# Stripe Setup and Configuration

Welkin Health integrates with Stripe to enable patient payment collection directly within the care workflow. This integration allows care teams to collect copays, fees, and other patient-responsible amounts without leaving Welkin.

## What the integration enables

* **Collect payments** – charge patients for services, copays, or fees from within the patient record
* **Store payment methods** – securely save patient payment cards on file for future charges (via Stripe's PCI-compliant vault)
* **Send payment links** – email or SMS a payment link to patients to pay on their own device
* **Track payment history** – view a patient's payment history and outstanding balances in Welkin
* **Refunds** – issue full or partial refunds from within the patient record

## Prerequisites

* A Stripe account (standard or Stripe for Platforms, depending on your setup)
* Welkin Admin access
* Confirmation that payment collection is included in your Welkin contract

## Setting up Stripe

### Step 1: Create or locate your Stripe API keys

1. Log in to your Stripe dashboard at [dashboard.stripe.com](https://dashboard.stripe.com)
2. Navigate to **Developers → API keys**
3. Copy your:
   * **Publishable key** – used by the browser (safe to share)
   * **Secret key** – used by the server (keep confidential)

Use the **Test mode** keys during setup and switch to **Live mode** keys before going live with patients.

### Step 2: Enter Stripe credentials in Welkin Admin

1. Log in to the Welkin Admin portal
2. Navigate to **Integrations → Stripe**
3. Enter your **Publishable key** and **Secret key**
4. Select the **Mode**: Test or Live
5. Click **Save and Test Connection**
6. Confirm the status shows **Connected**

### Step 3: Configure payment settings

Under **Payment Settings** in the Stripe integration:

* **Currency** – set your organization's billing currency (typically USD)
* **Statement descriptor** – the name that appears on patient credit card statements (e.g., "Welkin Health" or your organization name – max 22 characters)
* **Payment methods accepted** – credit/debit card (required); optionally enable ACH/bank transfer if your Stripe account supports it

### Step 4: Configure Designer components

To surface the payment panel in the Care portal:

1. Open Designer and navigate to the relevant template (e.g., post-visit checkout encounter)
2. Click **Add Component → Stripe Payments**
3. Configure:
   * **Default charge amount field** – optionally link to a CDT field that stores the copay amount
   * **Payment description** – default description on payment receipts (e.g., "Telehealth Visit Copay")
4. Save and publish the template

## Collecting a payment

From the Care portal:

1. Open the patient record
2. Navigate to the payment component
3. Enter the charge amount and description
4. Select the patient's payment method (from saved cards, or enter new card)
5. Click **Charge** – Stripe processes the payment immediately
6. A receipt is sent to the patient's email on file

## Issuing refunds

1. In the patient's payment history, locate the charge to refund
2. Click **Refund**
3. Enter the refund amount (up to the original charge amount)
4. Confirm – the refund is processed through Stripe and appears on the patient's statement within 5–10 business days

## Going live

Before switching from Test to Live mode:

* Complete at least 3–5 test transactions in test mode
* Confirm that receipts are being sent to patient emails
* Update the API keys in Welkin Admin to your Live mode keys
* Notify care team that real payments are now being processed


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.welkinhealth.com/integrations/payments-stripe/stripe-setup-and-configuration.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.