Electronic health record (EHR) systems are at the forefront of today’s healthcare providers. EHR systems have experienced large-scale adoption worldwide. With the huge digitization of patient health data, EHR solutions facilitate the management of this data efficiently for enhanced care coordination and patient outcomes.
Following are the10 Best Electronic Health Record Software that can provide improved healthcare solutions through streamlined clinical workflows and data analytics:
What Is EHR Software?
EHR software is an electronic health system.. These consist of diagnoses, prescriptions, medical history, lab test results, progress notes, and immunization records. EHR software is mission-critical technology used by today’s healthcare providers that patients, physicians, and nurses now demand and depend on to perform their work proficiently.
EHR software platforms allow healthcare professionals to share information across their healthcare network, minimize medical mistakes, save and retrieve patient records with ease, give improved patient experiences, and prevent potential risks such as lost prior medical history or prescribing a medication that has had an adverse effect with a patient.
How to Choose Best Electronic Health Record (EHR) Software?
- Ease of Use: Simple design and operation that reduce training time.
- Feature Set: e-prescribing, built-in billing, telehealth support, and specialty modules.
- Cost: Clear costs and value for money for different practice sizes.
- Customer Support: Assured support for hassle-free implementation and ongoing use.
- Interoperability: Seamless sharing of data with other systems and platforms.
- Specialty-Specific Capabilities: Solutions designed specifically for practices in areas such as pediatrics, cardiology, and orthopedics.
List of Best Electronic Health Record Software
1. Epic
Epic is an end-to-end electronic medical records system that does everything. From a one-doctor practice to a medical director at a university hospital, Epic makes it simple to manage your entire medical operation within one source of truth. Web-based Epic Hyperdrive is especially simple to deploy and administer since it is accessible online from any browser.
The center of Epic’s user experience is built around a design philosophy meant to make the patient experience better through virtual 1:1 consults, referrals to specialists, insurance checking, and remote patient monitoring for monitoring the vitals of your patients. From the patient perspective, patients are able to view their history, receive reminders, and make payments via iOS & Android mobile applications.
Key features:
- Detailed functionality.
- Patient portal.
- Remote patient monitoring.
- Sophisticated analytics.
Pros:
- Works well with large amounts of medical histories and outpatient information.
- Smooth switching between patients charts.
- Home-based workflows.
Cons:
- Steep learning curve.
- Outdated interface with inconvenient multiple screens feature.
- Can be slow at times.
Price:
Contact for pricing
2. NextGen Healthcare EHR
NextGen provides a comprehensive stack of health tech solutions for streamlining patient communications, billing, reporting, and data exchange among providers—at each point of the healthcare journey, NextGen assists providers in pre-qualifying patients, confirming their insurance, scheduling and conducting virtual sessions, prescribing medication, and submitting claims to payers.
Key Features:
- Revenue cycle management.
- Patient portal.
- Reporting and content workflows.
- SOAP notes generator.
Pros:
- employee tracking function;
- easy-to-use interface;
Cons:
- Poor support and onboarding process.
- Report mistakes.
- No specialty-specific templates and workflow opportunities.
- No common functions an average PMS provides.
Price:
costs $379 per provider, per month.
3. Athenahealth:
AthenaHealth is a rich-featured EHR solution offering you all that you need to run an current practice—HIPAA-compliant clinical history, mobile applications, telehealth visits, and billing tools to handle your revenue cycle.
Unlike the other solutions we’ve explored, AthenaHealth has a high user training score and when you switch to AthenaHealth, you’re assigned a customer success manager & live support agents to get your staff up and running, guide you through the learning process, and provide ongoing EHR end-user support. AthenaHealth promises live 24.7 customer service via phone, email, chat, or web.
Key Features:
- Integrated billing.
- Telehealth.
- Mobile accessibility.
- Payment to patients.
Pros:
- innovative patient portal functionality;
- patient communication history;
Cons:
- time-consuming charting and billing processes.
- Portal can get logged out.
- Restricted document uploading.
- Frequent and unforeseeable downtimes with a slow response time for support.
Price:
$140 monthly per provider. No trial offer.
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4. eClinicalWorks
Although not as famous as industry giants such as Epic & Cerner, eClinicalWorks offers a complete set of practice management solutions to assist physicians, whether they are running a small community care center or a large metropolitan specialty center.
But we need to remember eClinicalWorks’ product philosophy so that we know how it works: eCW is meant to assist physicians with a transition from paper to electronic health records (EHRs) so that they can become engaged with supply chains, pharmacies, labs, and other professionals, both within or outside of their firm.
Key Features:
- Scribe AI-powered speech-to-text data entry tool.
- Bots for automation of repetitive tasks.
- Scheduling.
- E-prescribing.
Pros:
- Color coding for improved visual appointments’ grouping.
- Pricing.
- Basic features for patient management.
Cons:
- Lots of features available as paid add-ons only.
- There are problems in connections for scripts and billing.
- Too many clicks to be executed.
Price:
$449 monthly per user. No trial offered.
5. Practice Fusion
Practice Fusion is a cloud-based EHR system which specifically caters to small to mid-sized practices. Its user interface makes it such that patients’ records are handled easily, as well as the scheduling of appointments and billing process, by the healthcare providers. PracticeFusion includes e-prescribing, laboratory integration, along with patient portals, for providing improved provider-to-patient interaction. It’s also kind on the budget and easy to adopt.
Key Features:
- e-Prescribing.
- Charting.
- Labs/imaging.
- Medical billing and invoicing.
Pros:
- easy access to patient information;
- reasonable pricing;
- user-friendly implementation.
Cons:
- Note-taking can be clumsy.
- Lacking customizable reporting and layouts.
- Poor customer service.
- Long response time.
Price:
Begins at $149 per provider per month.
6. AdvancedMD
AdvancedMD is easily among the top EHRs, courtesy of a tastefully crafted UX with color-coded elements, a customizable dashboard, and a SaaS architecture that guarantees users are always using the most up-to-date and secure version of AdvancedMD.
AdvancedMD EHR. It’s designed for physicians, physician executives, clinical managers, office administrators, healthcare executives, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and many more.
Key Features:
- Population health reporting.
- EPCS.
- Task Donuts.
- E-prescribing.
Pros:
- tracking clientele visits for billing;
- high-level customization;
- mobile-friendly interface;
- and smooth charge input.
Cons:
- The lack of Android support.
- Slow service.
- System disruptions during system upgrades.
- A significant learning curve.
Price:
$429 a month.
7.Allscripts
Allscripts presently known as ( Veradigm) provides an assortment of electronic health services that may seem fragmented, though they perfectly fit together if you’ve had experienced implementation technicians to assist you. It streamlines appointment scheduling and visitor management, medical recording, e-prescriptions, and telehealth sessions and offers third-party integration through Redox Engine.
On the negative side, Allscripts generally attempts to tie customers into long-term agreements, and with the company’s big size.
Key features
- Customizable workflows
- E-prescribing support
- Clinical decision support
- Patient portal access
- Interoperability tools
- Revenue cycle management
- Mobile access available
- Analytics and reporting
Pros:
- Customizable interface
- Strong interoperability
- Robust reporting tools
- Mobile access support
Cons:
- Steep learning curve
- System can lag
- Complex navigation
- Expensive for small practices
Price
Contact for a custom quote
8. Oracle health
Oracle health is an enterprise EHR system designed to the needs of large healthcare institutions with a above-average number of employees, an enormous customer base, and disorganized technology tools already in use.
It is used by enterprise-level healthcare facilities such as the Veterans Administration, Mayo Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, and Oxford University.
Key features
- Complete patient records
- Instant data access
- Clinical decision support
- Integrated billing system
- Population health tools
- Customizable workflows
Pros:
- Scalable for hospitals
- Excellent data analytics
- Good interoperability
- Instant updates
Cons:
- User interface outdated
- Expensive implementation
- Training was frequently needed
- Slower support response
Price:
Begins at $25 per user per month
9. Tebra
Tebra is a health platform that is designed to help independent medical practices manage all their workflow.
Tebra simplifies clinical documentation, billing, and patient engagement using a single unified platform so that care teams are able to collaborate more effectively to deliver whole-person care.
It’s ideal for independent practices that need functionality from engaged patient portals, built-in telehealth, customizable document templates, automated billing processes, and analytics.
Key features
- Cloud-based EHR is available anytime, anywhere
- Completely integrated into Kareo’s medical billing system
- Clinical decision support built-in
- Telemedicine and patient portal integration
- Custom analytics and reporting
Pros:
- Easy-to-use interface
- Cost-effective for practices
- Integrated billing
- Cloud-based access
Cons:
- Few customization options
- Basic reporting capabilities
- Not suitable for hospitals
- System glitches from time to time
Price:
$125 per provider per month
10. DrChrono
DrChrono is a new-generation EHR system that has been engineered to fulfill the needs of today’s healthcare practices. It has a full array of features from billing and practice management to customizable clinical modules. Telehealth, e-prescription integration, and support for multiple healthcare systems to construct an integrated and seamless experience are also offered by the platform.
Key features
- iPad-based EHR for mobile access
- Real-time patient eligibility checking
- Customizable medical templates and forms
- Medical speech-to-text capabilities
Pros:
- Simple to use
- iPad-compatible design
- Customizable templates
- Integrated telehealth
Cons:
- Limited reporting
- Delays in customer support
- Billing module bugs
- Occasional syncing errors
Price:
Custom pricing upon request.
Key Features of EHR Software
Digital charts: An EHR consolidates all of a patient’s medical history into an electronic system where providers are able to monitor their diagnoses, allergic reactions, lab tests, and medical images .
Smart prescriptions: Through an EHR, a physician’s prescription can immediately be retrieved at a clinic’s pharmacy by a few quick button clicks. EHRs also can tie in with wider healthcare databases so they can mark out possible contraindications and recommend ideal doses of a drug a physician is prescribing a patient.
Reminders: EHR systems can remind PCPs and nurses to administer a patient’s medication and check that it is the correct drug .
Scheduling automation: EHR software tools can synchronize with a hospital’s scheduling system to keep it current with patient appointments.
Benefits of EHR Software
Installation of an EHR system can prove to be highly costly. According to this 2005 study conducted by the Medical Group Management Association Center for Research and University of Minnesota School of Public Health, EHR buying and implementation cost an FTE physician $32,606.
1. EHR software decreases medical errors
A British Medical Journal study estimates that medical mistakes result in about 250,000 deaths each year. They’re the third highest killer in the United States, only behind heart disease and cancer.
2. Availability of complete and correct information
1.5% of the medical prescriptions written in the United States contain some errors in dispensing, and at least one in five Americans have been given prescriptions with medical errors.
3. Reduced operating expenses
Basic EHR hospitals average 12% lower in costs than non-EHR hospitals. And it’s no wonder why—they reduce unnecessary work, identify errors providers may not spot manually, and include billable hours staff can focus on patients.
Conclusion
Selecting the best Electronic Health Record (EHR) Software to meet your individual needs takes thoughtful consideration. Whether an individual independent practice or a major hospital system, the following options offer solid solutions that fit multiple sets of needs.
FAQs
Q: What is the best EHR for small practices?
A: Kareo and DrChrono are favorites for affordability and ease of use.
Q: What is best for large hospitals?
A: Cerner and Epic are favorites for scalability and advanced features.
Q: Are cloud-based EHRs secure?
A: Yes, they typically employ encryption and HIPAA-approved security measures.
Q: Can EHRs be integrated with billing systems?
A: Yes, most newer EHRs provide integrated or third-party billing.
Q: Do EHRs accommodate telehealth?
A: Yes, they often do.
Q: Which EHR offers the most impressive mobile app?
A: DrChrono’s is popular for being iPad-capable.
Q: Does using an EHR necessitate training?
A: Yes, particularly with difficult ones like Cerner or Epic.
