. Practice administrators can add new staff members, assign permission levels, reset passwords, and upload provider signatures.
When a new staff member is added, StrataPT completes the final steps of facility assignment and staff type configuration on your behalf. For treating therapists and assistants, a signature image must be submitted to the StrataPT support team for formatting before it is uploaded to the provider's profile.
Each staff account is assigned a permission level — Front Desk, Clinical Staff, Therapy Director, Practice Administrator, or Business Owner — with each level inheriting the capabilities of the one below it. Individual access can be further tailored with permission modifiers that restrict things like document completion, financial visibility, and schedule access.
Two-factor authentication can also be enabled for staff logins from within this section.
See [User Permissions](/documentation/settings/user-permissions) for a full breakdown of each level and modifier.
***
## Facilities
The Facilities section is where practice locations are added and managed. Each facility record includes its name, address, contact details, and the letterhead used on printed documents for that location.
Adding a new facility generates a work order for StrataPT to complete the underlying setup on your behalf.
***
## Content Library
The Content Library contains the building blocks used to construct clinical documents in StrataEMR. Access requires Therapy Director permissions or higher.
* **Templates** — Container documents that define the structure and content of clinical notes. Templates are grouped into document families such as Physical Therapy Templates, Patient Engagement Forms, and Home Exercise Templates. The Template editor is also where you configure required fields, completion actions, and staff type restrictions for each document type.
* **Fragments** — Reusable blocks of content that can be shared across multiple templates. Fragments also power the predefined messages used for fax cover sheets, patient intake emails, and text communications.
* **Selections** — The interactive elements within a document — typically presented as choices in parentheses — that allow clinicians to populate pre-defined verbiage dynamically during documentation.
* **Images** — A library of images that can be embedded in document templates.
***
## Schedule Templates
Schedule Templates define repeating weekly availability blocks for each clinician. This section is also where appointment types are created and configured — including their names, colors, durations, and whether the type is excluded from nightly template updates.
See [Schedule Templates](/documentation/settings/schedule-templates) for a full reference.
***
## Appointment Reminders
Appointment Reminders settings control how, when, and what StrataEMR communicates to patients about upcoming visits. Reminder scripts can be customized for voice, text, and email, with special keywords that auto-populate patient-specific details. Lead time and approximate delivery time are also configurable here.
Balance Alerts — automatic notifications sent to patients when they carry an outstanding balance — are also configured in this section.
***
## Referral Sources
The Referral Sources section is where referring physicians and other referral sources are added and maintained. Each referral source record stores the provider's name, contact details, and NPI. An integrated NPPES NPI Registry lookup is available to help locate provider identifiers quickly.
Once added, referral sources can be selected from any patient's Case Info page.
***
## Point of Sale
The Point of Sale section is where practice-defined fees and product items are created. Each item has a description and a flat-rate price. Common uses include no-show fees, cancellation fees, returned check fees, and over-the-counter product sales.
Once configured, Point of Sale items are available to apply to a patient's account from the Financial section of their case.
# Staff Setup
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/settings/staff
How to add and manage staff members in StrataEMR — required fields, facility assignment, credentialing holds, signature submission, and making staff inactive.
Staff Setup is where all StrataEMR user accounts are created and managed. Each staff member has a login, a permission level, and a profile that includes their professional credentials. Treating therapists and assistants also require a digital signature on file before they can complete clinical documentation.
Navigate to Staff Setup: **Menu Bar > Settings > Staff**.
**Access:** Adding and editing staff members requires Therapy Director permissions or above.
***
## Adding a New Staff Member
Select **Add New Staff Member** from the **Selected Staff Member** dropdown and enter the following details:
* **Display Name** — How the staff member's name appears throughout StrataEMR
* **First Name / Last Name**
* **Email Address** — Used for login and notifications
* **NPI** — Required for all treating therapists; used on claims
* **License Number** — Required for treating clinicians
* **Password / Confirm Password** — Initial login credentials
* **Assigned Permissions** — The staff member's permission level (see [User Permissions](/documentation/settings/user-permissions))
***
## Assigning a Staff Member to a Facility
You can assign a staff member to a facility, or update an existing assignment, directly from their profile — no support ticket required.
The **Assigned Facilities** section unlocks once the staff member meets both conditions:
* Their staff type is a treating type (PT, PTA, OT, OTA, SP, or SPA)
* The required credential is on file — an NPI for treating therapists (PT/OT/SP), or a license number for assistants (PTA/OTA)
If either condition isn't met, the section stays locked and displays a message asking you to contact StrataPT to change facility assignments for that user.
**Multi-facility practices:** If your practice has more than one location, you choose the facility (or facilities) directly in the staff member's profile, you do not need to send a message to your Customer Success manager.
### Credentialing Holds on Facility Assignment
StrataEMR automatically places credentialing holds to protect your claims whenever the assignment could introduce risk.
* **New staff, or a staff member not previously assigned to any facility:** When you assign their first facility, StrataEMR places a credentialing hold for certain key payers.
* **Staff member already assigned to a facility:** Assigning them to an additional or different facility does not trigger new holds.
**Warning:** While a credentialing hold is active, claims will not submit for the affected payers until the hold is lifted.
When holds are placed, StrataEMR automatically sends a message to your practice's admins confirming the staff member and facilities involved, along with the specific payer holds. Reply to that message with each payer's in-network/out-of-network status (and proof of status if in-network) to have the Customer Success team lift the holds.
***
## Setting Up a Provider Signature
All treating therapists and assistants must have a digital signature on file before they can sign and complete clinical documents. Staff members can set up their own signature directly from their profile — no StrataPT involvement required.
There are two ways to add a signature:
### Option 1 — Upload a Scanned Signature
1. Have the clinician sign their name on a blank white sheet of paper using black ink.
2. Scan the signature and crop the image so the borders are close to the edges of the handwriting — a tight crop produces the cleanest result.
3. From their profile in StrataEMR, use the **Upload a Signature** section to choose the file and save.
### Option 2 — Adopt a Font-Generated Signature
Staff members can adopt one of six font styles as an electronic representation of their signature. From their profile, the **Adopt a Signature** section displays a dropdown with font options — selecting a font renders a preview of their name in that style. Clicking **Adopt Signature** accepts the legal agreement and saves it as their electronic signature.
**Legal agreement:** By adopting a font signature, the staff member agrees that the generated signature serves as the electronic representation of their signature for all purposes when used on documents.
***
## Making a Staff Member Inactive
When a staff member leaves your practice, set their account to **Inactive** to immediately block login access without deleting their record. Their historical documentation and task history are preserved.
To deactivate: open the staff member's record in **Settings > Staff**, change their status to **Inactive**, and save.
**Inactive staff members do not generate tasks.** Setting a staff member to Inactive prevents new administrative tasks from being created for them. Existing tasks that were created before the status change will remain until resolved.
**Check the clinician's upcoming schedule before deactivating them.** Appointments assigned to an inactive clinician move into a **No Staff** column rather than being removed. They aren't lost, but future visits won't be reassigned automatically. Reassign any upcoming appointments to an active clinician first. See [Appointments for Inactive Staff](/documentation/schedule/schedule-overview#appointments-for-inactive-staff) for how the No Staff column works.
***
## Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) can be enabled for individual staff members to add an extra layer of login security. This requires the staff member to verify their identity via a second method in addition to their password when logging in.
To enable 2FA for a staff member, open their record in Setup > Staff and activate the two-factor authentication setting.
# User Permissions
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/settings/user-permissions
The permission levels and restrictive modifiers available in StrataEMR, what each grants access to, and how Staff Type controls discipline-based documentation access.
StrataEMR uses a tiered permission system to control what each staff member can see and do. Every staff login is assigned a **Permission Level** — a baseline that determines access across scheduling, documentation, and administrative functions. On top of that, **Restrictive Modifiers** can be applied to narrow access for specific staff members without changing their base level.
Permission levels and modifiers are set per staff member in the **Staff** page of the Setup area. Changes take effect the next time the staff member logs in.
**Access:** Adding and editing staff members, including setting permission levels, requires **Practice Administrator** permissions or above.
***
## Permission Levels
Permission levels are additive — each level includes everything from the levels below it. **Front Desk is the baseline.** All staff in StrataEMR have at minimum Front Desk access.
### Front Desk
The baseline permission level for all StrataEMR users.
* View and edit patient demographics, case info, policies, tasks, notifications, contact history, and payments
* View and edit patient stored documents
* **View** patient clinical documents (cannot edit)
* View inbound faxes and attach them to patient charts
* View and edit the schedule
### Clinical Staff
Everything in Front Desk, plus:
* **Edit** patient clinical documentation
### Therapy Director
Everything in Clinical Staff, plus:
* Delete patients
* View other staff members' mobile view in StrataEMR
* Edit Templates, Fragments, and Selections in the Setup area
* Edit patient intake message template content for fax cover sheets, emails, and text messages
* Edit the Billing Plan of Care section on a patient's Case Info page
* Delete documents from a patient's Clinical Documents list (where no charges are contained)
* Receive document status review and correction requests on clinical documents
* Edit patient clinical documents using Text Editing mode and Raw Editing mode
* When completing a document where Charge Advice doesn't meet the Billing Plan of Care, receive warnings instead of errors (allowing document completion)
* View the list of custom completion actions taken after a document is completed
### Practice Administrator
Everything in Therapy Director, plus:
* Add and edit staff members in the Setup area
* Create, receive, and read admin-only messages in the messaging area
* Receive email alerts on overdue message threads for all users
* Receive notifications about upcoming CMS Revalidation and therapist license expirations
* Access more sensitive financial and practice reports
### Business Owner
Everything in Practice Administrator, plus:
* Create and receive Business Owner-level messages in the messaging area
***
## Restrictive Modifiers
Restrictive modifiers can be applied to any staff member regardless of their base permission level. They narrow access for specific scenarios without requiring a separate permission tier.
### Prevent Document (with Billable Charges) Completion
The staff member retains all other permissions but **cannot complete any clinical document that contains billable charges**. Useful for assistant-level staff whose documentation requires a licensed therapist's review before billing.
### Limit Messaging Access
The staff member retains all other permissions but cannot:
* Be redirected to the Tickets area after login
* Read tickets in the onboarding area
* Create new tickets
* View the tickets section of the dashboard
* View or search current or historical ticket threads
### Limit Financial Features
The staff member retains all other permissions but cannot:
* View Financial Reports or Marketing Reports
* View billed-out charge information in the charge advice section of the clinical document editor
### View Only Own Facilities Schedules
The staff member retains all other permissions, but the facilities dropdown on the dashboard, schedule, and schedule map will only show facilities they are explicitly assigned to in the Setup area.
### View Only Own Schedule
The staff member retains all other permissions but cannot view other staff members' scheduled appointments on the schedule calendar. They can only see their own appointments.
***
## Staff Type
**Staff Type** is a separate setting from permission level. It controls which documentation templates a staff member can access and which patient cases they can document in — preventing cross-discipline documentation errors.
For example, a staff member with a PT Staff Type will only see PT templates and will be locked out of OT cases. This ensures clinicians document within their licensed scope.
Staff Type can also be set to **Clinical Only** or **Clinical + Front Desk** depending on whether the staff member needs access to administrative functions.
### PTAs and COTAs
Every clinical document in StrataEMR requires a supervising therapist with an NPI listed on the note — regardless of who creates or completes it. A PTA or COTA can create and, depending on their permission settings, complete a document, but the supervising therapist's name must appear on it.
StrataEMR does not enforce a specific workflow for how this happens, and requirements vary by state. Some clinics allow the PTA or COTA to add the supervising therapist's name and complete the note without a formal review step. Others route each document through StrataEMR's **Review workflow**, which requires the supervising therapist to open and approve the document before it is finalized.
If your practice requires review before completion, enable the **Prevent Document (with Billable Charges) Completion** modifier on PTA and COTA staff accounts.
***
## Additional Admin Capabilities
Staff members with Therapy Director permissions or above can also:
* **Reset staff passwords** from the Setup area
* **Set staff to inactive** to immediately block login access without deleting the account
* **Impersonate a staff member** to see the exact view they experience in StrataEMR — useful for troubleshooting access issues (blue menu bar > **Setup** > **Staff** > **Impersonate**)
* **Set schedule sort order** to control the column sequence for each staff member on the schedule
# StrataEMR Documentation
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/start-here
Reference documentation for every screen, feature, and setting in StrataEMR — organized to match the product you use every day.
StrataEMR is built to handle the complexity of running a physical therapy practice — scheduling, documentation, billing, and everything in between. This section is your reference guide for how it all works.
Each article explains what a feature does, what its fields and settings mean, and how it behaves. If you're looking for step-by-step instructions on completing a task, head over to the [Guides](/guides) section — that's where workflows live.
## What Would You Like to Learn About?
Demographics, the Policies page, Patient Engagement, Case Info, patient payments, benefit verification, authorization management, and financial arrangements.
Appointment types, schedule templates, the waiting list, kiosk check-in, and schedule views.
Document types, the Content Library, templates, Electronic Visit Verification, and signature compliance.
Staff, facilities, user permissions, the Content Library, schedule templates, appointment reminders, and referral sources.
Administrative, billing, and clinical tasks — how they're generated, what triggers them, and how they clear.
The Dashboard, practice metrics, and patient-level reports.
## How This Section Is Organized
Documentation articles are organized to match the structure of StrataEMR itself. Each article covers a specific screen or feature — what it is, what it contains, and how it works.
If you know what you're looking for, use the **search bar** at the top of the page. If you're exploring a new area of the system, browse using the **left navigation menu**.
**New to StrataEMR?** Start with [Start Here](/welcome) to get oriented to the layout of the system before diving into specific features.
# Tasks Overview
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/tasks/tasks-overview
How tasks work in StrataEMR, where to find them, and what the different task types mean.
Tasks are StrataEMR's built-in action system. They surface things that need attention — a copay to collect, a document to complete, an authorization about to expire — so nothing falls through the cracks. Tasks are generated automatically by the system based on what's happening in a patient's case. You don't create them manually.
Tasks only generate for patients with an **Active** status. If a patient is set to Inactive, no new tasks are created for their account.
***
## Where to Find Tasks
Tasks appear in two places.
**The Dashboard** shows a summary of all pending tasks across your practice, grouped by type. If you have multiple facilities, the dashboard filters to the currently selected facility. Clicking any task group takes you to a detailed list of everything pending in that category.
**The patient's Tasks & Contact tab** shows tasks filtered to that case only — useful when you're already working in a patient's account and want to see what's outstanding for them specifically.
**The Tasks page** — accessible from the blue Menu Bar — is the most efficient way to work through tasks day-to-day. It offers sortable columns, direct links to patient accounts, and filterable views you can bookmark for your daily workflow.
***
## How Tasks Clear
Most tasks clear automatically when the underlying action is completed. Enter the copay on the Payments page and the Uncollected Payments task closes. Complete and bill a document and the Draft Document task closes. A few task types — like Benefit Verification Complete — require manual dismissal after you've reviewed the information.
When a patient is discharged, StrataEMR automatically clears remaining outstanding tasks on their case.
***
## Task Categories
Tasks are organized into five categories.
**Administrative Tasks** cover practice operations — refund requests and unscheduled patients who don't have an upcoming visit on the calendar.
**Billing Tasks** cover the financial side of each case — uncollected payments, authorization expirations, authorization limits, claim submission holds, and benefit verification completions waiting for your review.
**Clinical Tasks** cover documentation and compliance — draft documents waiting to be completed, plans of care that need to be faxed to the referring provider, and pending physician signatures on returned documents.
**Patient Engagement Tasks** track intake form activity — when an invitation has been sent and is awaiting completion, when a patient finishes their intake forms, and birthday reminders for active patients.
**Referral Management Tasks** are tasks created on the Referral Management page and associated with patients in referral status. Unlike the other categories — which are organized by the type of work involved — Referral Management Tasks are oriented around the type of patient they apply to.
# Task Workflow
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/documentation/tasks/tasks-workflow
How tasks work in StrataEMR — what generates them, how they're organized on the dashboard, and how they're cleared.
Tasks are StrataEMR's built-in action system. They surface on your dashboard and on the dedicated Tasks page to alert staff when something needs attention — collecting a copay, completing a document, following up on a fax, or verifying benefits. Most tasks are created and cleared automatically as work is completed; others require a manual action to dismiss.
Tasks are only generated for patients with an **Active** status on their Demographics page. If a patient is set to Inactive, new tasks will not be created for them, though any tasks created before the status change will remain until resolved.
If your practice has multiple facilities, the dashboard only displays tasks for the currently selected facility.
**Access:** All staff can view and act on tasks. The Tasks & Notifications page within each patient's case shows the full task history for that patient, including when each task was completed and by which staff member.
***
## How Tasks Work
Each task represents a specific pending action. Tasks are grouped into categories: **Administrative**, **Billing**, **Clinical**, **Patient Engagement**, and **Referral Management**. Within each category, tasks are further grouped by type.
**Tasks clear in two ways:**
* **Automatically** — when the required action is completed in StrataEMR. For example, an Uncollected Payments task clears when the matching payment is entered on the Payments page.
* **Manually** — by clicking the **X** on the dashboard or clicking **Open** on the Tasks page and selecting the **Task Mark Complete** checkbox.
***
## Task Management Page
The **Tasks** link in the top navigation bar provides a dedicated workspace for triaging tasks across the entire facility. This view is often more efficient than the dashboard for staff handling high volumes of documentation or billing.
* **Dynamic Filters:** The filters for Task Type, Category, Payer, and Staff Member only display options that currently have active tasks.
* **Direct Navigation:** Clicking **Open** on any task allows you to see the "How to Resolve" instructions and provides direct links to the patient's **Policies**, **Payments**, or **Clinical Documents**.
* **The "Snooze" Feature:** If a task cannot be resolved immediately (e.g., waiting for a call back), use the **Defer Task** dropdown to hide the task for a set period (1 day to 2 weeks). It will automatically reappear on your list when the time expires.
**Pro Tip:** Every filtered view on the Task Management page has a unique URL. Managers can filter for specific staff members or departments and bookmark that URL to quickly access a "custom" work list every day.
***
## Administrative Tasks
| Task | What Triggers It | How It Clears |
| - | - | - |
| **Refund Request** | A patient overpayment is identified and a refund is owed | Manually, after the refund is processed |
| **Unscheduled Patient** | A scheduled job runs periodically and finds active patients with no visit scheduled in the upcoming month | Manually, or when a visit is scheduled; setting the patient to Inactive prevents new instances |
| **Intake Complete** | A patient has submitted their digital intake forms through the portal | Manually, after staff reviews the submitted data |
| **Days Since Discharge** | A Patient Engagement action set on the patient's case for set number of days after the patient's discharge date | Manually, after a follow-up is performed |
**Unscheduled Patient tasks** are a backstop, not a primary scheduling management tool. For a more complete view of scheduling gaps, use the Schedule Analytics Report — it includes weekly visit targets, appointment reminder status, and more detail than the task alone provides.
***
## Billing Tasks
| Task | What Triggers It | How It Clears |
| - | - | - |
| **Authorization Required Documents** | A claim cannot be submitted because authorization documentation is missing | Automatically, when the authorization is uploaded |
| **Authorization Expiring** | An active authorization is approaching its expiration date or visit limit | Automatically, when a new authorization is entered |
| **Authorization Limit** | A patient is approaching or has reached their authorized visit count | Manually reviewed and resolved |
| **Claim Submission Hold** | A claim is being held from submission due to a billing issue | Automatically, when the underlying issue is resolved |
| **Uncollected Payments** | A patient has a balance due at their visit that has not yet been collected | Automatically, when the matching payment is entered on the Payments page |
| **Benefit Verification Required** | Staff opted to create a verification task when adding a new policy | Manually, after benefit verification is completed and entered |
| **Benefit Verification Complete** | StrataPT has completed benefit verification for a patient | Manually, after reviewing the verified benefits on the patient's Policies page |
***
## Clinical Tasks
| Task | What Triggers It | How It Clears |
| - | - | - |
| **Draft Documents** | A clinical document was started but not completed | Automatically, when the document is completed; manually if the date doesn't match a treated date |
| **Faxing Required** | A clinician completes an initial evaluation or Plan of Care | Automatically, when the document is faxed — converts to a Pending Signature task |
| **Pending Signature** | A fax has been sent and the practice is awaiting the physician's signed return | Manually, after the signed document is received and attached to the patient's chart |
| **Failed Fax** | StrataEMR was unable to deliver a fax after multiple retry attempts | Manually, after the fax is successfully resent from the Clinical Documents page |
| **Review Documents** | A Therapy Director has flagged a document for review by another staff member | Manually, after the review is completed |
| **MIPS** | Generated weekly for patients who need a second MIPS Patient Survey Form | Manually dismissed at any time; does not auto-clear |
**Draft Document task dates** are based on when the document was started, not when the patient was treated. If a document was started on a different date than the visit, the task will reflect the start date.
***
## Patient-Level Task View
In addition to the dashboard and Task Management page, tasks are visible within each individual patient's case under **patient menu bar > Tasks & Contact**. This view shows:
* All currently pending tasks for that patient
* The full task history — when each task was completed and by which staff member
This is useful when working directly in a patient's chart, so you can see outstanding items without returning to the main task lists.
***
# Adding Users and Roles
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/getting-started/adding-users-and-roles
Create staff accounts in StrataEMR and assign role-appropriate permissions so each team member has access to what they need.
Every person at your practice who uses StrataEMR needs their own user account with permissions appropriate to their role. Setting up users and roles correctly during onboarding prevents access issues at go-live and ensures your team sees only what's relevant to their daily work.
User setup happens after organization and facility configuration.
## Who Should Do This
User account creation is typically completed by the **practice owner or office manager**, with guidance from the onboarding team. In some cases, the onboarding team may create initial accounts on your behalf based on a staff roster you provide.
## How Users and Roles Work
StrataEMR uses role-based access control. Each user account is assigned one or more roles, and each role defines what parts of the system that user can see and what actions they can take. This means you don't need to configure permissions individually for each staff member. You assign the right role, and the permissions follow.
## Available Roles
## Creating User Accounts
### Clinician-Specific Setup
Clinician accounts may require additional configuration beyond what other roles need, since provider identity affects clinical documentation and billing.
## Guidance by Persona
When setting up accounts, use these guidelines to match roles to staff.
**Clinicians** (PTs, OTs, SLPs, and assistants): Assign the clinician role. Ensure their NPI, license, credentials, and taxonomy code are entered accurately, as this information flows onto clinical documents and claims. For assistants (PTAs, COTAs), confirm supervising provider assignments.
**Front desk and admin staff**: Assign the front desk/admin role. These users need access to scheduling, patient intake, and demographics, but generally should not have access to clinical documentation or billing.
**Billers**: Assign the biller role. These users work primarily in StrataOffice and need access to claims, payments, and billing reporting. If a staff member handles both front desk and billing duties, they may need both roles.
**Practice owners and managers**: Assign the administrator role for full system access. Even if you also treat patients, having admin access lets you manage settings, users, and reporting alongside clinical work.
## Common Setup Mistakes
**Giving everyone admin access.** It's tempting to give every user full access to avoid permission complaints. This creates security risk and makes it harder for staff to find what they need. Assign the narrowest role that fits each person's job.
**Forgetting provider identifiers.** Clinician accounts without accurate NPI and license information will cause billing problems. Verify these before go-live, not after claims start getting denied.
**Not assigning users to facilities.** In multi-location practices, users need to be associated with the correct facility (or facilities) to see the right schedules and patient lists. Don't skip this step.
## Verification
Before moving to go-live preparation, verify the following:
* [ ] All staff members have active user accounts
* [ ] Each user is assigned the correct role for their job function
* [ ] Each user is assigned to the correct facility (or facilities)
* [ ] Clinician accounts have accurate NPI, license, credentials, and taxonomy codes
* [ ] Supervising provider relationships are configured for assistants
* [ ] At least one user has administrator access
* [ ] All users have logged in at least once to confirm account access works
***
**Next step:**
* [Going Live](/getting-started/going-live) -- What happens when your account transitions to full production.
# Compliance Resources
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/getting-started/compliance-resources
Direct links to the official CMS and HHS resources for Medicare credentialing, billing rules, and HIPAA privacy guidance.
Questions about your CMS credentialing status, Medicare billing rules, or HIPAA compliance should go straight to the source. This page links you directly to the official government resources that govern these areas.
**Not legal or compliance advice:** These links point to official CMS and HHS resources. For guidance specific to your practice, consult your compliance officer, billing consultant, or legal counsel.
## CMS & Credentialing Quick Links
**CMS Benefit Policy Manual (Chapter 15)** Official rules on plans of care, evaluations, and therapy qualifications. [View the manual](https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/Downloads/bp102c15.pdf)
**CMS Medicare Claims Processing Manual (Chapter 5)** Outpatient billing regulations, including the 8-Minute Rule and therapy modifiers. [View the manual](https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/Downloads/clm104c05.pdf)
**PECOS Revalidation List** Check your active Medicare enrollment and revalidation status. [Go to PECOS](https://data.cms.gov/tools/medicare-revalidation-list)
**HHS HIPAA Privacy Rule** Federal guidelines on patient privacy and protecting clinical data. [View HHS guidance](https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/laws-regulations/index.html)
# Configuring Your Facilities
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/getting-started/configuring-your-facilities
Set up your practice locations in StrataEMR, including addresses, operating hours, and provider assignments.
Facilities represent the physical locations where your practice sees patients. Each facility has its own address, operating hours, provider roster, and potentially its own scheduling and billing configuration. If your practice has one location, you'll configure one facility. Multi-location practices repeat this process for each site.
Facility setup happens after organization setup and before user/role configuration.
## Who Should Do This
Facility configuration is typically completed by the **practice owner or office manager**, with guidance from the onboarding team. For multi-location practices, each site's office manager may handle their own facility configuration under the coordinator's oversight.
## Adding a Facility
Each facility in StrataEMR represents one practice location. When adding a facility, you'll work with our team to confirm details like:
* **Facility name, address, county, phone, fax, email, and website**
* **Place of service** - set per facility if it differs from the organization default
* **Medicare Locality** - used for billing
* **Medicare PTAN**
### Multi-Location Practices
If your practice operates out of multiple locations, you'll add each one as a separate facility. A few things to keep in mind:
* **Each facility has its own settings.** Contact information and provider assignments can be configured per facility. This allows each location to operate independently.
* **Organization-level settings cascade down.** Billing defaults, identifiers, and other settings configured at the organization level apply to all facilities unless explicitly overridden at the facility level.
* **Patients are associated with a home facility.** Each patient record has a home facility assignment; confirm with your onboarding lead how this should be set for patients who are seen at more than one location.
* **Scheduling is per-facility by default.** Staff see one facility's schedule at a time for each facility to which they are assigned.
* **Reporting can be restricted by facility assignment.** By default, non-administrative staff can only run reports on facilities they're assigned to; administrators can see across all facilities.
## Provider Assignments
Each facility needs to know which providers practice there. Provider-facility assignments determine which providers appear on the schedule at each location and may affect billing configuration.
* **Assigning a provider** — Providers are assigned to facilities from the staff settings page.
* **Providers at multiple facilities** — Fully supported. There's no limit on how many facilities a provider can be assigned to.
* **Claims and NPI** — Each provider's individual NPI is required to assign them to a facility and to complete a claim as the rendering provider.
## Progress Note Required Every 30 Days
CMS documentation guidelines require a progress note when the first of two conditions is met: 10 visits, or 30 days since the last evaluation or progress note. By default, StrataEMR enforces the 10-visit side of that requirement. For practices whose visit frequency means they don't reliably reach 10 visits within 30 days, a 30 day alert can also be enforced as a facility-level setting. When enabled, this setting alerts the treating therapist once a patient reaches 30 days (or 10 visits, whichever comes first) since their last evaluation or progress note, prompting a new Progress Note or Discharge.
**Access:** Configured by StrataPT only, this is not a self-service setting. If your practice does not consistently hit 10 visits within 30 days of an evaluation or progress note, submit a support ticket to discuss whether enabling this setting makes sense for the affected facility.
### What Types of Clinics Enable This
This is most useful for practices with lower visit frequency, or facilities in states with their own documentation timelines, where 10 visits will not reliably happen within 30 days. Enabling it protects against denials tied to CMS's "whichever comes first" requirement. Enable it per facility - a multi-location practice may need it on for some locations and not others.
## Facility-Level Billing Configuration
Some billing settings can be overridden at the facility level instead of inheriting the organization default. This is common for multi-location practices where different sites may have different payer mixes or billing requirements.
* **Tax ID, organization NPI, legal business name, and payment address** can each be set per facility.
* **Place of service** can be locked per facility — for example, defaulting to home care, clinic, or CORF place-of-service codes so claims from that location always use the correct code modifiers.
## Payer and Insurance Configuration
Payer and insurance records are managed at the **organization level**, not per facility. Your onboarding team sets these up during implementation and you can add or adjust payers afterward from the Payers setup page.
A few settings do have facility-level exceptions: claims can be blocked or credentialing held for a specific facility on a per-payer basis, which is useful if a location isn't yet credentialed with a particular payer.
## Verification
Before moving on to user setup, verify the following for each facility:
* Facility name and address are correct
* Phone and fax numbers are entered
* Operating hours are configured
* Providers are assigned to the correct facilities
* Facility-specific billing overrides are configured, if applicable
* Place of service code is correct for each facility
* Progress Note Every 30 Days alert enabled, if it applies to your practice's visit patterns
***
**Next step:**
* [Adding Users and Roles](/getting-started/adding-users-and-roles) -- Create staff accounts and assign permissions.
# Credentialing Services: Recommended Vendors
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/getting-started/credentialing-vendors
StrataPT does not provide credentialing services, but we've compiled a list of trusted vendors our customers use.
Credentialing is the process insurance carriers use to verify that a therapist is qualified to be included on their panels and treat covered patients. It is required for all PTs, OTs, and SLPs who bill Medicare, and requirements for commercial payers vary by insurance.
StrataPT does not provide credentialing services. You can handle credentialing yourself, or work with a third-party credentialing specialist.
**PTAs and COTAs do not require credentialing.** They provide care under the supervision of a PT or OT and are not required to be credentialed by insurance carriers.
***
## Recommended Credentialing Vendors
The following vendors are used by StrataPT customers. Contact them directly to discuss your needs and pricing.
### Therapy Strong Consulting, LLC
* **Contact:** Laura Balcerak, COTA — President
* **Phone:** 414-531-3598
* **Website:** [therapystrong.com](https://www.therapystrong.com)
### MyAppStat, INC
* **Contact:** Rick Knutzen, CEO
* **Phone:** 877-587-8815 x 701
* **Email:** [Rick@myappstat.com](mailto:Rick@myappstat.com)
* **Website:** [myappstat.com](https://www.myappstat.com)
### Tristar Medical Credentialing & Billing, LLC
* **Contact:** Al Berry, Contract Analyst
* **Phone:** 469-915-4211
* **Email:** [info@tristarmbc.com](mailto:info@tristarmbc.com)
* **Website:** [tristarmbc.com](https://www.tristarmbc.com)
### Prime Credential
* **Contact:** Jason Tocci, VP
* **Phone:** 954-410-5194
***
## What to Expect During Credentialing
Medicare credentialing typically takes 60–90 days. Once a PT, OT, or SLP application is accepted, the provider may begin treating Medicare patients. Claims submitted during the approval period are placed on a credentialing hold and released once the application is approved.
Commercial payer timelines and requirements vary. Claims submitted during the commercial credentialing process will typically process as out-of-network until in-network participation is granted.
**If credentialing is in progress during onboarding**, forward copies of all approvals to your Account Manager as they come in so that we can remove any holds and confirm claims are processing correctly.
# Going Live
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/getting-started/going-live
What happens when your StrataEMR account transitions to full production, and how to prepare for a smooth first week.
Go-live is the moment your StrataEMR account transitions from onboarding state to full production. Your team starts seeing real patients, creating real documentation, and submitting real claims through the system. Everything your practice has configured and trained on during onboarding is now in play.
This page covers what to finalize before go-live, what changes on go-live day, and what the first week looks like.
## Pre-Go-Live Readiness
Go-live should only happen when your practice is ready. Your onboarding lead will work with you to confirm readiness, but these are the items that need to be complete before the transition.
### Configuration
* Organization settings are complete and verified ([Organization Setup](/getting-started/setting-up-your-organization))
* All facilities are configured with correct addresses, hours, and provider assignments ([Facility Setup](/getting-started/configuring-your-facilities))
* All user accounts are created with correct roles and facility assignments ([Users and Roles](/getting-started/adding-users-and-roles))
* Billing defaults and payer configuration have been reviewed with the onboarding team
### Data
* Patient data migration is complete and verified ([Migrating Your Data](/switching/migrating-your-data))
* Insurance details have been spot-checked for accuracy
* Referrer data has been spot-checked for accuracy
* Priority authorizations have been entered (patients scheduled in the first two weeks)
### Training
* All clinicians have completed clinical documentation training
* Front desk/admin staff have completed scheduling and intake training
* Billers have completed claims and billing workflow training
* Practice owner/manager has completed administrative training
### Operations
* First two weeks of appointments are scheduled in StrataEMR
* Historical document access plan is in place (previous system access, uploaded documents, or both)
* Staff know who to contact for issues during the first week (hypercare team)
* Internal point of contact is confirmed and available during go-live week
## What Changes at Go-Live
When your onboarding lead triggers the transition, several things change at once.
**The onboarding state lifts.** Your focused onboarding dashboard is replaced by the full StrataEMR and StrataOffice experience. All features that were locked during onboarding become available.
**Your schedule is live.** Patients scheduled for today and forward are visible in the system. Front desk staff manage check-in, check-out, and scheduling through StrataEMR from this point forward.
**Clinical documentation is live.** Clinicians document patient visits in StrataEMR. Evaluations, progress notes, and all clinical records are created in the new system.
**Billing is live.** Charges flow from clinical documentation into StrataOffice. Claims are submitted, payments are posted, and the full revenue cycle operates through the StrataPT platform.
**Hypercare begins.** Your account is immediately placed in StrataPT's hypercare pod for close monitoring and elevated support. See [Your First 30 Days](/after-go-live/first-30-days) for details on what hypercare provides.
## Go-Live Day
### What to Expect
The first day will feel different. Even with thorough training, applying new workflows to real patient care introduces friction that practice sessions don't fully replicate. This is normal.
**Things will take longer.**
Documentation, scheduling, and billing workflows will all be slower on day one. Staff are building muscle memory. This improves rapidly, usually noticeably by the end of the first week.
**Questions will come up that nobody anticipated.**
Training covers the standard workflows, but real-world patient encounters produce edge cases. When questions arise, flag them to the hypercare team rather than improvising workarounds.
**Not everything will be perfect.**
A migrated insurance record may be slightly wrong. A scheduling preference may need adjustment. A documentation template may not quite fit a specific case. These are expected and fixable. The hypercare team is standing by for exactly this.
### What Your Team Should Do
**Front desk / admin**: Schedule, check in, and check out every patient through StrataEMR. Verify patient demographics and insurance at each visit. Report any migrated data that doesn't look right.
**Clinicians**: Document every patient visit in StrataEMR, even if it takes longer than expected. Follow the trained workflow. Flag questions to the designated point of contact.
**Billers**: Monitor charge capture closely. Review the first batch of pending claims before submission with extra attention. Flag any billing issues immediately to your Hypercare team.
**Practice owner / manager**: Be visible. Check in with each role group. Reinforce that the adjustment period is temporary and that the hypercare team is there to help.
### What Your Onboarding Lead and Hypercare Team Are Doing
Your onboarding lead coordinates the go-live transition and ensures the handoff to the hypercare team is clean. Once go-live is active, the hypercare team takes over as your primary support contact.
On go-live day, the hypercare team is:
* Monitoring your practice's first transactions (scheduling, documentation, claims)
* Available for rapid-response support
* Proactively watching for configuration issues that surface only with live data
## The First Week
The first full week after go-live is a critical stabilization period. Here's what to focus on:
**Days 1-2**: Focus entirely on completing core workflows correctly. Don't try to optimize or explore. Just get through each patient visit, each schedule change, and each billing submission using the trained process.
**Days 3-5**: Start paying attention to patterns. What's consistently slow? What questions keep coming up? Where are staff working around the system instead of through it? Flag these to the hypercare team.
**End of week 1**: Check in with your hypercare team for a first-week review. They'll share what they're seeing in your metrics and address any issues that have surfaced.
For a detailed breakdown of the full first 30 days by role, see [Your First 30 Days](/after-go-live/first-30-days).
## What If Something Goes Wrong
Go-live issues fall into a few categories, and each has a different resolution path.
**Configuration issue** (a setting is wrong, a payer isn't configured correctly, a provider assignment is missing): Report to the hypercare team. These are typically quick fixes.
**Data issue** (a patient's insurance is wrong, a referrer's NPI is missing, demographics don't match): Report to the hypercare team with the specific patient and field affected. See [Migrating Your Data](/switching/migrating-your-data) for context on what transferred and what might need correction.
**Training gap** (a staff member isn't sure how to complete a workflow): Refer to the [Guides](/guides) section of this knowledgebase or contact the hypercare team for targeted help. If multiple staff have the same question, flag it for a refresher session.
**System issue** (something isn't working as expected, an error appears, the system is slow): Report to the hypercare team immediately with specifics: what you were doing, what happened, and what you expected to happen.
## After Go-Live
Once go-live day is behind you and your first week is complete, the focus shifts from survival to stabilization. The hypercare team continues monitoring your practice's metrics and providing elevated support as your team builds confidence and speed.
***
**Next steps:**
* [Your First 30 Days](/after-go-live/first-30-days) -- What to focus on, how hypercare supports you, and what ramp targets look like.
* [Getting Help](/after-go-live/getting-help) -- How to find answers and contact support.
# Onboarding
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/getting-started/onboarding
Welcome to StrataPT. This guide walks you through what to expect during onboarding and how to get your practice live on StrataEMR efficiently and confidently.
## Our Onboarding Experience
When you join StrataPT, you don’t just get a platform - you get a partner. From the moment your contract is signed, our Onboarding team will guide you through a structured, white-glove onboarding program designed to get your practice live with StrataEMR smoothly and on schedule. You’ll have a dedicated point of contact throughout the process, so you’re never left wondering what comes next.
**Right after signing, you'll be asked to:**
* **Sign and return** your ACH form via PandaDoc
* **Schedule your Kickoff Call** with your Customer Success Manager
* **Access StrataEMR** and begin completing your onboarding paperwork, including:
**To prepare for Kickoff, we recommend gathering:**
* **\~10 example claims** you’ve previously submitted
* **A list of your top payers** and payer contracts
* **Logins** for your payer portals
* **An employee roster** of your front desk, clinical, and administrative staff
## Week 2 - Setup
In this stage we’ll begin setting up and configuring your StrataEMR account. At this stage we activate all our teams that support your organization to ensure your account is fully configured and ready to go by the end of this stage.
* **RCM Partnership Call** – Review how our billing and collections team operates, what to expect, and confirm we have the data needed to set up your account.
* **Portal Enrollments** – Once your account is configured, we’ll begin submitting payer portal enrollments for your organization.
* **Documentation Review** - Review and personalize StrataEMR’s built-in documentation to fit your team’s needs.
## Week 2 - Prepare
This stage is focused on getting ready for your Launch Date. If you’ve selected a Patient Demographics Import we’ll perform, validate, and review the import with your team at the beginning of this stage.
During this stage you’ll focus on:
* Validating and reviewing your patient demographics import (if selected)
* Moving your schedule into StrataEMR
* Entering benefit, authorization, plan of care, and visit information for all scheduled patients
* Reviewing and customizing patient intake documentation
* Uploading prior case information
* Creating initial documents for upcoming visits to save time on Day 1
You’ll meet with our team to confirm all configurations and workflows are correct. Our focus is making sure patients, cases, demographics, and policies are ready so reimbursements flow smoothly from the start.
## Week 3 - Training
Your team will complete their StrataEMR training through StrataPT University (SPTU), our dedicated learning platform. Each staff member completes a role-specific certification track — Clinician, Front Desk, or Admin — at their own pace before your go-live date. Credentials are provisioned for your team as part of this stage.
Once your staff have completed their certification courses, you'll meet with our Product Trainer for a live Q\&A session. This call is designed to address any questions that came up during the online curriculum and verify that your specific workflows are ready to go. The session focuses on three areas:
* **Workflow Verification** - Confirming that your intake-to-documentation flow is seamless for your clinic's specific setup.
* **Role-Specific Q\&A** - Clearing up any "How do I..." questions for your front desk, clinical staff, or admins.
* **Confidence Check** - Finalizing settings and templates so your team can hit the ground running on Day 1.
**Before the Q\&A call:** All attendees should complete their StrataPT University certification modules in advance. The more of the curriculum your team finishes beforehand, the more productive the live session will be.
Meanwhile, our teams continue working behind the scenes — finalizing enrollments, making any requested configuration updates, and completing fax number transfers (typically a 10-business-day process).
## Week 4 - Launch
Most clients choose to launch on a Monday, ensuring a clean transition. From that day forward:
* All documentation is logged exclusively in StrataEMR
* Claims are submitted directly through the platform
* You’ll have frequent check-ins with our team to confirm everything is running smoothly
**Our goal is simple:** Get your team documenting, scheduling, and billing with minimal disruption to your patient care and practice's revenue flow.
# Your Onboarding Dashboard
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/getting-started/onboarding-dashboard
What you'll see when you first log in to StrataEMR and how to navigate your account during the onboarding period.
When you first log in to StrataEMR after signing your contract, your account will be in an **onboarding state**. Instead of the full StrataEMR experience your team will use after go-live, you'll see a staged checklist that walks you and the StrataPT onboarding team through everything that needs to happen before you go live.
This page orients you to what's on the dashboard, what each stage means, and where to go if something looks stuck.
## How the Onboarding Dashboard Works
The onboarding dashboard is organized around a single progress tracker — the StrataPT180 gauge at the top of the page — with six stages beneath it. Each stage is a table of items, and each item falls into one of a few states:
* **Pending Client** - something StrataPT needs from you: a signature, an upload, a completed form.
* **Pending Strata** - your onboarding team is working on it. No action needed from you.
* **Complete** - done.
![onboarding dashboard]()
Every item also has an **Ask a Question** button, which opens a message thread scoped to that specific task. Use it instead of a general support ticket if you have a question about something on your checklist. StrataPT staff also control a **visibility** setting on each item, so some internal review steps won't appear on your view at all; if you don't see something you expected, it may simply not be client-visible yet, not missing.
A **Messages** panel on the dashboard surfaces active tickets and any practice-wide announcements from StrataPT - check it alongside your stage checklist.
## The Six Stages
Your onboarding lead will walk you through this sequence and coordinate timing, but here's what each stage covers:
**1. New Client Billing & Software Agreement** Review and sign your core agreements (software/RCM agreement, any Medicare-only service agreement that applies, ACH payment authorization), and get introduced to your onboarding team. This unlocks Stage 2.
**2. Application & Supporting Documents** This is where most of your setup information gets captured. You'll complete the New Client Application and a handful of related forms (billing transition, fee schedule review, data migration election), and upload supporting documents: W-9, IRS Tax ID letter, voided check, practice logo, Medicare/Medicaid enrollment letters, state licenses, and current claim forms, among others. The details you provide here, practice information, identifiers, billing defaults, facility and staff details, are what StrataPT uses to build out your organization, facilities, and user accounts in the next stage. See [Setting Up Your Organization](/getting-started/setting-up-your-organization), [Configuring Your Facilities](/getting-started/configuring-your-facilities), and [Adding Users and Roles](/getting-started/adding-users-and-roles) for what that information covers.
**3. Account Review** StrataPT builds your EMR account from what you submitted in Stage 2 - organization setup, facility setup, staff setup, insurance file setup, and your billing rate. Most of this stage is Pending Strata; you're not expected to configure this yourself. If you want to see what's being reviewed, the linked setup pages above walk through what each of those settings means.
**4. Clearinghouse EDI/ERA Setup** StrataPT initiates your clearinghouse connection and payer enrollments (Medicare, Medicaid, Railroad Medicare, commercial payers). Some enrollments require your signature on an upload — those will show as Pending Client.
**5. Account Finalization** Your account manager kick-off call, credential issuance, and a 30-day check-in after go-live. The stage ends in **GO TIME** - the point where your account transitions to full production. See [Going Live](/getting-started/going-live).
## Data Migration
Data migration — verifying that patient demographics, insurance details, and referrer information transferred correctly from your current EMR — is initiated through the Data Migration Election and Data Migration Review Form in Stage 2, using the current-EMR credentials you provide there. See [Migrating Your Data](/switching/migrating-your-data) for full details on what transfers and how the process works.
## What the Onboarding Dashboard Provides
The onboarding dashboard is your home base during the setup period. It's intentionally limited to keep the focus on the tasks that need to happen before go-live.
From the onboarding dashboard, you can:
* View and track your onboarding progress
* Access organization settings (practice info, identifiers, billing defaults)
* Access facility settings (locations, schedules, provider assignments)
* Create and manage user accounts
* Deliver credentials for your current EMR (for data migration)
* Review migrated data as it becomes available
* Access training materials and resources
## What's Not Available During Onboarding
Certain features are locked until your account transitions to full production at go-live. This is by design. These features depend on having your configuration complete and your data migrated before they're useful.
If you see something you expect to have access to but don't, check with your onboarding lead before assuming something is wrong. It may be intentionally locked until a later onboarding phase.
## Navigating the Dashboard
## Setup Tasks Overview
The onboarding dashboard guides you through the configuration tasks that need to happen before go-live. These tasks are covered in detail in the pages that follow, but here's the high-level sequence:
**1. Set up your organization** Configure your practice-level information: practice name, identifiers (NPI, Tax ID), and billing defaults. This is the foundation that everything else builds on. [Setting Up Your Organization](/getting-started/setting-up-your-organization)
**2. Configure your facilities** Add your practice locations, set operating hours, and assign providers to facilities. Multi-location practices will repeat this for each site. [Configuring Your Facilities](/getting-started/configuring-your-facilities)
**3. Add users and roles** Create accounts for your staff and assign role-appropriate permissions so each team member has access to what they need. [Adding Users and Roles](/getting-started/adding-users-and-roles)
**4. Review migrated data** Once the onboarding team completes your data migration, verify that patient demographics, insurance details, and referrer information transferred accurately. [Migrating Your Data](/switching/migrating-your-data)
**5. Go live** When configuration is complete, data is verified, and training is done, your account transitions to full production. [Going Live](/getting-started/going-live)
Your onboarding lead will walk you through this sequence and coordinate timing. You don't need to figure out the order or dependencies on your own.
## Credential Delivery
One of the first things you'll do in the Onboarding Dashboard is provide login credentials to your current EMR. The onboarding team uses these to log into your existing system and extract your patient, payer, and referrer data.
See [Migrating Your Data](/switching/migrating-your-data) for full details on what transfers and how the migration process works.
## Getting Help During Onboarding
During the onboarding period, your primary support contact is your onboarding lead. If you have questions about the dashboard, your setup tasks, or anything else during this phase, reach out to them directly.
***
**Next step:**
* [Setting Up Your Organization](/getting-started/setting-up-your-organization) -- Configure your practice-level information.
# Setting Up Your Organization
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/getting-started/setting-up-your-organization
Configure your practice-level information in StrataEMR, including identifiers, billing defaults, and core settings.
Organization settings are the foundation of your StrataEMR account. These are practice-wide settings that apply across all locations and users. They need to be configured before you set up facilities, add users, or go live.
Your onboarding lead will walk you through this process, but this page serves as a reference for what's configured at the organization level and why it matters.
***
## Who Should Do This
Organization setup is typically completed by the **practice owner or office manager**, with guidance from the onboarding team. These settings affect billing, compliance, and system behavior across the entire practice, so they should be reviewed by someone with decision-making authority.
***
## Understanding Your Account Structure
Before you begin configuration, you need to answer one foundational question: should your practice operate as a single StrataEMR account, or as multiple separate accounts?
Most practices use one account. But if your organization runs two financially independent business units, with separate billing workflows, different payer mixes, and separate administrative operations, you may need two. This decision shapes how your billing, reporting, and user access work from day one. It is much harder to change after go-live.
### Single Account with Multiple Facilities
A single account with multiple facilities is the right structure for most practices. All of your locations live under one StrataEMR login. You get aggregate reporting across locations, a shared fax inbox, and centralized scheduling and task management. Users can be assigned to specific facilities if you need to limit what they see, but all data lives in one place.
Choose this structure if:
* Your locations operate under one business entity, or share billing workflows and payer contracts
* You want a roll-up view of your entire practice's performance across locations
* Your clinical or admin staff work across multiple locations
* Your patients are seen at multiple locations
* You want one fax inbox and one task queue for the whole organization
### Separate Accounts
Separate accounts are the right structure when two entities truly operate as independent businesses — with different payer mixes, separate billing teams, and no need for a combined view of both.
Choose this structure if:
* Your entities have meaningfully different payer mixes or billing workflows that need to stay completely separate
* Each business unit manages its own finances independently and doesn't need aggregate reporting across both
* Structurally the two businesses are seen as separate and administrators of each would not use a combined view
**Separate accounts means separate everything.** Patient records, fax inboxes, reports, and billing do not cross account lines. There is no combined view. If you need aggregate data across both accounts later, StrataEMR cannot provide it directly.
**Account switching for users who span both:** If a staff member needs access to more than one account, StrataEMR supports account switching. Users with access to multiple separate StrataEMR accounts can toggle between them from a dropdown, no separate login required.
### Not Sure Which Is Right?
Talk to your onboarding lead before configuration begins. This decision affects your billing setup, user management, and reporting from the start. Getting it right upfront is much easier than restructuring after go-live.
***
## Practice Information
Your core business information is configured by the StrataPT onboarding team based on your new client application. Once your account is live, updates to some of these fields will be managed by StrataPT, they are not directly editable after setup to prevent typos that could affect billing. If you need to update any of these after go-live, submit a support ticket and the StrataPT team will make the change.
The following fields are set during onboarding and locked after go-live:
* **Legal Business Name** — your practice's full legal name as registered. Appears on claims and patient-facing documents.
* **Tax ID** — your federal Employer Identification Number.
* **Organization NPI** — your Type 2 (group/organizational) NPI. Each of these three fields can be overridden at the facility level for locations that bill under different credentials. If any facility field is left blank, it inherits the organization-level value.
The following fields are editable directly in StrataEMR at any time:
* **Business DBA** — your "doing business as" name, if different from your legal name.
* **Organization NPI for HETS (if different)** — some practices use a separate NPI for eligibility verification. Leave blank if yours is the same as your Organization NPI.
* **Time Zone / Disable Daylight Saving Time** — controls how appointment times and timestamps display. Set to match your primary location's time zone.
* **Auto-Save Documents** — how frequently StrataEMR auto-saves clinical notes in progress. Defaults to After 1 Minute.
* **Google Reviews URL / Facebook Page Ratings URL** — if you use StrataEMR's patient satisfaction surveys, these URLs control where the "Share Your Review" follow-up links point. Optional, but worth setting before go-live if you actively manage online reviews.
***
## Identifiers
StrataEMR requires several identifiers for billing, claims submission, and regulatory compliance. Some are configured directly by your team; others are gathered by StrataPT during onboarding and managed on your behalf.
**NPI (Type 2 — Group/Organizational):** Your practice's organizational NPI. This is different from individual provider NPIs, which are configured separately at the user level. If you're unsure which NPI to use here, verify with your credentialing team — entering a Type 1 (individual) NPI will cause claim rejections.
**Tax ID / EIN:** Your practice's federal Employer Identification Number. This must match exactly what's on file with your payers.
**Taxonomy code:** Collected by StrataPT during your new client application. Your onboarding lead will confirm the correct code(s) for your practice specialty and payer mix.
**Medicare PTAN:** Collected by StrataPT during onboarding via your PTAN letter. If you don't yet have a PTAN because credentialing is still in progress, billing to Medicare cannot begin until one is issued — your onboarding lead can advise on timing.
**NPI and Tax ID must be accurate before go-live.** Incorrect values will cause claim rejections. Verify both against your credentialing documents before saving. Your onboarding lead can cross-check these against payer records.
***
## Billing Defaults
Billing defaults are organization-wide settings that govern how StrataEMR handles charges, claims, and billing workflows. These defaults can often be overridden at the facility or payer level, but the organization-level settings serve as the baseline.
> **Important**: Billing defaults directly affect revenue. If you're unsure about a setting, ask your onboarding lead before saving. Changes to billing defaults after go-live can affect in-flight claims and should be made carefully.
***
## Additional Organization Settings
Several things you might expect to configure upfront are handled differently in StrataEMR.
**Practice hours** are not set during onboarding. You'll configure them directly on your schedule once your account is live.
**Document templates** come pre-loaded with StrataEMR's default template library — no setup required before go-live. If you have a specific clinical workflow the defaults don't cover, talk to your onboarding rep about customization options.
**Letterhead** is generated by the StrataPT team using the contact information from your new client application and the logo you upload to your onboarding dashboard. Letterhead is configured at the facility level, so each location can have its own.
**Staff login credentials** are issued by the onboarding team before go-live. Every staff member should update their password the first time they log in.
**Credit card processing** is configured in **Menu Bar > Settings > Credit Card Processing** using your Authorize.net credentials. If you already have your Authorize.net API Login ID and Transaction Key when you complete your new client application, you can provide them there and the onboarding team will configure it during setup.
**MIPS participation** is collected on your new client application. If you indicate that your practice participates in MIPS, the onboarding team will enable the MIPS setting and load the appropriate MIPS templates into your account before go-live.
***
## Verification
Before moving on to facility setup, verify the following:
* Practice name and contact information are correct
* NPI (Type 2) is entered and verified
* Tax ID / EIN is entered and verified
* Taxonomy code(s) are correct
* Billing defaults have been reviewed with your onboarding lead
* Any payer-specific identifiers are configured
Your onboarding lead will confirm that organization settings are complete before moving to the next phase.
***
**Next step:**
* [Configuring Your Facilities](/getting-started/configuring-your-facilities) -- Set up your practice locations, hours, and provider assignments.
# Collecting and Recording Patient Payments
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/billing/collect-patient-payment
How to record a patient payment at time of service, apply it correctly in StrataEMR, and mark it as collected on the patient's profile and correct a payment made in error.
## Overview
Recording a patient payment in StrataEMR does two things: it creates an accurate financial record for the visit and holds the funds as unapplied until the claim is adjudicated. Once the claim processes, StrataEMR automatically applies those funds to the patient's balance.
This guide covers collecting a payment at time of service. Online payments made by the patient through the portal are documented separately.
***
## Record a Payment at Time of Service
1. Open the patient's case in StrataEMR.
2. Navigate to Payments: **Patient Menu Bar > Financial > Payments**
3. Enter the payment amount.
4. Select the **date of service** the payment applies to. If the patient is paying for today's visit, select today's date.
5. Select the **payment type** — cash, check, or credit card.
6. Add any notes you would like to document for the payment.
7. Select if the payment is related to an invoice (see below).
8. Click **Add Payment**.
**Note:** StrataEMR applies the payment immediately to the best available balance, the date of service if one exists, otherwise the oldest open balance on the account. If the date of service later adjudicates and still needs the funds, StrataEMR automatically re-applies the payment here. This is expected behavior, not an error.
***
## Apply a Payment to an Invoice vs. a Deductible
When recording a payment, you will see a **Related to Invoice** option. Here is how to use it:
* **Yes**: Use this when the patient is paying a known balance on a claim that has already been adjudicated. The payment is applied directly to the outstanding balance on that date of service.
* **No**: Use this when collecting at time of service, before the claim has processed. StrataEMR applies the payment to the best available balance right away, and automatically re-applies it to this date of service once the claim adjudicates, if it's still needed here.
**Warning:** Applying a payment to the wrong date of service or invoice can cause balance discrepancies in the Clarity Panel that are difficult to untangle. Double-check the date of service before saving.
***
## Mark a Payment as Collected on the Patient's Profile
After recording the payment, it will appear in the patient's payment history in the **Financial** section. You do not need to take any additional steps to mark it as collected — saving the payment record is sufficient.
If you are working from a task that prompted you to collect a copay, the task will resolve automatically once the payment is recorded against the correct date of service.
**Note:** If the task does not resolve after recording the payment, confirm that the payment was applied to the correct date of service. A mismatch between the payment date and the task date of service is the most common cause.
***
## Authorize.net and Online Payment Timing
If your practice uses Authorize.net for credit card processing, payments collected through the patient portal are batched on a schedule set by Authorize.net — typically within 1–2 business days. The payment will appear in StrataEMR immediately after it is recorded, but the deposit to your bank account follows Authorize.net's settlement schedule.
If you are not seeing expected deposits, confirm the payment was processed successfully in StrataEMR before contacting Authorize.net support.
***
## Correct a Payment Charged in Error
If you charge a patient's card by mistake, the wrong amount, the wrong patient, or a duplicate charge, how you correct it in Authorize.net depends on whether the charge has settled yet.
**This is different from a Refund Task.** The steps below apply when you need to correct a charge you just took in error. If you're clearing a credit balance that built up from unapplied funds, the scenario behind a system-generated refund task, see [Refund Tasks](/documentation/patients/financial/understanding-patient-funds#refund-tasks). Completing a refund task only balances the patient's account in StrataEMR; it does not touch Authorize.net. That refund still has to be issued separately, the same way described below.
### Delete the Payment in StrataEMR First
If your practice has Authorize.net integrated with StrataEMR, deleting the payment record in StrataEMR automatically voids the matching transaction in Authorize.net, as long as it hasn't settled.
1. Navigate to the payment: **Patient Menu Bar > Financial > Payments**
2. Locate the mistaken payment.
3. Delete the payment record.
**Note:** Authorize.net holds a charge as **unsettled** for approximately 24 hours after it's taken. Deleting the payment during this window voids the unsettled charge and removes it from StrataEMR's ledgers — you don't need to take any separate action in Authorize.net. We still recommend logging in to Authorize.net once to confirm the void went through as expected.
### If the Charge Has Already Settled
If more than 24 hours have passed, the charge has likely settled. Voiding it is no longer possible. Deleting the payment removes it from StrataEMR's records, but it does not return funds to the patient. You'll need to issue a manual refund directly in Authorize.net.
1. Sign in to the [Authorize.net Merchant Interface](https://login.authorize.net).
2. Confirm you're using the New Merchant Interface (2.0).
3. Go to **Payments > Manage Transactions** and locate the original transaction.
4. Open the transaction and click **Refund**.
5. Adjust the amount if issuing a partial refund, then confirm. Credit card refunds typically take 3–5 business days to appear on the patient's statement. You can only issue refunds to the same card used for the original charge.
**Warning:** You cannot reverse a void once you submit it, and you can only refund to the original card on file. Confirm the transaction and amount before proceeding. StrataPT cannot reverse actions you take directly in Authorize.net.
For full step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting directly from Authorize.net, see their guides on [voiding a transaction](https://support.authorize.net/knowledgebase/Knowledgearticle/?code=KA-09355) and [issuing a refund](https://support.authorize.net/knowledgebase/Knowledgearticle/?code=KA-09324).
# Copay, Co-Insurance, and Deductible: What's the Difference?
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/billing/copay-coinsurance-deductible
Understand the three main ways patients share in the cost of care, how each appears in StrataEMR, and how much to collect at time of service.
## Why This Matters
Front desk staff and clinicians are often the first people a patient asks about their out-of-pocket costs. Knowing the difference between a copay, co-insurance, and deductible — and where each one lives in StrataEMR — lets you answer confidently, collect the right amount, and avoid billing surprises later.
## The Three Cost-Sharing Types
### Copay
A copay is a flat dollar amount the patient pays for a specific type of visit, regardless of what the visit costs. It is defined on the patient's insurance policy and is the same every time.
* **Example**: \$35 per physical therapy visit
* **When it applies**: At every visit, usually regardless of whether the deductible is met
* **In StrataEMR**: The copay appears in the patient's policy details and drives the [recommended amount](/guides/billing/recommended-amount) shown at time of service
### Co-Insurance
Co-insurance is a percentage of the allowed amount the patient owes after their deductible is met. Unlike a copay, co-insurance varies based on what the visit costs and what the payer allows.
* **Example**: Patient owes 20% of the allowed amount after their deductible is met
* **When it applies**: After the patient has paid their full deductible for the year
* **In StrataEMR**: Co-insurance is reflected in the benefit verification data and affects the amount shown in the [Clarity Panel](/guides/billing/patient-responsibility) once the claim is adjudicated
**Note:** Co-insurance cannot be calculated exactly at time of service because it depends on the payer's allowed amount, which is not confirmed until the claim is adjudicated. The recommended amount provides an estimate, not a guaranteed figure.
### Deductible
A deductible is the total amount the patient must pay out of pocket before their insurance begins sharing in the cost of care. Until the deductible is met, the patient typically pays the full allowed amount for each visit.
* **Example**: A \$1,000 annual deductible means the patient pays the first \$1,000 of covered services each year before insurance kicks in
* **When it applies**: At the start of every plan year — usually January 1 — until the deductible is met
* **In StrataEMR**: The remaining deductible is tracked in the patient's benefit verification data and factors into the collection suggestion
**Note:** Deductibles reset annually. Re-verify patient benefits at the start of each new plan year to ensure StrataEMR has the correct deductible remaining.
## How These Can Appear Together
Some patients have more than one type of cost-sharing active at the same time. Common combinations:
**Copay only**: The patient pays a flat amount per visit. No deductible or co-insurance applies. Collect the flat copay amount every visit.
**Deductible, then co-insurance**: The patient has an annual deductible and a co-insurance percentage. For early-year visits, they pay the full allowed amount toward their deductible. Once the deductible is met, they pay their co-insurance percentage per visit.
**Copay plus co-insurance**: Some plans charge a copay at every visit and also apply co-insurance to specific services billed within that visit. Both amounts may appear in the Clarity Panel after adjudication.
**Copay plus deductible**: Less common. The patient pays a copay each visit and also has a deductible that applies to certain services billed.
## How Much Should You Collect at Time of Service?
The [recommended amount](/guides/billing/recommended-amount) in StrataEMR is your starting point. It is calculated from the patient's verified benefits and gives the most accurate estimate available before the claim is adjudicated.
As a general guide:
* If the patient has a **copay**, collect the flat copay amount shown in their policy. This is the most reliable figure.
* If StrataEMR has calculated a recommended amount based on the patient's payer history, collect the amount shown for the visit (the **recommended amount**) and let the Clarity Panel settle the final balance after adjudication.
* If the patient has an outstanding **patient responsibility**, collect the amount shown on the task on the patient's case.
**Warning:** Do not collect from patients whose secondary insurance is Medicaid. Medicaid is a payer of last resort and covers the patient's share. Collecting from a Medicaid secondary patient when not permitted may violate your payer agreement.
## Related
* [How the Recommended Amount Works](/guides/billing/recommended-amount) — How StrataEMR calculates the suggested collection amount and how to turn it off.
* [Understanding the Clarity Panel and Patient Responsibility](/guides/billing/patient-responsibility) — How to read a patient's financial history and explain their balance.
- [Add a policy](/documentation/patients/policies/add-a-policy) — How to enter and update a patient's insurance and benefit information.
# Providing Patients with Itemized Billing Statements
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/billing/itemized-billing-statement
How to provide a patient with an itemized statement of charges they can use to seek reimbursement from their insurance — sometimes called a superbill.
## Overview
StrataEMR does not have a dedicated superbill feature. If a patient needs an itemized billing statement to submit to their insurance for reimbursement — sometimes called a superbill — the correct approach is to set up a Financial Agreement on their policy and provide them with a downloaded PDF of their itemized charges.
This workflow is most common for cash-pay patients and out-of-network arrangements where your practice does not bill the patient's insurance directly on their behalf.
## Before You Begin
Have the following ready before you start:
* The agreed rate per unit (e.g., 150.00)
* The eval rate, if it differs from the regular rate
* The date the arrangement takes effect
**Warning:** Do not use the Self Pay option in the Policies section for this workflow. Self Pay will not produce the correct itemized output for the patient. Use the Financial Agreement approach described below instead.
## Step 1: Set Up a Financial Agreement
1. Open the patient's chart in StrataEMR.
2. Navigate to the **Policies** section within the patient chart.
3. Select **Add Financial Agreement** or click the existing Financial Agreement to edit it.
4. Set the **Arrangement Type** to **Flat Rate Per Unit**.
5. Complete the following fields:
| Field | What to Enter |
| - | - |
| **Start Date** | The date the arrangement takes effect. Use the calendar icon to select. |
| **End Date** | Optional. Enter only if the arrangement is temporary. |
| **Arrangement Type** | Select **Flat Rate Per Unit**. |
| **Regular Amount** | The agreed rate per unit. Numbers only, no dollar sign (e.g., 150.00). |
| **Eval Amount** | Optional. Enter only if the evaluation rate differs from the regular rate. |
6. Click **Save Financial Agreement**.
7. Confirm the Financial Agreement appears listed under the patient's policy.
**Note:** The start date controls when StrataEMR begins applying the agreed rate to charges. Once saved, StrataEMR will apply the Financial Agreement automatically to this patient's charges going forward.
## Step 2: Download the Itemized Statement
Once the Financial Agreement is in place and visits have been recorded, you can download the patient's itemized charges as a PDF to give to them.
1. Open the patient's chart.
2. Navigate to the **Financial** section.
3. Click **Itemization of Charges**.
4. Click **Download as PDF**.
5. Provide the PDF to the patient — by printing, emailing, or saving it for them to retrieve.
The patient can then submit this document to their insurance to seek reimbursement directly.
![Image]()
## Important Notes
* **Avoid overlapping Financial Agreement dates.** If the patient already has an existing Financial Agreement, make sure the end date of the old one does not overlap with the start date of the new one.
* **Verify rates match the patient's agreement.** Double-check the Regular Amount and Eval Amount before saving. Incorrect rates will affect charges immediately.
* **The start date controls billing start.** Charges on or after the start date will use the Financial Agreement rate. Earlier charges are unaffected.
## Related
* [Collecting and Recording Patient Payments](/guides/billing/collect-patient-payment) — How to record a payment once a visit has been completed.
* [How the Recommended Amount Works](/guides/billing/recommended-amount) — How StrataEMR calculates the recommended amount when a Financial Agreement is in place.
* [Understanding the Clarity Panel and Patient Responsibility](/guides/billing/patient-responsibility) — How to read a patient's financial history after charges are applied.
# Patient Benefit Verification
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/billing/patient-benefit-verification
A complete guide for front desk staff on how to verify patient insurance benefits before the first visit — what to ask, what it means, and why it matters.
## What Is Benefits Verification — and Why Does It Matter?
Before a patient ever steps into your clinic, someone on your team needs to call their insurance company and ask a specific set of questions. This process is called **benefits verification**, and it's one of the most important things your front desk does.
Here's the core idea: just because a patient *has* insurance doesn't mean your clinic will get paid — or that the patient knows what they'll owe. Insurance plans vary enormously. Two patients with the same insurance company could have completely different coverage, cost-sharing structures, visit limits, and authorization requirements. The only way to know what applies to a specific patient is to call and ask.
When benefits verification is done well, your clinic avoids claim denials, your billing team can submit clean claims from day one, and your patients show up to their first visit without surprises about what they owe. When it's skipped or done incompletely, you're likely to deal with denied claims, delayed payments, and frustrated patients — all of which take significant time and effort to untangle.
**Note:** Completing this verification does not guarantee payment or that a claim will be processed. However, having accurate benefit details on file significantly reduces the risk of denial and helps set accurate patient expectations before care begins.
**Tip:** You can enter verification answers directly into the patient's insurance record in StrataEMR as you work through the call. This eliminates a second data-entry step and gives your billing team real-time access to the information as soon as you hang up.
***
## Key Terms to Know
You'll encounter a lot of insurance terminology during verification calls. Here's a plain-language reference before you get started.
**Premium** — The monthly amount a person pays to have insurance. This isn't your concern during verification, but it's useful context: paying a premium doesn't mean all care is free.
**Note:** Premiums are important in marketplace/exchange/individual/Cobra plans. If a patient misses paying their monthly premium, not all payers will immediately term the insurance. Some plans allow 1-3 months of a grace period and without payment can go back and retroactively term the insurance to the last pay month. It's important to keep a close eye on eligibility and check in with patient's who have these type of plans.
**Deductible** — The amount a patient must pay out-of-pocket before their insurance starts covering costs. For example, if a patient has a 1,500 deductible and hasn't had any medical care yet this year, they'll likely owe the full cost of their first few therapy visits until that is met.
**Co-pay** — A fixed dollar amount the patient pays per visit, regardless of what the visit costs. Common in HMO and some PPO plans. *Example: \$30 per physical therapy visit.*
**Co-insurance** — Instead of a flat co-pay, the patient pays a percentage of the visit cost after their deductible is met. *Example: Insurance pays 80%, patient pays 20%.*
**Out-of-Pocket Maximum** — The most a patient will have to pay in a given year before insurance covers 100% of costs. Once this limit is reached, the patient owes nothing more for covered services.
**In-Network vs. Out-of-Network** — Insurance companies negotiate discounted rates with certain providers (in-network). If your clinic is in-network with a patient's plan, their coverage is usually better and their costs are lower. Out-of-network benefits exist too, but they're typically less generous — and some plans don't cover out-of-network care at all.
**Prior Authorization (Auth)** — Some insurance plans require formal approval before treating a patient. Without it, the payer can deny the claim entirely — even if the patient is fully covered for physical therapy in general.
**Warning:** Authorization denials are typically full provider write offs as they are administrative denials and charges cannot be pushed to patient responsibility.
**Referral** — Some plans (typically HMOs) require a patient's primary care physician (PCP) to formally refer them to a therapist before the insurance will pay. This is an administrative requirement, separate from a prescription or recommendation from a doctor.
**Visit Limit** — Many plans cap the number of therapy visits they'll cover per year (or per quarter, or per benefit period). Once the limit is reached, the patient either pays out-of-pocket or care stops.
**Modality Limit** — A cap on the number of billable units or the dollar amount per visit, rather than per year. This affects how much can be billed in a single session.
**Dual Eligible** — A patient who qualifies for both Medicare and Medicaid. Some plans cover both under one policy; others split them between two separate payers.
**Note:** It's important to confirm who is responsible for processing the Medicaid portion of these plan to make sure claims process without delays.
**Medicare Replacement Plan (Medicare Advantage)** — A private insurance plan that replaces traditional Medicare. These plans must cover at least what Medicare covers, but they may have different rules, networks, and cost-sharing structures. They look like regular insurance cards, which makes them easy to misidentify.
***
## Before You Call
Don't pick up the phone until you have the patient's information in front of you. You'll need it to verify their identity with the payer and to confirm the details the rep reads back to you.
Gather the following from the patient's intake paperwork:
* Patient's full legal name (exactly as it appears on the insurance card — spelling matters)
* Date of birth
* Member ID / Subscriber ID (found on the insurance card)
* Group number (also on the insurance card, if applicable)
* Insurance company name and the phone number from the back of the card
* Referring provider name and NPI, if the patient came in with a referral
* Your clinic's NPI and tax ID — you'll need these to look up your network status
**Tip:** Call the **provider services line** rather than the member services line when possible. Provider services representatives are trained to answer the specific billing and benefits questions you'll be asking, and they often have access to more detailed information.
Once you're connected and have a live person on the line, let them know you're calling to verify benefits for a patient who will be receiving outpatient physical therapy (or occupational therapy, or speech therapy — specify the discipline). This helps the rep pull up the right benefit category from the start.
***
## The Verification Call
Work through these sections in order. Take notes as you go and enter everything into StrataEMR before you hang up.
### 1. Representative Information
The very first thing you should do — before asking anything else — is get the representative's name and note the time of your call. At the end of the call, ask for a confirmation number.
* What is your name? (Customer Service Representative)
* What is the confirmation number for this call?
**Why this matters:** Insurance companies record their calls, and confirmation numbers are logged against those recordings. If a payer later denies a claim and says coverage wasn't in effect — but you verified it was — your confirmation number is proof that a representative told you otherwise. This has saved clinics from absorbing costs they shouldn't have had to.
***
### 2. Network Status and Policy Effective Date
* Is the provider **In-Network** or **Out-of-Network** with this policy?
* Does the policy run on a **Calendar Year** or a **Plan Year**?
* What is the **Effective Date** of this policy?
* Is there a **Termination Date** on file?
**Why this matters:** Your reimbursement rate and the patient's cost-sharing are often dramatically different depending on whether you're in-network. A patient might owe 30 in-network and 150 out-of-network for the same visit. You need to know this before the patient arrives so you can quote them accurately.
The timing of the policy determines when benefits will reset. The effective date tells you whether coverage was actually active when the patient scheduled. It's not uncommon for patients to have a gap in coverage they don't know about — a lapse between jobs, a plan that renewed later than expected, or a recent change they haven't communicated. Catching this now prevents a claim submission for a date when no coverage existed.
**Note:** If you are unsure of your network status with this payer, request benefit details for both In-Network and Out-of-Network and record each separately.
***
### 3. Patient Cost Sharing
This section tells you — and the patient — what they'll actually owe out of pocket per visit.
**Co-insurance:**
* Does this policy have **co-insurance**?
* If yes: What is the percentage for patient responsibility?
**Co-pay:**
* Does this policy have a **co-pay**?
* If yes: What is the Co-Pay amount?
**Why this matters:** Many patients assume their insurance "covers" physical therapy and are shocked when they receive a bill. Your job during verification is to understand exactly what the patient will owe per visit so that expectation is set before the first appointment — not after the third one. Collecting patient responsibility is much easier when it's communicated upfront.
Note that some plans have *both* a co-pay *and* co-insurance, applied in a specific order. If the rep mentions both, ask them to clarify how they interact.
***
### 4. Deductible and Out-of-Pocket Maximum
**Deductible:**
* Does the deductible apply to these services (PT/OT/ST)?
* What is the deductible amount for this policy?
* How much of the deductible has already been met this year?
* How much remains?
**Out-of-Pocket Maximum:**
* What is the Out-of-Pocket Maximum?
* How much has been met?
**Why this matters:** Typically a deductible will apply to all care, but not in all plans. Some plans will waive deductibles for certain specialists. Confirming if a deductible applies first will keep you from over collecting and eventually issuing a refund. If it is determined that the deductible will apply, the goal of your question changes. Until a patient's deductible is fully met, they may owe the full contracted rate for each visit — not just a co-pay. This is one of the most common sources of surprise bills and patient frustration. If a patient has a \$2,000 deductible and hasn't used any benefits yet this year, they could owe several hundred dollars before their co-pay kicks in.
The out-of-pocket maximum works in the patient's favor: once they've hit it, you can reassure them that the rest of the year's visits will cost them nothing for covered services. This context can help motivate patients to continue care when they're hesitant about costs.
**Tip:** Deductibles typically reset on January 1st for calendar-year plans. If you're verifying benefits in the fall, keep in mind the deductible may reset in a matter of weeks — and the amounts already met will go back to zero.
***
### 5. Plan Type and Special Designations
* What type of policy is this? (PPO / HMO / EPO / POS / Medicaid / MCR Replacement / Liability)
* Is this policy a **Medicare Replacement Plan**?
* Is this policy a **Dual Eligible Plan**?
**Why this matters:** The plan type tells your billing team how to route the claim and what rules apply.
* **HMO plans** typically require referrals and restrict care to in-network providers. If your clinic isn't in-network, the patient may have no coverage at all.
* **PPO plans** are more flexible — patients can usually see out-of-network providers, though at a higher cost.
* **Medicare Replacement (Medicare Advantage) plans** look like regular insurance cards but are billed differently than traditional Medicare. Your billing team needs to know this so they don't submit to the wrong payer.
* **Dual Eligible plans** involve both Medicare and Medicaid. Some plans handle both under one policy; others don't. Getting this wrong means the secondary claim goes to the wrong place — or doesn't get submitted at all.
**Note:** Select **Yes** for Dual Eligible only if *both* the Medicare and Medicaid portions are handled by this single policy.
**Examples:**
* UHC handles the patient's Medicare and Medicaid, and both primary and secondary claims go to UHC → **Yes**
* UHC handles Medicare as a replacement policy, but secondary claims go to state Medicaid → **No**
***
### 6. Therapy-Specific Benefit Limits
This section is where clinics often get caught off guard. Most people understand that insurance has limits — but the specific structure of those limits varies significantly from plan to plan, and they directly affect how your clinic plans and delivers care.
**Modality limit (units or dollar cap per visit):**
* Does this patient's plan have a **modality limit**?
* If yes: What type (\$ per visit / units per visit) and what amount?
**Visit limit:**
* Does the policy have a **visit limit**?
* If yes: What structure? (Calendar Year / Fiscal Year / Per Quarter)
* How many total visits are allowed?
* How many visits have already been used this period?
* How many visits are remaining?
**Specialty coverage:**
* What specialties do these benefits cover? (PT only / OT only / ST only / All therapy combined)
**Why this matters:**
A **modality limit** caps what can be billed in a single session — either by number of units or by dollar amount. If a plan allows only 4 units per visit, your therapist needs to know that before they plan a longer session. Submitting more than the limit doesn't just result in partial payment — it can trigger a denial of the entire claim.
A **visit limit** is a hard cap on how many visits the plan will pay for in a given period. StrataEMR enforces this limit — charges cannot be submitted beyond the allowed count. If a patient has used 18 of their 20 allowed visits and no one catches it, you could provide two more visits you'll never be paid for.
**Important:** StrataEMR enforces the visit limit — once it's reached, charges cannot be submitted. Confirm the visits used and remaining carefully, and set a reminder before the limit is reached so the provider can request an extension or notify the patient.
The **specialty coverage** question is critical for multi-discipline clinics. Many patients and staff assume "60 therapy visits" means 60 PT visits *and* 60 OT visits. Often, it means 60 total across all therapy types combined. If your clinic provides both PT and OT to the same patient without clarifying this, you may hit the limit much faster than expected.
**Important:** If your clinic treats patients across multiple disciplines, always clarify whether the visit limit is shared. A patient with 60 visits may have 60 total — not 60 per discipline.
***
### 7. Prior Authorization
* Does this policy require **Prior Authorization**?
* If yes: How is authorization obtained? (Phone / Fax / Payer portal)
* After which visit number is authorization required?
**Why this matters:** Prior authorization is formal approval from the insurance company before care can begin — or before care can continue past a certain number of visits. Without it, the payer can deny the entire claim, regardless of whether the patient is otherwise covered for physical therapy.
Some plans require auth before the very first visit. Others allow a certain number of visits upfront and require auth before continuing — the rep will tell you the specific trigger. Either way, it's your job to capture this information and make sure the authorization gets obtained and uploaded before it's needed.
**Important:** Authorization must be uploaded to StrataEMR before charges can be submitted. If authorization is required, do not wait until after visits are complete to obtain it. The provider is required to have authorization on file before the billing team can release charges.
**Tip:** If the payer rep says authorization may depend on the specific CPT codes being billed, you can reference these common therapy codes as examples:
* **PT:** 97110, 97140, 97530, 97161
* **OT:** 97165
* **ST:** 92507
***
### 8. PCP Referral Requirement
* Does this policy require a **PCP referral**?
**Why this matters:** A referral is an administrative step where the patient's primary care physician formally authorizes the patient to see a specialist — in this case, your clinic. It's different from a doctor's prescription or recommendation for therapy, which is clinical. HMO plans commonly require referrals; PPO plans typically don't.
If a referral is required and the patient doesn't have one, the claim can be denied even if every other aspect of the visit was covered. This is entirely preventable — but only if you catch it before the first appointment.
**Note:** If a referral is required and hasn't been obtained yet, flag it in StrataEMR immediately. This ensures the provider is reminded to collect it before seeing the patient and before submitting charges.
***
### 9. Claim Submission Details
These questions are primarily for the StrataPT billing team — but you're the one on the phone, so collect this now so they don't have to call again later.
* What is the **phone number to follow up on claims** for this policy?
* What is the **fax number** that claims can be sent to? *(if available)*
* What is the **claims mailing address**?
**Why this matters:** Claims go through multiple submission channels — electronic first, then fax as a backup, then mail as a last resort. Having all three on file means your billing team is never stuck if one method fails. The direct claims phone number is especially important for the accounts receivable team, who use it to follow up on unpaid claims. A direct line is significantly faster than calling the main member services number.
Always obtain the mailing address, even if you expect to submit electronically. It is the final fallback method for claim submission if electronic and fax submission both fail.
***
### 10. Additional Coverage Details
* Are there any other benefit details that apply to this patient's plan? (Telehealth, orthotics, coverage exclusions, policy termination dates, etc.)
**Why this matters:** This is your catch-all question, and it often surfaces important information that the standard questions don't reach. Common examples include:
* The policy terminates on a specific date (e.g., the patient is leaving their employer's plan at year-end)
* Telehealth visits are covered but have a separate visit limit
* Certain equipment or orthotics are not covered under this plan
* The plan has a maintenance therapy exclusion — meaning they'll cover visits to achieve functional improvement but not ongoing maintenance care
Train yourself to ask this question even when the call has gone smoothly. The answer is sometimes the most important thing you learn.
***
## After the Call
Record the confirmation number from the call in the patient's insurance record in StrataEMR. This is your documentation if the payer later disputes the coverage information their representative provided.
If authorization still needs to be obtained, or a PCP referral hasn't been collected yet, create a task or case note in StrataEMR if one was not automatically generated by the system. These are the two things most likely to fall through the cracks between verification and the first visit.
Before the patient's first appointment, let them know what to expect on their bill. If their deductible hasn't been met, explain that their initial visits may be billed at the full contracted rate. If there's a co-pay, confirm the amount. Patients who are informed in advance are far more likely to pay promptly — and far less likely to dispute the bill.
Share the visit limit, modality limit, or any specialty coverage restrictions with the treating clinician. A therapist who knows a patient has 10 visits remaining will approach the plan of care differently than one who assumes unlimited visits are available. Most key limits and restrictions will be highlighted as Notifications on the patient's case sidebar.
***
## Common Issues and How to Avoid Them
| Issue | How to prevent it |
| - | - |
| Claim denied — no authorization on file | Always ask whether auth is required and after which visit number. Upload it to StrataEMR before charges are submitted. |
| Patient surprised by an unexpected balance | Ask about the deductible and how much has been met. Communicate patient responsibility before the first visit, not after. |
| Visit limit exceeded mid-episode of care | Confirm visits used and visits remaining. Set a reminder in StrataEMR before the limit is reached so the team can seek an extension or notify the patient. |
| Shared therapy visit limit not identified | Always clarify whether the visit limit is per discipline or shared across PT, OT, and ST combined. |
| PCP referral not obtained before first visit | If a referral is required and hasn't been obtained, flag it in StrataEMR immediately so the provider is reminded before the intake appointment. |
| Medicare Advantage plan billed as traditional Medicare | Ask the plan type directly. Medicare Advantage cards often look like standard insurance cards and are easy to misidentify. |
| Coverage lapsed without patient's knowledge | Always confirm the policy effective date and any termination date. A card in a patient's wallet doesn't guarantee active coverage. |
# Understanding the Clarity Panel and Patient Responsibility
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/billing/patient-responsibility
Learn how StrataEMR's Clarity Panel calculates what a patient owes, why balances appear, and how to explain a patient's financial responsibility clearly.
## What is the Clarity Panel?
The Clarity Panel is StrataEMR's financial summary for a patient's case. It shows what has been billed to insurance, what each payer paid, what was adjusted, and what remains as the patient's responsibility. It is the single source of truth for a patient's balance on any given date of service.
You will find the Clarity Panel inside the patient's case, in the **Financial** section.
**Note:** Not every staff permission level has access to the Clarity Panel. If you're interested in gaining access to the Clarity Panel, speak with your practice administrator.
## How a Patient Balance Is Calculated
Understanding how a balance reaches the Clarity Panel helps you explain it accurately to patients and catch errors early. StrataEMR processes each date of service in the following sequence:
1. **The claim is submitted to the primary payer.** StrataEMR submits charges based on the patient's verified benefits and your fee schedule. The claim is pending until the payer responds.
2. **The payer adjudicates the claim and returns a remittance.** The payer's response — called an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) or Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) — tells StrataEMR how much the payer is covering, how much was adjusted, and how much transfers to the patient or a secondary payer.
3. **Any secondary or tertiary payers are billed.** If the patient has additional coverage, StrataEMR routes the remaining balance to the next payer in sequence. This continues until all payers have responded.
4. **The remaining balance becomes patient responsibility.** Once all payers have responded, any amount not covered by insurance transfers to the patient. This is the figure that appears in the Clarity Panel as the patient's balance.
5. **Payments collected at time of service are applied.** Any amount you collected from the patient at the time of the visit — copay, deductible, or co-insurance — was held as unapplied funds until the claim finished processing. Once patient responsibility is determined, those funds are applied to the balance. If the collected amount exactly matches the responsibility, the balance reaches \$0. If there is a difference, the Clarity Panel will reflect it.
**Note:** This is why a patient may have a balance even though they paid at every visit. The amount collected at time of service is an estimate. The actual responsibility is not confirmed until the claim is fully adjudicated.
## Why a Balance May Appear Unexpectedly
The most common reasons a balance appears on the Clarity Panel when a patient believes they owe nothing:
**The deductible reset at the start of the year.** Insurance deductibles reset on January 1 for most plans. If benefit information was not re-verified for the new plan year, StrataEMR may have collected less than was actually owed for early-year visits.
**The collected amount did not match the adjudicated responsibility.** A copay is a flat estimate. Co-insurance is a percentage calculated after the allowed amount is determined. These figures can differ from what was collected, leaving a small remaining balance.
**A secondary payer did not cover the expected amount.** If a secondary payer denied a claim, paid less than expected, or the patient was not eligible on the date of service, the unpaid portion transfers to the patient.
**The claim was adjusted or partially denied.** If the payer applied a policy limitation — such as a visit cap, non-covered service, or medical necessity denial — the adjusted amount may transfer to patient responsibility depending on the case setup.
**A payment was posted to the wrong date of service.** If a patient payment was applied to a different visit than intended, an older date of service may still show an open balance. Check the payment history in the Financial section.
## Reading the Clarity Panel
At the top of the Clarity Panel you will find a header that shows the patient's current payers and their overall payment status.
* **Insurance Balance**: The amount submitted to insurance awaiting payment
* **Patient Balance**: What remains for the patient to pay
* **Insurance payments**: The amount received from all payers combined
* **Patient payments**: What the patient has paid toward this visit
The Clarity Panel displays each date of service as a row. For each visit, you will see:
* **Service Date:** The day the patient was seen
* **Codes:** The CPT codes billed for the date of service
* **Minutes:** The total number of minutes logged for the visit
* **Paid:** The amounts paid by primary, secondary, and tertiary payers, along with patient payments
* **Balances:** The current balance for the date of service. A balance of \$0 means the visit is fully resolved. A positive balance means the patient still owes an amount. A negative balance means an overpayment exists and a refund may be owed.
* **Status:** The current point in the payment process for this date of service
* **Spyglass Icon:** Click the icon to investigate deeper into the raw data for the date of service
**Note:** StrataEMR will generate a task automatically if an overpayment is detected 45 days after a claim processes. See [Patient Refunds](/documentation/patients/financial/understanding-patient-funds#refund-tasks) for how to handle refunds.
## Explaining a Balance to a Patient
When a patient questions their balance, use the Clarity Panel to walk them through it visit by visit. A useful script:
> "For your visit on \[date], we billed \[payer] \[billed amount]. They paid \[insurance paid] and adjusted \[adjusted]. The remaining \[patient responsibility] is your share based on your benefits. We applied the \[patient paid] you paid at the time of your visit, which leaves a balance of \[balance]."
If the patient disputes the amount, the next step is to check whether their benefits were verified correctly and whether the payer's remittance matches what is shown. Contact StrataPT Support if you believe the adjudication was applied incorrectly.
## Related
* [How the Recommended Amount Works](/guides/billing/recommended-amount) — How StrataEMR estimates the amount to collect at time of service.
* [Understanding Copay vs Co-Insurance vs Deductible](/guides/billing/copay-coinsurance-deductible) — Plain-language definitions of the three main patient cost-sharing types.
* [Patient Refunds](/documentation/patients/financial/understanding-patient-funds#refund-tasks) — What to do when a patient has overpaid and a refund is owed.
# How the Recommended Amount Works
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/billing/recommended-amount
Understand how StrataEMR calculates the suggested patient collection amount, why it appears, and how to turn it off for a patient.
## What is the StrataPT Recommended Amount?
When you open a patient's visit or case, StrataEMR may display a suggested dollar amount to collect from the patient at the time of service. This is the **StrataPT Recommended Amount** — an estimate calculated from the patient's verified insurance benefits, including their copay, co-insurance rate, and remaining deductible.
The collection suggestion is a guide, not a guarantee. It reflects what StrataEMR expects the patient will owe based on benefit information on file. The actual amount may differ once the claim is adjudicated and the insurer responds.
## How StrataEMR Calculates the Suggestion
StrataEMR uses the following information to calculate the suggested amount:
* **Copay**: A flat amount defined on the patient's policy, collected every visit.
* **Co-insurance**: A percentage of the allowed amount the patient owes, typically after the deductible is met.
* **Deductible remaining**: The amount the patient still owes toward their annual deductible before co-insurance kicks in.
If a patient has a \$0 copay but a 20% co-insurance with an unmet deductible, StrataEMR will suggest collecting toward the deductible rather than \$0. This is working as expected.
**Note:** Benefit information is pulled from the verification data on file. If benefits were not verified or are outdated, the collection suggestion may be inaccurate. See [Insurance Verification](https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/billing/patient-benefit-verification) to update benefit details.
## Why the Suggestion May Look Wrong
There are several common reasons the suggested amount may not match your expectation:
**The patient has a secondary insurance.** When a patient has a Medicaid secondary or another plan that covers the patient's share, the suggestion may still show an amount owed. In most cases, you should not collect from a patient with Medicaid as secondary — the secondary plan covers it.
**The deductible reset at the start of the year.** In January, deductibles reset. If benefit information has not been re-verified for the new plan year, StrataEMR may show a lower suggestion than is actually owed.
**The copay and co-insurance are both present.** For some plans, copay applies at each visit and co-insurance applies separately to specific services. StrataEMR reflects both if present in the benefit data.
**The patient has a non-standard arrangement.** If you have a financial arrangement in place with a patient — such as a reduced rate or deferred payment — the system may still show the standard calculated amount unless a financial arrangement has been recorded.
## How to Override the Recommended Amount for a Patient
If you want to stop StrataEMR from prompting collection for a specific patient, you can override the suggestion at the case level.
1. Open the patient's case in StrataEMR.
2. Navigate to the **Policies** screen of the **Patient Info** section of the case.
3. Locate the **Your Preferred Amount** box.
4. Enter \$0 or another amount you would prefer to collect.
5. Save your changes.
**Note:** Overriding the recommended amount does not affect the patient's balance or any claims. It only removes the prompt from appearing in tasks and visit workflows. The patient may still have a balance due — disabling the suggestion does not clear or write off any amount.
**Warning:** If you are turning off the recommended amount because a secondary plan (such as Medicaid) covers the patient's responsibility, discuss this with your StrataPT Billing or Customer Success team. Do not turn off the suggestion as a workaround for an unresolved insurance setup issue.
## Practice-Wide Collection Suggestion Settings
Practice-wide collection suggestion behavior — including whether the suggestion appears, how it behaves for specific payer types, and default thresholds — is configured by StrataPT on your behalf.
If you need to adjust how the collection suggestion works across your entire practice, contact StrataPT Support or your account manager.
## Related
* [Insurance Verification](/guides/billing/patient-benefit-verification) — How to verify and update a patient's benefit information in StrataEMR.
* [Recording a Patient Payment](/guides/billing/collect-patient-payment) — How to collect and record a copay or patient payment at time of service.
* [Understanding Patient Responsibility](/guides/billing/patient-responsibility) — How StrataEMR determines what a patient owes after insurance processes a claim.
# Verify Benefits Through Availity
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/billing/verify-benefits-availity
How to check a patient's insurance benefits in Availity for commercial payers, without picking up the phone.
Most of your patients' commercial payers can be checked directly in Availity, no phone call required. StrataPT recommends that every customer has an Availity account (generally set up during onboarding), so this option is available to your team. This guide walks front desk and billing staff through pulling up a patient's benefit details for a commercial payer. Medicare benefits still verify automatically in StrataEMR and don't need this process.
***
## Before You Begin
* You need an active Availity login. Check with your practice admin if you don't have credentials.
* Have your practice's **NPI** and **Tax ID** on hand.
* Have the patient's insurance card: **Member ID** and **Date of Birth**. If you don't have the Member ID yet, you can search by the patient's first and last name instead.
**Note:** Availity coverage varies by payer. Most major commercial payers (Aetna, Blue Cross, and others) support eligibility and benefits lookups. Not every payer a patient carries will be available.
***
## Verify a Patient's Benefits
1. Log in to Availity.
2. Select **Patient Registration** from your home page.
![Benefits Inquiry]()
3. Choose the patient's payer from the payer list.
4. Enter your practice's **NPI** and **Tax ID**.
5. Enter the patient's information: **Member ID** and **Date of Birth** (or **First Name** and **Last Name** if you don't have the Member ID yet).
![Patient Search Options]()
6. Select **Submit**.
Once the request loads, the patient's benefit summary appears, including their remaining deductible and other cost-sharing details. Use the **In Network** / **Out of Network** toggle at the top to see benefits under each, and the dropdown menu to confirm physical therapy is covered.
![Benefit Information]()
**Tip:** You can print this results page and upload it to the patient's Documents in StrataEMR, the same way many practices already keep a record of phone verifications.
**Note:** Availity doesn't send this information into StrataEMR automatically. Enter what you find into the patient's benefit record in StrataEMR (**Patient Menu Bar > Patient Info > Policies > Benefits**) so your billing team has it on file.
To look up another patient, select **New Request** from the same screen.
***
## Save Time on Repeat Lookups
If you check benefits often, star **Patient Registration** as a favorite so it appears on your Availity home page for quick access.
\[SCREENSHOT: Favoriting Patient Registration on the Availity home page]
Availity also keeps a recent patient history, so switching between patients you've already looked up doesn't require re-entering their information each time.
***
## Checking Authorizations and Referrals
**Tip:** Availity isn't just for benefits. The same portal lets you check whether a payer requires **prior authorization** or a **referral**, and submit an authorization or referral request using the same patient and policy information. Look for **Authorizations & Referrals** in the Availity menu. If a policy requires either, see [Patient Benefit Verification](/guides/billing/patient-benefit-verification) for what to do with that information once you have it.
# Collecting Payment for Non-Billed Cash Services
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/billing/wellness-visits
How to set up and collect payment for wellness visits, massage, and other services that fall outside standard PT billing — using Point of Sale charges in StrataEMR.
Some services your practice offers don't map to CPT codes that StrataEMR can support through the standard billing workflow. This includes things like wellness visits, massage therapy, personal training, and similar cash-pay services. For these, StrataEMR uses **Point of Sale (POS) charges** — not self-pay cases.
Using POS charges keeps these visits clean: you apply the charge, collect payment, and you're done. No billing cycle, no claim, no invoice generated after the fact.
**Do not use self-pay to bill for wellness, massage, or other non-CPT services.** Self-pay in StrataEMR is tied to the standard billing workflow — it processes charges against CPT codes and generates invoices for any unpaid balance. Services that fall outside CPT billing don't fit this model, and using self-pay for them can result in unintended changes to the practice's invoice at the end of the month. See [Self-Pay vs. Point of Sale](#self-pay-vs-point-of-sale) below for the full distinction.
***
## Step 1: Set Up Your Service Items in Point of Sale
POS items are configured once in Setup and then available to apply to any patient account. If your practice hasn't added items for your cash services yet, do this before the first visit.
1. Navigate to Point of Sale Setup: **Menu Bar > Settings > Point of Sale.**
2. Enter a **Description** for the item. Be specific enough that front desk staff can identify it quickly — for example:
* "Wellness Visit – 30 min"
* "Wellness Visit – 60 min"
* "Massage – 30 min"
* "Massage – 60 min"
* "Personal Training Session"
3. Enter the flat **Price**.
4. Click **Save**.
5. Repeat for each service type or session length your practice offers.
![Clean Shot 2026 05 21 At 15 43 19@2x]()
**POS prices are flat rate only.** Percentage-based pricing is not supported. If your practice charges different rates for different session lengths or service types, create a separate item for each.
***
## Step 2: Apply the Charge to the Patient's Account
POS charges do not appear automatically on the schedule. Staff need to apply them manually, either before the visit starts or at check-out.
1. Open the patient's account in StrataEMR.
2. Navigate to Point of Sale: **Patient Menu Bar > Financial > Point of Sale.**
3. Select the appropriate item from the **Description** dropdown.
4. Confirm the amount.
5. Save.
The charge is added to the patient's financial record.
![Clean Shot 2026 05 21 At 15 47 31@2x]()
**POS charges don't appear in the "amount to collect" field on the schedule.** Staff will need to navigate to the patient's Financial page to apply the charge and confirm collection. Build this into your front desk check-out routine for any patient receiving a cash service.
***
## Step 3: Collect Payment
After applying the POS charge, collect payment from the patient.
If your practice uses **Authorize.net** for integrated credit card processing, the charge can be collected through that flow directly.
Otherwise, collect payment manually — cash, check, or card — and record it against the Point of Sale balance in the patient's Financial section.
***
## Self-Pay vs. Point of Sale
These two features are often confused. Here's the distinction:
**Point of Sale** is for flat-rate charges that fall outside standard PT billing — wellness visits, massage, personal training, product sales, cancellation fees. No CPT code is involved. No invoice is generated. Payment is collected directly at the time of service.
**Self-Pay** is for patients with no insurance who are receiving standard physical therapy services billed through CPT codes. StrataEMR runs self-pay charges through the same billing workflow as insurance cases — it just bills the patient instead of a payer. Any unpaid balance generates a patient invoice.
For non-CPT cash services, always use POS. Reserve self-pay for patients receiving standard PT care who have no insurance coverage.
# Guide to MIPS Reporting
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/compliance/mips-reporting
How to complete MIPS quality reporting in StrataEMR using claims-based submission — from eligibility check through daily documentation.
The Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) is Medicare's quality reporting program for eligible clinicians. StrataEMR supports MIPS through claims-based reporting, meaning your quality data submits automatically as part of the claims you already send to Medicare, no separate submission required.
***
## Check Your Eligibility
Not every Medicare-participating practice is required to report MIPS. CMS requires participation if your practice meets **all three** of the following thresholds in a calendar year:
* Billed more than \$90,000 to Medicare Part B
* Treated more than 200 Medicare beneficiaries
* Provided more than 200 covered professional services to Medicare Part B patients
If your practice does not meet all three thresholds, you may be exempt from MIPS for that reporting year.
Confirm your participation status before each reporting year using the CMS Eligibility Lookup tool at [qpp.cms.gov](https://qpp.cms.gov/eligibility-participation/eligibility/check). Requirements can change annually, so check even if you were exempt in a prior year.
***
## How StrataEMR Handles MIPS
StrataEMR uses **claims-based reporting** - the most common method for outpatient therapy practices. With this approach:
* Quality data submits as Quality Data Codes (QDCs), a type of CPT II code, added directly to your Medicare claims
* StrataEMR evaluates each visit and automatically prompts you to select the correct QDCs during documentation, based on the patient's age, body area, diagnosis, and CPT codes
* No separate data submission is needed outside your normal billing workflow
There are two important limitations of claims-based reporting to know upfront. First, you can report on up to 5 of the available MIPS measures: reporting all 6 requires a registry-based option, which StrataEMR does not support (see note below). Second, reporting is individual: each clinician's data submits separately, and group-level reporting is not supported through claims-based submission.
**Reporting Options:** StrataEMR does not currently support registry-based MIPS reporting or the MVP (MIPS Value Pathways) reporting approach.
***
## Activate MIPS for Your Account
MIPS activation is an account-level setting managed by StrataPT, it is not something you configure in StrataEMR directly. Once enabled, MIPS prompts appear for all eligible clinicians at your organization.
To activate MIPS reporting, contact your StrataPT Customer Success Manager. They will confirm your eligibility, turn on the MIPS prompts for your account, and load in the appropriate MIPS form templates.
**MIPS activation applies to your entire organization.** MIPS itself is a CMS requirement evaluated at the individual clinician level, but StrataEMR currently enables it organization-wide as a matter of practice, not regulation. Make sure all eligible providers are ready to participate before requesting activation.
***
## Complete the MIPS Patient Survey at Initial Evaluation
When you complete an initial evaluation for a Medicare patient, you must also complete a **MIPS Patient Survey Form** as a separate document. This form captures the screening information required for several MIPS measures, including:
* Depression screening
* Elder maltreatment screening
* Tobacco use
StrataEMR includes both PT and OT versions of the MIPS Patient Survey Form to be created as a clinical document, within the MIPS Templates family. Select the version that matches your discipline.
Once you save the Patient Survey Form, your responses carry over automatically to the evaluation document, you do not need to re-enter the same information in the evaluation.
**Complete and save the MIPS Patient Survey Form before finishing your evaluation.** The response transfer only occurs if the survey is saved first.
***
## Record MIPS Codes During Daily Documentation
For each Medicare visit, StrataEMR evaluates the patient's age, body area, diagnosis year, and CPT codes and identifies which MIPS quality measures apply. When applicable measures are found, a MIPS prompt appears in the **charge advice section** of the daily note, below the standard billing codes.
To complete MIPS reporting for a visit:
1. Complete your clinical documentation as normal.
2. In the charge advice section at the bottom of your document, locate the MIPS prompt below your standard billing codes.
3. Review the measure listed and select the QDC that reflects the care you provided.
4. Complete and submit the document. StrataEMR includes the selected QDCs on the Medicare claim automatically.
**CMS requires you to submit QDCs on at least 70% of eligible cases** for each measure you report during the year. Gaps in reporting lower your MIPS score and can reduce your Medicare payment rate for the following year.
# Guides
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/overview
Step-by-step walkthroughs for StrataEMR's major workflows and capabilities.
Guides are practical, step-by-step walkthroughs designed to help your team complete specific tasks in StrataEMR. Each guide covers one workflow from start to finish, with clear instructions and context on why each step matters.
If you're new to StrataEMR and looking for onboarding, setup, or go-live information, start with the [Start Here](/welcome) section instead.
## Looking for Something Else?
This section will grow as more guides are published. If you can't find a guide for a specific workflow, check the [Documentation](/documentation) section for detailed feature reference, or contact [StrataPT Support](/after-go-live/getting-help).
***
**Related:**
* [Start Here](/welcome) -- New to StrataEMR? Begin with onboarding and setup.
* [Documentation](/documentation) -- Detailed reference for all StrataEMR features and settings.
# Mako AI Scribe
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/releases/mako-ai-scribe
Mako AI Scribe is an AI-powered clinical documentation assistant built directly into StrataEMR. It listens to your therapy sessions, generates structured SOAP note content, and lets you transfer that content into your documentation, reducing the time you spend writing notes after each visit.
This article covers how the feature works, how to get the best results, and answers to the most common questions from clinicians already using it.
## How It Works
Mako AI Scribe records audio from your therapy session using your device's microphone (built-in or external). When the session is complete and you stop the recording, the audio is securely uploaded and processed. Mako will provide two outputs:
**Summary Tab**: A structured clinical summary organized into SOAP note sections:
* **Subjective**: Patient-reported symptoms, history, and concerns discussed during the session
* **Objective**: Clinical observations, measurements, and findings verbalized during the encounter
* **Assessment**: Clinical interpretation, progress toward goals, and functional status
* **Plan**: Treatment recommendations, goals, and next steps
**Transcription Tab**: A full transcript of the session with speaker identification, labeling dialogue as CLINICIAN or PATIENT.
### Transferring Content Into Your Note
Once processing is complete (typically a few minutes), you have two options for getting AI-generated content into your documentation:
If your note template includes the Mako AI Scribe fragments (Mako Subjective, Mako Objective, Mako Assessment, Mako Plan of Care), click the **Transfer to Documentation** button at the bottom of the Summary tab to push content directly into the corresponding sections of your note.
You can also copy content from the Summary or Transcription tabs and paste it into any section of your note. This approach works regardless of your template setup and gives you full control over where content is placed.
**Important**: Mako AI Scribe is a clinical documentation assistant, not a replacement for clinical judgment. The generated summary must be reviewed for accuracy before finalizing your note. You are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of your documentation.
![Clean Shot 2026 03 17 At 11 13 27]()
***
## Getting Started
### Requirements
* A laptop or tablet with a modern web browser (Chrome, Edge, or Safari recommended)
* A built-in microphone or an external wireless microphone
* Microphone access granted in your browser settings
### Activation
Mako AI Scribe must be activated for your account by a member of the StrataPT team. You will see the Mako AI Scribe card on your note in one of two pre-activation states:
* **"Mako AI Scribe is not active for your practice."** Your practice has not yet been enabled. Ask your account administrator to request activation from StrataPT.
* **"Recording has been disabled for your user account."** Your practice is enabled, but your individual user account needs to be activated. Contact your account administrator to enable recording and dictation for your notes.
![Clean Shot 2026 03 17 At 11 14 19]()
Once activated, the Start Recording button will become active.
![Clean Shot 2026 03 17 At 11 15 02]( "Clean Shot 2026 03 17 At 11 15 02")
### Granting Microphone Access
When you start your first recording, your browser will ask for permission to access your microphone. You must allow this for Mako AI Scribe to function. If you accidentally deny the request, you can update your browser's microphone permissions in its settings.
***
## Recording a Session
### Step-by-Step
Open your patient's clinical note in StrataEMR. The Mako AI Scribe card will be located at the top of the sidebar to the right of the note. Click **Start Recording**.
Once you've clicked **Start Recording**, a **Recording Consent Required** dialog will appear. This reminds you that the encounter will be audio recorded for transcription and documentation assistance, that you are responsible for obtaining patient consent per your organization's policy, that the generated summary must be reviewed for accuracy, and that recording data is encrypted and stored in compliance with HIPAA.
Confirm that you have obtained verbal or written consent from the patient and click **Continue**
The first time you use Mako AI Scribe in a browser, you'll be asked to give it access to your device's default microphone. Click "Allow" to begin your recording.
Conduct your therapy session as you normally would. A live recording indicator with a timer will confirm audio is being captured. If you need to step away or pause for any reason, click **Pause**. Click **Resume** to continue when ready.
When the session is complete, click **Stop & Submit** to send the session's recording to StrataEMR. The card will show a **Processing Recording...** message while Mako transcribes and generates your summary. This usually takes only a few minutes.
Once processing is complete, review the **Summary** tab for your SOAP-organized content and the **Transcription** tab for the full speaker-labeled dialogue
When the Mako AI Scribe fragments are present in your document, you can click **Transfer to Documentation** to send the four separate summary sections to their corresponding fragment in your document. If your document does not have these fragments, click a section heading to add the corresponding document from the **Mako AI Scribe** fragment family.
Alternatively, you can copy and paste information from your summary to your existing fragments.
Review and edit the content as needed, then finalize your documentation as you normally would.
### Tips for a Successful Recording
**Verbalize your clinical observations.** Mako can only document what it hears. Speak your measurements, observations, and findings aloud during the session. For example, say "left knee flexion is 130 degrees" rather than silently noting it.
**Record the full encounter.** Start recording when the session begins and stop when it ends. Recording the entire session in one continuous take produces better results than starting and stopping multiple times.
**Be aware of your environment.** In a quiet, private room, your device's built-in microphone will generally work well within about 4-6 feet. In open gym settings or multi-therapist environments, an external wireless microphone will significantly improve audio quality and reduce background noise.
**Use Pause when needed.** If a sensitive conversation arises or you step away from the patient, click Pause and Resume when ready rather than stopping and restarting the recording.
**Note**: Each note supports one recording. If you need to start over, you will need to duplicate the note and begin a new recording on the duplicate.
***
## Hardware Recommendations
### When Your Built-In Microphone Is Enough
If you primarily treat patients in a private room or quiet environment and your device is within a few feet of the conversation, your laptop or tablet's built-in microphone should work well.
### When to Use an External Microphone
An external wireless microphone is strongly recommended if:
* You work in an open gym or multi-therapist setting
* There is background noise, music, or cross-talk from adjacent sessions
* You move around the treatment area during sessions
* Your device is more than a few feet from the patient
### Recommended Microphone
The **Hollyland Lark M2S Combo** is a wireless lavalier microphone that clips to your clothing and connects to your device via a USB receiver. It provides strong noise isolation and is the most commonly recommended option among clinicians using Mako AI Scribe. Any similar microphone will also work.
**Pro tip**: If you see patients back-to-back throughout the day, consider a dual-microphone setup (included in the Hollyland Lark M2S Combo package) so you can rotate between them and always have a charged microphone ready.
In noisy environments, a foam windscreen ("dead cat" cover) on the microphone can further reduce ambient noise pickup.
***
## Patient Consent and Recording Disclosure
Recording therapy sessions involves patient consent considerations that vary by state. The Recording Consent Required dialog within Mako AI Scribe reminds clinicians of their responsibility before every recording session, but your practice should also establish broader consent practices.
Regardless of your state's specific requirements, we strongly recommend the following:
### Recommended Consent Practices
1. **Update your intake forms.** Add a recording consent section to your Consent and Policies intake template. Recommended language is provided below in both English and Spanish.
2. **Post visible signage.** Place a notice at your front desk informing patients that sessions may be recorded for clinical documentation purposes.
3. **Verbally disclose recording.** At the start of each recorded session, briefly let the patient know the session will be recorded to support clinical documentation.
4. **Always allow opt-out.** If a patient declines recording, respect their decision. Declining recording does not affect their care. Consider creating a case notification to flag patients who have opted out so all clinicians on their care team are aware.
5. **Document acknowledgment.** Keep a record that the patient was informed and did not object (or provided written consent, depending on your state's requirements).
### Recommended Intake Language
Add the following to your Consent and Policies intake template below the "Digital Images and Videos" section:
```text wrap theme={null}
SESSION RECORDING NOTICE AND CONSENT
For the purpose of clinical documentation, your therapy session may be audio recorded. The recording is used to help your clinician accurately document your visit and may be transcribed to support completion of your medical record. Recordings and any related transcripts are stored securely as part of your health record and are accessible only to authorized members of your care team. All documentation remains under the review and control of your clinician. Recording is limited to your therapy session and is not used for marketing, advertising, or any non-clinical purpose.
You may ask questions or request that recording not be used for your session. Declining recording will not affect your care or treatment.
```
A Spanish version is available below:
```text wrap theme={null}
AVISO Y CONSENTIMIENTO DE GRABACIÓN DE SESIÓN
Con el propósito de documentación clínica, su sesión de terapia puede ser grabada en audio. La grabación se utiliza para ayudar a su profesional clínico a documentar su visita con precisión y puede ser transcrita para facilitar la completación de su expediente médico. Las grabaciones y cualquier transcripción relacionada se almacenan de forma segura como parte de su expediente de salud y solo son accesibles para los miembros autorizados de su equipo de atención. Toda la documentación permanece bajo la revisión y el control de su profesional clínico. La grabación se limita a su sesión de terapia y no se utiliza con fines de mercadeo, publicidad ni ningún otro propósito no clínico.
Usted puede hacer preguntas o solicitar que no se utilice la grabación durante su sesión. Rechazar la grabación no afectará su atención ni su tratamiento.
```
### State-by-State Considerations
Some states require all-party consent for recording private conversations. Therapy sessions are generally treated as private conversations regardless of setting.
**All-party consent states** (consent required from all parties): California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington
**One-party consent states** (disclosure and opt-out strongly recommended): All remaining states and Washington, D.C.
**Important**: Even in one-party consent states, we strongly recommend full disclosure and opt-out as a best practice. This protects both the patient relationship and your practice.
### HIPAA Considerations
All recordings and transcripts generated by Mako AI Scribe stored securely and treated as Protected Health Information (PHI). They are accessible only to authorized members of the care team and subject to all applicable HIPAA requirements.
* Never reuse recordings or transcripts beyond clinical documentation without separate patient consent
* Treat both audio files and text transcripts as PHI
* Follow your existing HIPAA policies for storage, access, and retention
***
## Best Practices from Early Adopters
Since launching Mako AI Scribe with our first group of customers, we have gathered real-world feedback that can help you get the most out of the feature.
### Start with Initial Evaluations and Re-Evaluations
These visit types involve the most narrative documentation and benefit the most from AI assistance. They are typically conducted in private rooms, which also provides better recording conditions. Once you are comfortable, expand to daily notes and other visit types.
### Use It as a Companion Tool
Think of Mako AI Scribe as a first draft, not a finished product. The AI-generated content gives you a strong starting point, especially for subjective sections where it performs best. Review everything, edit where needed, and continue to complete required template fields and objective measurements manually.
### Don't Abandon Manual Documentation Skills
The AI is a productivity tool. Continue to develop and maintain your clinical documentation skills. Use the AI output as a reference and supplement, not a crutch.
### Focus on Subjective Sections First
Clinicians consistently report that the subjective section is where Mako AI Scribe adds the most value. Patient-reported symptoms, history, and the flow of conversation are captured well. Objective measurements, complex data structures, and medication lists still benefit from manual entry.
### Copy Specific Sections, Not Entire Summaries
Rather than transferring everything at once, many clinicians find it most effective to review each SOAP section individually and transfer or copy only the portions that are accurate and relevant to their note.
***
## Frequently Asked Questions
Usually just a few minutes. You can continue working on other parts of your note or move to your next patient once your recording uploads while you wait. The Summary and Transcription tabs will populate when processing is complete.
Mako AI Scribe works on laptops and tablets with a modern browser (Chrome, Edge, or Safari). It works best on desktop and laptop devices. A browser that supports microphone permissions is required.
While it may function on a mobile browser, the experience is optimized for laptop and tablet screens. We recommend using a larger device for the best results at this time.
Recording depends on an active browser session. If the browser is closed, crashes, or the device goes to sleep, the recording may be interrupted. Keep your device awake and the browser tab active during sessions. Mako will attempt to keep your computer awake via the browser when a recording is actively being captured.
No. Each note supports one recording. If you need to start over, duplicate the note and begin a new recording on the duplicate.
Very long recordings (such as extended initial evaluations) may approach file size limits. If you encounter issues, open a support ticket with Technical Support.
Respect their decision. Declining recording should not affect their care. Document your session manually as you would without the feature. Consider creating a case notification so other clinicians on their care team are aware of the patient's preference.
It depends on your template setup. If your template includes the Mako AI Scribe fragments, you can use the Transfer to Documentation button to push content into the corresponding sections. Otherwise, you can copy and paste content from the Summary or Transcription tabs into any section of your note.
Accuracy depends on audio quality, how clearly clinical information is verbalized, and the complexity of the session. The AI does a strong job capturing the narrative flow of a session, especially subjective content. Always review and edit before finalizing. You are responsible for the accuracy of your documentation.
Mako AI Scribe is included as part of StrataEMR at no additional cost for all customers with a generous usage limit that most teams will never encounter. If you exceed these sensible limits we'll reach out to have a conversation with you.
Before your first recording, Mako AI Scribe displays a consent reminder confirming that the encounter will be audio recorded, that you are responsible for obtaining patient consent per your organization's policy, that the summary must be reviewed for accuracy, and that data is encrypted and stored in compliance with HIPAA. This dialog appears to ensure clinicians are aware of their responsibilities before recording begins.
Yes. After processing, the Mako AI Scribe card has two tabs: Summary (with SOAP-organized content) and Transcription (with the full speaker-labeled dialogue). You can review both and use whichever is most helpful for your documentation.
## Need Help?
If you have questions or run into issues with Mako AI Scribe, contact the StrataPT support team from your Dashboard in StrataEMR. A member of our team will help you get the most out of this feature.
## Have Feedback or Suggestions?
If you'd like to share your feedback on this feature, log into StrataEMR and navigate to the Feedback area from your top menu. From here you can share your thoughts on the Mako AI Scribe and other features of StrataEMR.
# Move, Swap, or Replace a Policy
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/releases/move-swap-or-replace-a-policy
Reposition a patient's insurance policies between primary, secondary, and tertiary slots without manually expiring policies or re-entering information.
StrataEMR's Policy Move and Replace feature lets you change which insurance occupies the primary, secondary, or tertiary position on a patient's case — in seconds, without contacting support, and without manually expiring or recreating policies.
All the sequencing happens automatically in the background.
***
## Navigate to the Policies Page
Navigate to Policies: **Patient Menu Bar > Patient Info > Policies**
All three actions (Move, Swap, and Replace) are available directly from the Policies page on a patient's case.
![Clean Shot 2026 05 20 At 16 10 17@2x]()
***
## Choose the Right Action
Three actions are available, depending on your situation:
The target position is empty. You're shifting an existing policy from one slot to a vacant one. For example, moving a secondary policy up to primary after a patient's primary insurance ends.
Both positions have active policies and you need to switch their order. For example, a patient's secondary insurance has become their primary, and vice versa. StrataEMR handles this through the Move button. When the target slot is already occupied, the system detects this and offers to swap the two policies.
A patient switched insurance carriers and you need to put a brand-new policy into an existing slot. This follows the standard Add a Policy flow, with one key difference: the coverage start date you enter for the new policy automatically expires the current policy the day before.
***
## Move a Policy to an Empty Slot
Use this when the destination position has no active policy currently in it.
1. Locate the policy you want to move on the Policies page.
2. Click **Move** on that policy row.
3. Select the target position: Primary, Secondary, or Tertiary.
4. Enter the **effective date.** This is the date the policy begins in its new position.
5. Confirm the move.
StrataEMR automatically expires the policy in its original position the day before the effective date you entered. It then copies the policy, including its benefits and authorizations, into the target slot.
![Clean Shot 2026 05 20 At 16 16 30@2x]()
**Effective date is required.** The date you enter determines when the policy officially takes the new position. The original slot's policy is expired the day before this date. Choose this date carefully, it affects billing continuity.
***
## Swap Two Policies
Use this when both positions have active policies and you need to reverse their order.
1. Locate either policy you want to reorder on the Policies page.
2. Click **Move** on that policy row.
3. Select the target position. If a policy is already in that slot, StrataEMR recognizes this and presents the option to **swap** the two policies.
4. Enter the **effective date** for the swap.
5. Confirm the swap.
Both policies are moved simultaneously. Benefits and authorizations associated with each position are copied into the new slot. Neither policy needs to be manually expired first, StrataEMR handles the sequencing.
***
## Replace a Policy with a New One
Use this when a patient has switched insurers and you need to put a new plan into an existing position.
1. Locate the policy you want to replace on the Policies page.
2. Click **Replace** on that policy row.
3. Complete the new policy form. This follows the same steps as [adding a new policy](/documentation/patients/policies/add-a-policy).
4. Set the **coverage start date** for the new policy. This date also triggers the expiration of the current policy. StrataEMR expires the existing policy the day before this date.
5. Save the new policy.
The current policy is automatically expired. The new policy takes its place in the same position.
![Clean Shot 2026 05 20 At 16 18 09@2x]()
**Review benefits and authorizations after replacing.** Because you're entering a new policy from a different insurance carrier, benefits and authorization details should be reviewed and updated to reflect the new plan's terms after saving.
***
## What Happens in the Background
When you Move or Swap a policy, StrataEMR automatically:
* Expires the policy in its original position on the day before your effective date
* Copies the policy, including its benefits and authorizations, into the target slot
* Maintains billing order so existing claims in process are not disrupted
When you Replace a policy, StrataEMR automatically:
* Expires the existing policy the day before the new policy's coverage start date
* Creates the new policy in the same position with the information you entered
In both cases, you do not need to set expiration dates manually or re-enter subscriber information that was already on file.
***
## If a Move Is Blocked
StrataEMR protects against effective dates that fall before claims already submitted to a payer. If the date you enter would conflict with an already-billed date of service, the system will display an error message and prevent the move from going through.
**Do not attempt to work around this block.** This guardrail prevents changes that could disrupt billing for dates of service that have already been submitted to a payer. If you see this error, contact support before making any further changes.
If you receive this error, reach out through the **Get Help** area. The StrataEMR support team can help you identify a safe effective date or assist with any adjustments needed to protect billing integrity.
# Run Reports in StrataEMR
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/reports/using-reports
How to run reports in StrataEMR and which report to reach for based on common business questions — from AR management to staff productivity.
StrataEMR's reporting suite gives you a real-time view of your practice's clinical and financial performance. This guide explains how to run reports and which one to reach for depending on what you're trying to answer.
***
## Before You Begin
Access to many reports within Practice Metrics requires Administrator-level access and visibility into practice financials. You may not have access to every report listed below.
***
## Run a Report
Navigate to Practice Metrics: **Dashboard > Analytics column > Practice Metrics**
![The Analytics column on the StrataEMR dashboard, showing the Practice Metrics button at the bottom]()
1. Select the report name from the list, or click **View All Reports**.
2. Set your filters — most reports let you choose a date range, facility, and provider.
3. Click **Go**. Results appear on screen.
4. To export, click the **Download** button. Depending on the report, you may see options for PDF, CSV, or both.
![Clean Shot 2026 06 04 At 13 16 35@2x]()
**Custom date ranges:** Most reports let you set a specific start and end date. When comparing periods — last month vs. this month, for example — run the report twice with different date ranges and export both for a side-by-side comparison.
***
## Which Report for Which Question
Use this as a quick reference when you're not sure where to start.
**Organization Insights Report** — a snapshot of scheduled visits, billing, collections, and top CPT codes for any date range. Filterable by facility.
**Accounts Receivable Report** — drill into specific insurances with elevated AR to see which patients and dates are outstanding. Scroll to the bottom to see items pending client action.
**Staff Productivity Report (by Service Date)** — compare productivity by service date, units billed, and time with patients. Useful for identifying under- or over-billing.
**Schedule Reconciliation Report** — check the status of each clinician's appointments for the week, including whether the document for each date of service has been created and completed.
**Average Reimbursement Per Payer** — shows your average reimbursement rate for your top payers. Helpful when renegotiating contracts — you can pull actual numbers to support your case.
**Average Reimbursement Per Charge Code** — breaks down reimbursement by CPT code for top payers. Use alongside the per-payer report for a complete picture.
**Pending Charges Report** — shows any dates of service still in a pending state, so you know which claims are about to be sent out by the StrataPT team.
**Patient Balance Report** — lists each patient with an open balance, their amount, and their financial status (past due, final notice). Use the final notice filter to identify accounts approaching collections.
**Patient Payments by Date** — shows patient payments collected within a given date range. For a full picture including insurance payments, use the **Payment Detail by Date Report**.
**Referring Provider Summary Report** — shows referral volume by provider, conversion rate, and last referral date.
**Schedule Performance Report** — shows billed visits, pending documents, evaluations, discharges, no-shows, and cancellations.
***
## Understanding the Visit Summary vs. Organization Insights Discrepancy
A common question: "The number in the Visit Summary doesn't match what I see in Organization Insights — which one is right?"
Both can be correct — they measure different things.
* **Organization Insights** (Schedule Insights section) counts **scheduled** appointments within the date range, including any appointment that appears on the calendar.
* **Visit Totals Report** and **Staff Productivity Report** count visits by **service date** as billed — meaning a visit only appears when a charge is associated with it.
The gap between them is typically visits that were scheduled but not yet billed (documentation still in draft, charges not yet entered). If the gap is large, check the **Pending Charges Report** next.
**Practice Dashboard 2.0** is a visual alternative to Organization Insights that includes graphs for annual reimbursement averages per payer and referral breakdowns. If you prefer charts over tables, try this report for executive-level overviews.
***
## Tips for Getting the Most from Reports
**Use the AR Report for RCM follow-up.** The Accounts Receivable Report shows items "pending client action" at the bottom — this is your list of claims that need your team's attention before they can move forward.
**Use Average Reimbursement Per Payer before contract renewals.** Pull 6–12 months of data to see exactly what each payer is reimbursing per CPT code. You'll have concrete numbers in hand for the negotiation.
**Use the Patient Balance Report to manage collections timing.** Patients at "final notice" status have already received multiple balance alerts. Review this list before deciding which accounts to move to an external collections process. StrataEMR does not send accounts to collections automatically — that step is handled by your practice.
**Download the Patient Email Report for marketing outreach.** To send a newsletter or promotional email, navigate to **Practice Metrics > Patient Email List Report** to export a list of patient contact information. Use that list in a separate marketing tool — do not use the Patient Engagement tools in StrataEMR for mass marketing sends.
***
## Related
* [Understanding the Clarity Panel and Patient Responsibility](/documentation/billing/clarity-panel) — How to read a patient's financial history after a claim is adjudicated.
* [How the Recommended Amount Works](/documentation/billing/recommended-amount) — How StrataEMR calculates the suggested collection amount at time of service.
* [Medicare Billing in StrataEMR](/documentation/billing/medicare) — Medicare-specific billing rules and workflows.
# Migrating Your Data
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/switching/migrating-your-data
What data moves to StrataEMR, what doesn't, and how to prepare for a smooth migration from your current system.
When you switch to StrataEMR, your core patient and payer data comes with you. StrataPT's onboarding team manages the migration process directly, logging into your current system to extract the data rather than asking you to produce exports. Your role is to provide access, verify the results, and flag any discrepancies.
This page covers exactly what transfers, what doesn't, how to prepare, and what the process looks like depending on where you're coming from.
## How Migration Works
Migration is a managed process. You provide credentials to your current system through the Onboarding Dashboard, and StrataPT's onboarding team handles the extraction and import into StrataEMR.
**Step 1: Discovery** Your onboarding lead reviews your current system, data volume, and any unique considerations during or shortly after your kickoff call.
**Step 2: Credential Delivery** You provide login credentials to your current system through the Onboarding Dashboard. The onboarding team needs unattended, uninterrupted access to extract your data.
**Step 3: Data Extraction and Import** The onboarding team logs into your current system, extracts the supported data, maps it to StrataEMR's data model, and loads it into your account while it's in onboarding state.
**Step 4: Verification** You review the migrated data in your StrataEMR account. Spot-check patient records, insurance details, and referrer information to confirm accuracy before go-live.
**Step 5: Remediation** Any discrepancies found during verification are corrected by the onboarding team. Minor issues that surface after go-live can be corrected as patients are encountered.
## What Data Migrates
StrataPT imports the following data from your current system.
### Patient Data
| Field | What Transfers |
| - | - |
| Patient name | Full name |
| Address | Full address |
| Phone numbers | Home, wireless, and work phone |
| Diagnosis | Active diagnoses |
| Onset of injury date | Date associated with the case |
| Prescription date | Prescription date on file |
### Policy Data
| Field | What Transfers |
| - | - |
| Payer | Insurance company |
| Subscriber number | Member/subscriber ID |
| Group number | Group number |
| Policy data | Policy details on file |
### Referrer Data
| Field | What Transfers |
| - | - |
| Name | First and last name |
| Salutation | Dr., etc. |
| Credentials | MD, DO, etc. |
| NPI | Referring provider NPI |
| Address | Full address |
| Phone and fax | Phone number and fax number |
## What Does Not Migrate
The following data is **not** imported by StrataPT's migration service.
| Data Type | Why It Doesn't Transfer |
| - | - |
| **Authorizations** | Authorization structures vary significantly between systems. Active authorizations will need to be entered in StrataEMR during onboarding. |
| **Plan of Care documents** | These clinical documents are not extracted during migration. See guidance below on handling historical documents. |
| **Clinical documentation** | Progress notes, evaluations, discharge summaries, and other clinical records are not migrated. |
| **Inactive patients** | Only active patients are imported. Inactive or discharged patients remain in your previous system. |
| **Stored documents** | Scanned documents, uploaded files, and attachments stored in your previous system are not transferred. |
| **Schedule data** | Past and future appointment data does not migrate. Your schedule starts fresh in StrataEMR. |
**Important**: The import service provided by StrataPT is offered for convenience during your transition to StrataEMR. It is not intended for archival or records retention purposes. Your onboarding team will provide best practices and guidance on what additional data you should consider uploading to StrataEMR separately.
### Handling Historical Documents and Clinical Records
Since clinical documentation, Plan of Care documents, and stored documents do not migrate automatically, you'll need to plan for how your practice handles this historical data.
Many practices keep their previous EMR active in a read-only or limited capacity for a period of time so staff can reference historical records when needed. This is the most common approach during the transition.
If specific documents need to be accessible within StrataEMR (for example, a current evaluation or active Plan of Care for an ongoing case), your team can upload them directly to the patient's chart. Your onboarding team will show you how during training.
For practices with a high volume of critical historical documents, your onboarding team can provide guidance on organizing and uploading documents in bulk.
Your onboarding lead will help you determine the right approach based on your practice's volume, clinical needs, and how long you plan to maintain access to your previous system.
### Entering Authorizations After Migration
Since authorizations don't transfer automatically, your team will need to enter active authorizations into StrataEMR during onboarding or shortly after go-live. This is a critical step for practices with a high volume of authorization-dependent visits, since missing authorizations can delay billing.
Your onboarding team will walk you through authorization entry during training. Prioritize entering authorizations for patients scheduled in the first two weeks after go-live, then work through the remaining active authorizations in the weeks that follow.
## Migration by Starting Point
### From Another EMR
This is the most common scenario. StrataPT logs directly into your current system to extract data, so there's no need for you to produce an export file.
**What you'll need to provide:**
* Login credentials to your current EMR, entered through the Onboarding Dashboard
* We'll need unattended, uninterrupted access for the onboarding team during the extraction window
* Contact information for your current EMR vendor, if vendor coordination is needed for access or data retrieval
* Confirmation of any data you want excluded from migration (e.g., specific patient populations)
**What to expect:**
* The onboarding team handles extraction directly. You don't need to run reports or produce exports.
* Structured data (demographics, insurance, referrers) transfers cleanly. The items listed in "What Does Not Migrate" above are excluded regardless of your source EMR.
* Your onboarding lead will coordinate timing so the extraction captures the most current data possible before go-live.
### From Paper Records
For practices moving from paper to an EMR for the first time, there's no electronic system to extract from. Migration is primarily a data entry exercise.
**What you'll need to provide:**
* A list of active patients with current demographics and insurance information, in any organized format (preferably as a spreadsheet)
* Referrer information for active referring providers
**What to expect:**
* Patient demographics, insurance, and referrer data for active patients can be entered into StrataEMR by your team during onboarding, with guidance from the onboarding team.
* Historical paper records remain as paper. They can be scanned and uploaded to patient charts in StrataEMR if your practice chooses to do so.
* This scenario has a lighter data migration lift but a steeper change management challenge, since your team is adopting an EMR for the first time rather than switching between systems.
### From Microsoft Word or Spreadsheets
For practices using Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, or similar tools for patient tracking and documentation.
**What you'll need to provide:**
* All relevant files, organized by patient or data type where possible
* Context on how your files are structured (e.g., "each patient has a Word doc per visit" or "we use a master spreadsheet for all active patients")
**What to expect:**
* Structured data in spreadsheets (patient demographics, insurance tables) can typically be mapped and imported into StrataEMR.
* Word-based clinical documents may be uploaded as attachments to patient records, depending on format and volume.
* The onboarding team will review your files during discovery to determine the most efficient path.
## Preparing for Migration
### What You Can Do Now
**Verify your active patient list.** Since inactive patients are excluded from migration, confirm that patient statuses in your current system are accurate. If patients are marked active who shouldn't be, clean that up before migration.
**Update stale insurance information.** Insurance data in your current system transfers as-is. If you know patients have had coverage changes, update your current system before migration or flag those patients for correction after.
**Gather your credentials early.** The onboarding team needs login credentials delivered through the Onboarding Dashboard. Don't wait until the extraction window to figure out your admin access. If you've forgotten passwords or need vendor help to reset them, start that process now.
**Designate a migration point of contact.** Choose someone at your practice who knows where the data lives, how your current system works, and can answer questions from the onboarding team quickly. This is often the office manager or practice owner.
**Plan for authorization re-entry.** Review your current active authorization volume. Practices with a high number of active authorizations should plan staff time to enter them into StrataEMR during or shortly after onboarding.
**Decide how to handle historical documents.** Determine whether you'll maintain access to your previous system, upload critical documents manually, or pursue a bulk upload approach. Your onboarding lead can help you weigh the options.
### What You Don't Need to Do
* **You don't need to export data.** For EMR-to-EMR migrations, the onboarding team extracts data directly. No reports, CSVs, or data dumps on your end.
* **You don't need to migrate everything at once.** Documents and authorizations can be added to StrataEMR after go-live as needed. Focus on getting the core data right first.
* **You don't need to keep your old system forever.** But maintaining read-only access for a transition period (typically a few months) is recommended for referencing historical records that didn't migrate.
## Timeline
Migration timelines vary based on your starting point, data volume, and system accessibility.
Your onboarding lead will provide a specific timeline during your kickoff call based on your practice's situation. Migration timelines are built into the overall onboarding schedule, so there's no separate migration project to manage.
## After Migration
Once data is loaded into StrataEMR, the verification period begins. Actively spot-check migrated data as you encounter patients.
**What to verify for each patient:**
* Name, date of birth, and contact information
* Insurance payer, subscriber number, and group number
* Diagnosis and onset of injury date
* Referring provider assignment and NPI
* Prescription date
**How to report issues:** Flag discrepancies to your onboarding team during the verification period. After go-live, report migration-related data issues through your hypercare team. Most discrepancies are quick corrections when reported with the specific patient and field affected.
**Tip**: The first two weeks after go-live are the best time to catch migration issues. As your team sees patients, have them confirm that demographics and insurance details match what's on file. See [Your First 30 Days](/after-go-live/first-30-days) for more on what to focus on after go-live.
***
**Next steps:**
* [What to Expect](/switching/what-to-expect) -- See the full journey from contract through go-live and hypercare.
* [Preparing Your Team](/switching/preparing-your-team) -- Get your staff ready before onboarding begins.
# Preparing Your Team
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/switching/preparing-your-team
A practical checklist for practice owners and office managers to get staff ready before StrataEMR onboarding begins.
A successful transition to StrataEMR depends as much on your team's readiness as it does on the technology. The onboarding team handles the technical work, but your team needs to be informed, available, and prepared before the process begins.
This page is a practical guide for practice owners and office managers. Work through these items between contract signing and your onboarding kickoff call.
## Designate an Internal Point of Contact
Choose one person at your practice to be the primary liaison with the StrataPT onboarding team. This person should be someone who:
* Understands how your practice operates day-to-day
* Can make or escalate decisions about workflow preferences and system configuration
* Is available to respond to questions from the onboarding team promptly
* Has admin-level access to your current EMR and practice management tools
In most practices, this is the office manager or practice owner. Having a single point of contact prevents miscommunication, avoids duplicate requests, and keeps the onboarding timeline on track.
If your practice has multiple locations, consider designating a point of contact per location with one primary coordinator.
## Communicate the Switch to Your Staff
Your team should hear about the transition from you, not discover it during a training invite. How you communicate the switch sets the tone for the entire onboarding experience.
### What to communicate
* **That a switch is happening and why.** Be direct about the reasons. If billing errors are costing money, say so. If the current system can't support growth, explain that. Staff are more accepting of change when they understand the business rationale.
* **When it's happening.** Share the general timeline, even if exact dates aren't confirmed yet. "We'll be onboarding over the next several weeks and going live in \[timeframe]" is enough to set expectations.
* **What it means for each role.** Clinicians care about documentation. Front desk cares about scheduling and intake. Billers care about claims and payment workflows. Frame the change in terms of what each group will experience.
* **That training will be provided.** Reassure your team that nobody is expected to figure out the new system on their own. StrataPT provides structured, role-specific training during onboarding.
* **That there will be an adjustment period.** Be honest that the first few weeks will feel slower. This is normal and temporary. Setting this expectation upfront prevents frustration during go-live.
### What not to do
* Don't promise the new system will fix every problem on day one. It won't. The adjustment period is real.
* Don't skip the announcement and let staff find out through a training calendar invite. That creates anxiety and resistance.
* Don't position it as optional or uncertain. If the decision is made, communicate it as final.
## Gather Credentials and Access
The onboarding team needs access to your current systems to begin data migration. Start gathering these items now so they're ready when onboarding kicks off.
### Current EMR Credentials
The StrataPT onboarding team logs directly into your current system to extract patient, payer, and referrer data. You'll provide these credentials through the Onboarding Dashboard.
**What's needed:**
* Admin-level login credentials to your current EMR
* Unattended, uninterrupted access for the onboarding team during the extraction window
* If your current EMR requires vendor coordination for admin access or data retrieval, begin that process now
If you've lost admin credentials or need a password reset from your current vendor, don't wait. This is one of the most common causes of onboarding delays.
### Other System Access
Depending on your practice, the onboarding team may also need:
* Access to your current scheduling system, if separate from your EMR
* Access to your current billing or practice management system, if separate
* Any payer portal credentials needed to configure billing in StrataEMR
## Prepare Your Data
While the onboarding team handles the technical migration, there are steps you can take to ensure the data that transfers is clean and accurate.
### Verify Your Active Patient List
Only active patients are imported during migration. Review your current system and confirm that patient statuses are accurate:
* Patients who are no longer being treated should be marked inactive or discharged in your current system before migration.
* Patients who are active but haven't been seen recently should be reviewed. Are they actually ongoing, or were they never formally discharged?
This doesn't need to be perfect, but a quick cleanup prevents importing patients who shouldn't be in your active caseload.
### Update Stale Insurance Information
Insurance data transfers as-is from your current system. If you know patients have had coverage changes that aren't reflected in your records, update them now or flag them for correction after migration.
### Inventory Your Active Authorizations
Authorizations do not migrate automatically. Your team will need to enter active authorizations into StrataEMR during or shortly after onboarding.
Before onboarding begins:
* Compile a list of patients with active authorizations
* Note the payer, authorization number, authorized visits, and remaining visit count for each
* Identify which patients are scheduled in the first two weeks after your expected go-live date (these authorizations should be entered first)
See [Migrating Your Data](/switching/migrating-your-data) for full details on what transfers and what doesn't.
### Decide How to Handle Historical Documents
Clinical documentation, Plan of Care documents, and stored documents do not migrate. Before onboarding, decide how your practice will handle access to historical records:
* **Maintain access to your previous system** for a transition period (most common)
* **Upload critical documents manually** to patient charts in StrataEMR
* **Bulk scan and upload** for high-volume practices
Your onboarding lead will help you evaluate these options during kickoff. Having a preliminary decision ready saves time.
## Schedule Training Availability
StrataPT provides role-specific training during onboarding. Your team needs to be available, which means blocking time on the schedule.
### What to plan for
* **Training sessions are organized by role.** Clinicians, front desk/admin, billers, and practice owners each receive training focused on their daily workflows. Not everyone needs to attend every session.
* **Sessions require active participation.** These aren't passive webinars. Staff will work through real workflows in the system. Plan for focused, uninterrupted time.
* **Multiple sessions may be needed.** Training typically spans several sessions over the onboarding period, not a single all-day event.
* **Online training courses are available 24/7.** StrataPT University provides each member of your team a guided, online learning experience that they can take at their own pace.
### What to do now
* Identify who will attend which training sessions by role.
* Block time on the practice schedule to reduce patient volume during training days, if needed. Some practices reduce appointment density during training weeks to give staff breathing room.
* Designate backup coverage for front desk and clinical roles during training sessions so the practice can still operate.
* Communicate training expectations to staff: when sessions are scheduled, what's expected, and that attendance is not optional.
## Confirm Technical Requirements
Verify that your practice's hardware and network meet the requirements for running StrataEMR before onboarding begins. Discovering a browser compatibility issue or a slow internet connection during go-live week creates unnecessary stress.
Your onboarding lead can help troubleshoot technical issues during onboarding, but it's better to identify and resolve them early.
## Pre-Onboarding Checklist
Use this checklist to track your preparation progress before the kickoff call.
**People**
* Internal point of contact designated
* Staff informed about the switch (what, when, why)
* Training availability confirmed and scheduled
* Backup coverage planned for training days
**Access**
* Current EMR admin credentials located and verified
* Additional system access gathered (scheduling, billing, payer portals)
* Credentials delivered through the Onboarding Dashboard
**Data**
* Active patient list reviewed and cleaned up
* Stale insurance information updated where known
* Active authorizations inventoried with visit counts
* Historical document handling approach decided
**Technical**
* Hardware and browser requirements verified at all locations
* Internet connectivity confirmed adequate
* Any known technical issues flagged to onboarding lead
## What's Next
Once these items are in place, you're ready for your onboarding kickoff. Your onboarding lead will walk you through the next steps during that call.
# Billing-aware EMR
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/switching/strata-pt-overview
Here's how StrataEMR combines a billing-first EMR with managed RCM services to become the operating system behind profitable rehab clinics.
**Most EMRs are built to document patient care. StrataEMR is built to run your therapy practice.**
The difference is fundamental. A documentation-first EMR-only solution treats billing as a downstream problem. Clinicians write notes, someone translates those notes into charges, and a separate billing team submits claims and chases payments. Every handoff introduces delay, error, and lost revenue.
**StrataEMR starts from the other direction.** Every workflow in the platform is designed with revenue cycle awareness built in, so that the clinical decisions your therapists make during a visit flow directly into accurate billing without manual translation, duplicate entry, or disconnected systems.
When you combine that billing-first EMR with StrataPT's managed RCM services, you get a single operating system that connects patient care to collected revenue in one unbroken line.
## Why Billing-First Changes Everything
In outpatient therapy, documentation and billing are not separate functions. They are the same function viewed from two angles. The CPT codes on a claim are a direct reflection of the services a clinician documented. The modifiers are determined by the clinical context. The medical necessity that prevents a denial is established in the evaluation and reinforced in every progress note.
When your EMR doesn't understand billing, it can't help clinicians make documentation decisions that protect revenue. The result is predictable:
* Notes that are clinically adequate but financially incomplete
* Charges that require manual review and correction
* Claims that get denied for preventable reasons
A billing-first EMR changes this dynamic at three levels.
### At the Point of Documentation
StrataEMR gives clinicians real-time visibility into the billing implications of their documentation. This isn't about turning therapists into billers. It's about surfacing the information they need to document accurately and completely the first time, so their clinical work naturally produces clean, billable output.
When a clinician documents a visit in StrataEMR, the system understands the relationship between the services performed, the time spent, the applicable CPT codes, and the modifiers required. Charge capture happens as a byproduct of good documentation, not as a separate step performed by someone who wasn't in the room.
### At the Point of Submission
Because charges originate from clinical documentation rather than being manually created after the fact, claims are already structured correctly when they reach the billing workflow. This reduces the scrubbing, editing, and correction work that billing teams in disconnected systems spend hours on every day.
Clean claims submit faster. Faster submission means faster payment. And because the data flowing into billing is structured and consistent, denial rates drop and the denials that do occur are easier to resolve because the supporting documentation is already in the system.
### At the Point of Collection
Revenue doesn't end at claim submission. It ends when cash is in the bank. StrataPT manages the full collection lifecycle: payment posting, denial management, patient billing, and accounts receivable follow-up. Because billing and clinical documentation live on the same platform, the billing team has direct access to the documentation that supports every charge. When a payer questions medical necessity or requests additional documentation, the answer is already in the system rather than locked in a separate EMR that the billing team can't access.
This eliminates one of the most expensive and time-consuming bottlenecks in therapy billing: the back-and-forth between clinical and billing teams trying to resolve denials with documentation stored in different systems.
## The Managed RCM Layer
A billing-first EMR produces clean data. Managed RCM services turn that data into collected revenue.
Many therapy practices attempt to manage billing internally with one or two staff members who juggle claims, denials, patient billing, and collections alongside other administrative duties. This works until it doesn't. Claim volume grows, payer rules change, denial patterns shift, and the billing function quietly falls behind. AR days creep up. Money that should have been collected months ago sits in aging buckets. The practice doesn't realize how much revenue it's leaving on the table because nobody has the time or visibility to measure it.
StrataPT's managed RCM services provide dedicated billing expertise that operates on the same platform your clinicians use every day. This isn't an outsourced billing company working from exported data in a separate system. It's a team with full visibility into your clinical documentation, managing your revenue cycle with the same data your practice sees.
### What Managed RCM Delivers
* **Dedicated billing expertise.** Your revenue cycle is managed by professionals who specialize in outpatient therapy billing, not generalists who also handle other specialties. They understand therapy-specific payer rules, authorization requirements, medical necessity documentation standards, and the CPT codes your clinicians use every day.
* **Proactive denial management.** Denials aren't just worked reactively. The RCM team identifies denial patterns, traces them back to their root cause (documentation, configuration, payer behavior), and addresses the systemic issue rather than just fixing individual claims.
* **Consistent collections follow-up.** AR doesn't age because someone was too busy to follow up. The RCM team maintains a structured follow-up cadence that keeps claims moving toward resolution and payment.
* **Operational visibility.** You see what the RCM team sees. Because everything operates on the same platform, practice owners and managers have access to the same billing and collections data the RCM team uses, in real time, not in a monthly report delivered weeks after the fact.
## How the Pieces Fit Together
The value of StrataEMR isn't in any single feature. It's in how clinical documentation, charge capture, claims management, and collections operate as one connected system with no gaps between them.
Here's how a single patient visit flows through the platform:
The patient is scheduled in StrataEMR. Eligibility is verified. Authorization status is confirmed. Before the patient walks in the door, the practice knows whether the visit is covered and what the patient's financial responsibility looks like.
The clinician documents the visit in StrataEMR. Services, time, and clinical findings are recorded in a structured format that the system understands. Charges are entered along with the documented services.
StrataEMR automatically reviews the document, case demographics, policies, and more. Because charges originate from structured clinical documentation, the review is a validation step rather than a data entry step. Errors that would typically require manual correction have already been prevented at the point of documentation.
Claims are automatically submitted electronically through StrataPT within 24 ours of completion. Clean claim rates are higher because the data flowing into billing is structured, complete, and consistent.
Payments are posted. Denials are identified, investigated, and resolved with direct access to the supporting clinical documentation. Patient responsibility is calculated and billed. AR is managed proactively.
Practice leadership has visibility into the full revenue cycle, from scheduled appointment through collected payment, to identify where revenue is leaking and where operations can improve.
With StrataPT there are no handoffs between systems, no duplicate data entry, and no billing team chasing clinicians for documentation that should have been captured in the first place.
## What This Means for Your Practice
The combined effect of a billing-first EMR and managed RCM services shows up in the metrics that matter to practice profitability.
* **Faster payments.** Cleaner claims and proactive follow-up compress the time between service delivery and cash collection. AR days shrink.
* **Fewer denials.** When documentation is billing-aware from the start, the preventable denials that consume billing team hours simply don't happen. The denials that do occur are resolved faster because the documentation is already in the system.
* **Less administrative overhead.** Charge capture that happens automatically during documentation, claims that don't need extensive manual scrubbing, and AR that's managed by a dedicated team all reduce the administrative burden on your staff.
* **Better clinical-financial alignment.** Clinicians don't need to become billing experts, but they benefit from a system that helps them document in ways that protect both patient care and practice revenue. The result is documentation that serves both purposes without extra work.
* **Operational visibility.** Practice owners see the connection between clinical operations and financial outcomes in real time. Decisions about staffing, scheduling, payer mix, and clinical workflows are informed by data, not intuition.
## Who Operates on StrataPT
StrataPT is built for outpatient therapy clinics. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology practices use our platform to manage both the clinical and financial sides of their operations.
The platform supports solo practitioners, multi-provider practices, and multi-location groups. Whether you're running one clinic with three therapists or ten clinics across a region, StrataPT scales with the operational controls and consolidated visibility growing practices need.
# What to Expect
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/switching/what-to-expect
The full journey from signing up through go-live and beyond, with a clear picture of each phase.
Moving to StrataEMR is a structured process. Every new customer follows the same proven path, supported by a dedicated team at each stage. This page gives you a clear picture of the full journey so there are no surprises.
## The Journey at a Glance
Your path from contract to full operational speed follows five phases. Each one has a clear purpose, defined ownership, and specific outcomes.
Once you've signed up with StrataPT, you'll meet your onboarding lead, a dedicated contact who will be your primary point of contact through your go-live date.
Your dedicated onboarding team walks you through account setup, data migration, system configuration, and staff training. You'll have access to your account in an onboarding state with a focused dashboard and access to organization and facility settings. At this point, you have full access to StrataPT's support channels, this knowledgebase, and ongoing training resources.
A week prior to going live, your account transitions from onboarding state to full production. Real patient data is live, your team begins using StrataEMR for daily clinical and administrative operations, and billing flows are active. You'll use this time to make final preparations prior to the day. you go live on StrataEMR.
After you go live with StrataPT, your account is supported by our dedicated Hypercare team for close monitoring and hands-on support. The Hypercare team watches key operational and billing activities, proactively addresses issues, and provides rapid-response support as your team ramps up.
Once your practice has met your post-launch goals and are operating confidently, your practice will graduate from Hypercare into our Customer Success team. The Customer Success team is responsible for understanding your practice and ensuring you're successful with StrataPT.
## Phase by Phase
### Signup and Handoff
**What happens**:
Your Account Executive will brief your onboarding team. This includes transferring all context from the sales process so the onboarding team understands your practice, your goals, and any specific requirements discussed during evaluation.
**What you'll experience**:
An introduction to your onboarding lead, typically within a few business days of contract signing. Your onboarding lead will schedule a kickoff call to walk through the process, confirm timelines, and begin gathering the information needed to set up your account.
**What you'll need to do**:
Be available for the kickoff call and begin gathering the items outlined in [Preparing Your Team](/switching/preparing-your-team).
### Onboarding
**What happens**:
This is the most hands-on phase. Your onboarding team manages the technical work (data migration, system configuration) while coordinating with you on decisions that require your input (workflow preferences, role assignments, scheduling structure).
**Key activities during onboarding**:
* **Organization and facility setup**: Your practice information, facilities, providers, and operational settings are configured. You'll have access to review and adjust these settings through your onboarding dashboard.
* **Billing and RCM configuration**: Your account is fully configured and reviewed so your billing workflows are ready at go-live. Payer setup, billing rules, and claims workflows are established during this phase.
* **User setup**: Staff accounts are created with role-appropriate permissions so each team member has access to what they need.
* **Data migration**: Your existing patient data, documents, and relevant records are migrated into StrataEMR. The scope of migration depends on your current system. See [Migrating Your Data](/switching/migrating-your-data) for details.
* **Training**: Your team receives structured training sessions organized by role. Clinicians, front desk staff, billers, and practice owners each receive training focused on the workflows they'll use daily. 24/7 access to StrataPT University for online training will also be activated for your practice.
**What you'll experience**:
Regular check-ins with your onboarding lead. You'll have access to your account in onboarding mode, where you can explore the system and verify configuration as it progresses.
**What you'll need to do**:
Attend training sessions, provide timely responses to configuration questions, and complete any preparation tasks your onboarding lead assigns.
### Go-Live
**What happens**:
Your account transitions from onboarding state to full production no less than a week prior to going live. The onboarding dashboard is replaced by the full StrataEMR and StrataOffice experience. Your team begins seeing real patients, creating real documentation, and submitting real claims through the system.
**What you'll experience**:
The first few days will feel different. Your team is applying new workflows to real work, and there will be questions. This is expected and exactly why the hypercare phase exists.
**What you'll need to do**:
Encourage your team to use the system as trained, flag issues early, and lean on the hypercare team for support. Small questions answered quickly prevent larger problems down the line.
### Hypercare
**What happens**: Your account is assigned to StrataPT's hypercare pod, a specialized support team that monitors your practice's operational and billing metrics closely after go-live.
**What hypercare provides**:
* **Proactive monitoring**: The hypercare team watches key indicators (scheduling patterns, documentation completion rates, claim submission accuracy, payment velocity) and reaches out if something looks off before it becomes a problem.
* **Rapid-response support**: During hypercare, you have access to faster response times and more hands-on support than standard channels provide.
* **Ramp tracking**: The hypercare team tracks your practice's progress toward ramp targets, which are the operational benchmarks that indicate your team is comfortable and productive in the system.
**What you'll experience**:
Regular check-ins with your hypercare team, proactive outreach if metrics suggest an issue, and direct access to experienced support staff who understand what the post-go-live period looks like.
**What you'll need to do**:
Continue using the system, report issues promptly, and stay engaged with the hypercare team's check-ins.
### Graduation
**What happens**:
Once your practice meets its post-launch targets, you graduate from hypercare to standard support. This means your team is operating confidently and the elevated monitoring is no longer needed.
**What changes after graduation**:
* Support transitions to StrataPT's Customer Success team, support channels, and response times.
* You retain full access to this knowledgebase, training resources, and all self-service tools.
* Your Customer Success contact remains available for strategic conversations about optimizing your use of the platform.
**What you'll need to do**:
Familiarize yourself with the standard support process. See [Getting Help](/after-go-live/getting-help) for details on how to get answers and reach support after graduation.
## Who You'll Work With
Throughout this journey, you'll interact with different StrataPT teams, each responsible for a specific phase.
| Phase | Your StrataPT Contact | Their Role |
| - | - | - |
| Sales and evaluation | Account Executive | Qualification, demo, signup & contracting |
| Contract and handoff | Account Executive and onboarding lead | Transition of context and kickoff |
| Onboarding | Onboarding lead and onboarding team | Setup, migration, training, configuration |
| Go-live and Hypercare | Hypercare team | Monitoring, rapid support, ramp tracking |
| Post-graduation | Support team and Customer Success | Ongoing support and strategic optimization |
# Why Clinics Switch to StrataEMR
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/switching/why-clinics-switch
The operational and financial challenges that drive outpatient therapy clinics to move to StrataEMR.
Switching EMRs is a significant decision. It disrupts workflows, requires staff retraining, and carries real short-term cost. Clinics don't make the move unless the problems they're facing are significant enough to justify it.
Here's what we consistently hear from practices that make the switch.
## The EMR and Billing System Don't Talk to Each Other
Most therapy practices run their clinical documentation in one system and their billing in another. That disconnect creates a chain of problems: documentation decisions get made without visibility into billing impact, claims go out with errors that could have been caught earlier, and staff spend hours reconciling data between systems.
StrataEMR and our managed RCM services are built on and powered by the same platform. Clinical documentation flows directly into the billing workflow, so charge capture is accurate from the start and billing teams aren't chasing down missing information after the fact.
## Manual Work Is Eating Into Clinical and Administrative Time
Therapy clinics operate on tight margins. When clinicians spend more time on documentation than necessary, or front desk staff are manually entering the same data in multiple places, the practice is losing productive hours that directly affect patient throughput and revenue.
StrataEMR is designed to remove work, not add it. Automation in StrataEMR is billing-aware, meaning it doesn't just speed things up; it speeds up the right things, with safeguards that protect billing accuracy.
## Billing Errors Are Costing Real Money
Denied claims, underpayments, and delayed collections don't just affect cash flow. They create rework for billing teams, extend accounts receivable timelines, and erode the trust patients have in your practice when statements are inaccurate.
Because StrataEMR connects clinical documentation to the revenue cycle, billing errors that originate in documentation (missing modifiers, incorrect units, unsupported charges) are surfaced earlier in the process, before claims are submitted rather than after they're denied.
## Reporting Doesn't Show What Matters
Many EMRs provide reporting that tracks activity (visits completed, notes signed) without connecting it to financial outcomes. Practice owners and managers need to see the relationship between clinical operations and revenue performance to make informed decisions.
StrataEMR provides visibility across the full workflow, from scheduled appointment through collected payment, so practice leadership can identify where revenue is leaking and where operations can improve.
## Growth Is Outpacing the Current System
Practices adding locations, providers, or service lines often find that their current EMR wasn't built to scale. Multi-location scheduling, provider-specific workflows, and consolidated reporting across facilities become increasingly difficult to manage.
StrataEMR supports multi-location, multi-provider configurations — including multiple tax IDs under a single account — with the operational controls and consolidated visibility that growing practices need to maintain quality and billing accuracy across sites.
## What Switching Looks Like
Moving to a new EMR doesn't have to be disruptive. StrataPT provides a structured onboarding process with a dedicated team that manages data migration, system configuration, staff training, and go-live support. Most practices experience a brief adjustment period before reaching full operational speed.
# EMR and RCM Terminology
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/terminology
Definitions for common terms used in electronic medical records and revenue cycle management for outpatient therapy.
This page defines common terms you'll encounter when using StrataEMR, or when working with outpatient therapy billing and documentation in general. Terms are organized by category.
If you're looking for StrataPT-specific product terminology, see the [StrataPT Platform](#stratapt-platform) section at the bottom.
## Clinical Documentation
The Medicare billing rule that determines how many units of timed CPT codes can be billed based on the total minutes of timed services provided. A minimum of 8 minutes is required to bill one unit. The rule governs how remaining minutes are allocated across multiple timed codes in a single visit.
The clinician's professional interpretation of examination findings, test results, and patient presentation. The assessment drives the treatment plan and supports medical necessity for ongoing care.
The primary reason the patient is seeking treatment, typically documented in the patient's own words. Also referred to as the reason for visit.
A standardized set of codes published by the American Medical Association that describe medical, surgical, and diagnostic services. In outpatient therapy, CPT codes identify the specific treatments and procedures performed during a visit (e.g., therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, neuromuscular re-education).
Documentation of a single patient visit that records the services provided, the patient's response, and any changes to the treatment plan. Also referred to as a progress note or visit note.
A clinical document completed when a patient's episode of care ends. It summarizes the course of treatment, outcomes achieved, and the patient's status at discharge. In StrataEMR, completing a discharge summary triggers automated case closure.
A digital system for creating, storing, and managing patient clinical records. StrataEMR is the EMR component of the StrataPT platform.
The first clinical encounter for a new episode of care. The evaluation establishes the patient's baseline, diagnosis, functional limitations, and treatment plan. It is required before treatment can begin and is the foundation for medical necessity.
A measurable deficit in a patient's ability to perform activities. Documenting functional limitations is essential for establishing and maintaining medical necessity for therapy services.
Functional limitation reporting codes previously required by Medicare for outpatient therapy claims. G-codes have been replaced by other outcome reporting requirements, but the term still appears in some legacy documentation and systems.
A specific, measurable outcome the patient is expected to achieve through treatment. Goals are established during the evaluation and updated throughout the episode of care. Goals must be functional, measurable, and tied to the patient's treatment plan.
A standardized set of codes used to classify diagnoses and health conditions. ICD-10 codes are required on every claim to identify the medical condition being treated.
The clinical justification for providing therapy services. Payers require documentation that demonstrates the services are reasonable, necessary, and expected to result in meaningful improvement. Insufficient medical necessity documentation is one of the most common reasons for claim denials in outpatient therapy.
A two-character code appended to a CPT code to provide additional information about the service performed. Common therapy modifiers include GP (physical therapy), GO (occupational therapy), GN (speech-language pathology), 59 (distinct procedural service), and KX (threshold exceeded, medical necessity met).
A documented treatment plan that outlines the patient's diagnosis, goals, treatment frequency, expected duration, and planned interventions. The POC is established at evaluation and must be certified (signed) by the referring physician. Recertification is required at regular intervals.
See **Daily Note / Treatment Note**.
A formal reassessment of the patient's status performed periodically during the episode of care. Re-evaluations update the treatment plan, modify goals, and provide continued justification for ongoing treatment.
A documentation format organized into four sections: Subjective (patient-reported information), Objective (measurable findings and services provided), Assessment (clinician interpretation), and Plan (next steps). SOAP is a common documentation structure in outpatient therapy.
CPT codes for therapy services are classified as either timed (billed per 15-minute unit based on time spent) or untimed (billed once per session regardless of duration). Accurate time tracking and the 8-minute rule determine how many units of timed codes can be billed.
## Billing and Revenue Cycle
The total amount of money owed to the practice for services that have been provided but not yet paid. AR is typically measured in days (AR Days), which indicates the average time between submitting a claim and receiving payment. Lower AR days indicate faster collections.
The process a payer follows to evaluate a submitted claim and determine the payment amount. Adjudication results in the claim being paid, denied, or pended for additional information.
The maximum amount a payer has agreed to pay for a specific service, as defined by the provider's contract with that payer. The allowed amount may differ from the billed amount.
A formal request to a payer to reconsider a denied or underpaid claim. Appeals must include supporting documentation that addresses the reason for the original denial.
Approval from a payer that must be obtained before certain services can be provided. Authorizations typically specify the number of visits or units approved, the approved date range, and the approved CPT codes. Failure to obtain required authorization before treatment can result in claim denials.
Billing the patient for the difference between the provider's billed charge and the payer's allowed amount. Balance billing rules vary by payer contract and state law.
The process of recording billable services performed during a patient visit so they can be included on a claim. In StrataEMR, charge capture is connected to clinical documentation, so charges are generated from the services documented in the patient's note.
A formal request submitted to a payer for payment for services rendered. Claims include patient information, diagnosis codes (ICD-10), procedure codes (CPT), modifiers, and other required data.
A claim that contains all required information, is free of errors, and can be processed by the payer without additional follow-up. Higher clean claim rates mean faster payments and less rework.
An intermediary that receives claims from providers, validates them for errors, and forwards them to the appropriate payer. Clearinghouses help standardize claim formatting and catch errors before submission.
The percentage of the allowed amount the patient is responsible for paying after their deductible has been met. For example, if the co-insurance is 20%, the patient pays 20% of the allowed amount and the payer pays 80%.
A fixed dollar amount the patient pays at the time of service, as defined by their insurance plan. Co-pays are typically collected at check-in.
The amount a patient must pay out of pocket before their insurance begins covering services. Deductible amounts reset annually for most plans.
A payer's decision to not pay a submitted claim, in full or in part. Denials have specific reason codes that indicate why the claim was rejected. Common therapy denial reasons include missing authorization, insufficient medical necessity documentation, and exceeded visit limits.
The electronic exchange of standardized business documents (claims, remittances, eligibility inquiries) between providers and payers. EDI uses standard transaction formats defined by HIPAA.
The process of confirming a patient's insurance coverage, benefits, and financial responsibility before or at the time of service. Verifying eligibility before treatment reduces claim denials for coverage-related issues.
A document sent by the payer to the patient (and sometimes the provider) that explains how a claim was processed, what was paid, and what the patient owes.
The electronic equivalent of a paper remittance. ERAs are sent by payers to providers and contain detailed payment information for processed claims, including payment amounts, adjustments, and denial reasons. ERAs enable automated payment posting.
A list of the provider's standard charges for each CPT code. Fee schedules are set by the practice and are typically higher than payer allowed amounts. The fee schedule serves as the starting point for billing, and payer contracts determine the actual payment.
A coding system that includes CPT codes (Level I) and additional codes for supplies, equipment, and non-physician services (Level II). In outpatient therapy, HCPCS Level II codes are less common but may apply for durable medical equipment or specific supplies.
The total amount the patient owes for services received, including co-pays, co-insurance, deductible amounts, and any balance after insurance payment.
The process of recording payments received from payers and patients against the corresponding claims and charges. Accurate payment posting is essential for maintaining clean AR and identifying underpayments.
The end-to-end process of managing the financial aspects of patient care, from scheduling and eligibility verification through charge capture, claim submission, payment posting, and collections. StrataPT's managed RCM services handle this for your practice.
A document from a payer that details how claims were processed, including payment amounts, adjustments, and denials. See also **ERA**.
An amount the practice removes from a patient's or payer's balance, typically because it's contractually adjusted (the difference between billed amount and allowed amount) or deemed uncollectible.
## Insurance and Payers
The specific services covered by a patient's insurance plan, including any limitations on visit counts, dollar amounts, or service types.
A payment arrangement where the provider receives a fixed amount per patient per period, regardless of how many services are provided. Capitation is less common in outpatient therapy but exists in some managed care arrangements.
Whether a provider has a contract with a specific payer. In-network providers have agreed to the payer's fee schedule and terms. Out-of-network providers do not, which typically results in higher patient costs and different reimbursement rules.
A dollar limit on the amount Medicare will pay for outpatient therapy services per beneficiary per year. Once the threshold is reached, additional services require documentation of medical necessity (indicated by the KX modifier). The therapy cap has been subject to legislative changes over time.
A unique 10-digit identification number assigned to healthcare providers. There are two types: Type 1 (individual providers) and Type 2 (organizations). NPIs are required on all claims.
The insurance company or entity responsible for paying claims for covered services. Common payer types include commercial insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and workers' compensation.
A directive from a physician or other authorized provider that the patient should receive therapy services. Some payers require a referral before therapy can begin. A referral is distinct from a prescription.
A written or electronic order from a physician or authorized provider for therapy services. Prescriptions may specify the diagnosis, therapy type, frequency, and duration. State practice acts and payer requirements determine when a prescription is needed.
## StrataPT Platform
StrataPT's AI assistant. Mako supports clinical and administrative teams by surfacing relevant information, reducing repetitive tasks, and assisting with decision-making.
StrataPT's revenue cycle management services. A dedicated billing team manages claims, payments, denials, patient billing, and collections on your behalf, operating on the same platform your clinicians use.
The clinical workspace within the StrataPT platform. Patient charts, documentation, scheduling, and clinical workflows are managed through StrataEMR.
The integrated platform that combines a billing-first EMR with managed RCM services for outpatient therapy clinics.
***
**Related:**
* [Welcome to StrataEMR](/welcome) -- Overview of the StrataPT platform and how this Knowledge Base is organized.
* [Getting Help](/after-go-live/getting-help) -- How to find answers and contact support.
# Training Resources
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/training-resources
How to access StrataPT University, what training is available by role, and how to request additional sessions after go-live.
StrataPT University (SPTU) is the dedicated training platform for StrataEMR. Every subscription includes structured, role-specific training — delivered live during onboarding and available on demand afterward. Whether you're a new hire getting up to speed or an experienced team member going deeper on a specific workflow, SPTU is built around how your role actually works.--- title: "Training Resources" description: "How to access StrataPT University, what training is available by role, and how to request additional sessions after go-live." sidebarTitle: "Training Resources"
***
## Accessing StrataPT University
All training content lives at [learn.stratapt.com](https://learn.stratapt.com). Access is provisioned as part of your onboarding — your team members receive login credentials before or during the go-live process.
**Need access?** If you joined after your clinic's initial go-live, or if a team member hasn't received their credentials, contact your StrataPT Customer Success Manager to request access. You can also reach out through the [Getting Help](https://docs.stratapt.com/after-go-live/getting-help) page.
***
## Training by Role
StrataPT University is organized by role so each team member finds what's relevant to their daily work without wading through everything else. Log in at [learn.stratapt.com](https://learn.stratapt.com) and navigate to your role under Certification Courses to get started.
### For Clinicians
Clinician training covers the workflows therapists and assistants use every session: patient documentation, SOAP Notes, treatment planning, Plans of Care, and how clinical decisions connect to billing outcomes. If your practice uses Mako, StrataEMR's AI documentation assistant, dedicated training is included.
### For Front Desk Staff
Front desk training covers the full scope of patient-facing workflows: scheduling, intake, check-in and check-out, demographics management, and insurance entry. It also covers the patient-level billing touchpoints front desk staff own — verifying coverage, following a claim through to resolution, and handling patient collections at the point of care.
### For Admins
Admin training covers system administration, reporting, and clinic-level oversight. This includes managing users and settings, running financial and collections reports, and using StrataEMR data to understand how the practice is performing. If you're responsible for what's happening across the clinic — not just at the front desk — this is your track.
***
## A Look Inside StrataPT University
SPTU courses are built around real StrataEMR workflows — not generic software training. Here's a preview of what the experience looks like. Log in at [learn.stratapt.com](https://learn.stratapt.com) to access the full library for your role.
![Clean Shot 2026 05 18 At 15 50 59]()
Beyond the certificate tracks, StrataPT University includes a growing library of supplemental content available across all roles: short videos, interactive eLearning modules, and clickable demos that let you explore StrataEMR workflows at your own pace. Whether you want a quick refresher on a specific feature or a hands-on walkthrough before your first time using it, the library has something for every learning style.
![Clean Shot 2026 05 18 At 16 13 26]()
***
## Onboarding New Staff
When you hire after go-live, new team members can get up to speed without waiting for a scheduled training session.
**Self-service training.** StrataPT University includes the same recorded content delivered during your initial onboarding. New hires can work through their role's modules independently, at their own pace, before their first day on the floor.
**Knowledge Base resources.** The [Guides](/guides) section of this Knowledge Base provides step-by-step walkthroughs for all major StrataEMR workflows. These work alongside StrataPT University as a hands-on reference while staff are building confidence in the system.
**Live sessions for complex situations.** If a new hire's role involves customized workflows, or your practice has configurations not covered in standard training, you can request a live session with your Customer Success Manager. See below.
## Requesting Refresher Training
If your team needs a live training session — for a new hire, a workflow that's evolved, or a feature your team hasn't seen before — your Customer Success Manager can schedule one.
To request a session, reach out through the [Getting Help](https://docs.stratapt.com/after-go-live/getting-help) page or contact your Customer Success Manager directly.
***
## Staying Current
StrataEMR releases new features and workflow improvements on a regular cadence. To keep your team informed:
* **This Knowledge Base** is updated alongside product releases. New guides and documentation are added as features ship.
* **Product Updates** are posted at [stratapt.com/product-updates](https://www.stratapt.com/product-updates) so your team can see what's changed and what to expect.
* **StrataPT University** is updated to reflect new features. If something in the product has changed, check StrataPT University for updated training materials for your role.
***
## Related
* [Getting Help](https://docs.stratapt.com/after-go-live/getting-help) — How to reach support, submit tickets, and find answers.
* [Guides](https://docs.stratapt.com/guides/overview) — Step-by-step walkthroughs for StrataEMR's core workflows.
* [First 30 Days](https://docs.stratapt.com/after-go-live/first-30-days) — What to focus on right after go-live.
* [Onboarding](https://docs.stratapt.com/getting-started/onboarding) — How the initial training and setup process works.
# Linking to StrataEMR
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/untitled-page
# Welcome to StrataEMR
Source: https://docs.stratapt.com/welcome
Find what you need based on where you are in your journey with StrataEMR.
StrataEMR is the billing-first EMR built for outpatient therapy clinics. It's the clinical workspace within the StrataPT platform, which connects documentation, billing, collections, patient engagement, and AI assistance in a single system. If you want to understand how these pieces work together and why the billing-first design matters, start with the [EMR Overview](/start-here/strataemr-overview).
This Knowledge Base is your reference for everything related to using StrataEMR. It's organized around the questions people actually ask, whether you're evaluating the platform, setting it up, or running on it daily.
## Find Your Starting Point
Where you should go next depends on where you are right now.
You're considering StrataEMR or your team just signed on and you need to know what the transition looks like. Start with what switching involves, what data migrates, and how to prepare your team.
You have access and your onboarding is underway. Get into the platform, configure your organization, set up facilities, and create user accounts for your team.
You're through go-live and running on StrataEMR. Navigate your first 30 days, find training resources, and learn where to get help when you need it.
You know what you need to do and want step-by-step instructions. Browse guides for documentation, patient intake, scheduling, and other core workflows.
## How This Knowledge Base Is Organized
[**Start Here**](/welcome) covers the journey from evaluation through your first 30 days on the platform. If you're new to StrataEMR or onboarding a new team member, this is where to begin.
[**Guides**](/guides/overview) are step-by-step walkthroughs for specific workflows. When you need to learn how to do something, like documenting a visit, discharging a case, or managing your schedule, guides walk you through it.
[**Documentation**](/documentation/start-here) will be the detailed reference for StrataEMR's features and settings. When you need to understand what a specific option does or how a capability behaves, documentation has the answer.
## Need Help Right Now?
If you're stuck and need immediate support, go to [Getting Help](/after-go-live/getting-help) for support channels, response times, and how to categorize your issue so it gets to the right team fast.