According to a survey by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), charity care is on the rise in the form of discounted fees and free screenings. The study confirms the negative impact of the recession on patients in meeting their healthcare needs during tough economic times. The national poll of AAFP members shows that nearly 90 percent of their patients have expressed concerns about their ability to pay and that 58 percent of America’s family physicians have seen an increase in appointment cancellations. Source: Healthcare Finance News, June 2009 Issue Now is the time to be proactive with your patients: Are you verifying eligibility prior to point of care? Are you reminding patients of their appointment dates and times through automated appointment reminders? Are you attempting to collect co-pays prior to service to reduce your outbound patient statement volume and aging accounts receivable? Contact Harmony Healthcare IT for assistance with each of these revenue cycle management strategies.