Finding the right EHR vendor is crucial to providing quality care and running an efficient practice. However, with so many vendors on the market, choosing the right EHR software can be a daunting task. In this article, we’ve put together a comprehensive EHR comparison to help you navigate the crowded marketplace and find the system that best suits your needs.

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What This Article Covers

• Best EHR Software
  • athenahealth
  • Cerner Ambulatory
  • DrChrono
  • EpicCare
  • eClinicalWorks
• Key Features
• Vendor Considerations
• Deployment Environment
• Best Practices for Successful EHR Implementation
• Questions To Ask
• Next Steps

Best EHR Software

Selecting the right EHR system can be overwhelming, as it requires considering practice needs and growth opportunities.

It’s almost impossible to accurately plot a list of all the best EHRs if you’re just beginning your journey. But it’s possible to receive advice from the experts to work out which EHR software implementation will help your practice grow the most. Thorough research and analysis can also help you determine your requirements.

Here is our list of top EHR systems, along with their standout attributes to steer you to an optimal solution:

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athenahealth

athenahealth is a cloud-based clinical solution that offers automated, data-driven insights for financial metrics. It includes various electronic modules for scheduling, billing, documentation, patient-physician communication, lab integration and reporting to increase productivity and patient care delivery.

Use athenahealth’s e-prescribing functionality to transfer patient prescriptions directly to pharmacists. Source

Highest Rated Modules According to Our Data

• Electronic Prescriptions — 97
• Medical Billing — 97
• Mobile EHR — 93
• Clinical Workflows Management — 92
• Collaboration — 92

Top Benefits

• Increase Traffic: Attract new patients with self-service capabilities. Automating scheduling and check-in procedures can reduce wait times and no-shows while simultaneously helping increase daily traffic.
• Boost Revenue: Enhance your organization’s traction in the long run by receiving regular monetary incentives from the government. Implement solutions that demonstrate meaningful use for qualified facilities to apply for these benefits.
• Enhance Patient Communication: Improve patient retention by engaging patients in their treatment discussions and health care decisions. Enhance patient-physician relationships by maintaining patient portals for direct and secure communication about treatment plans, e-prescriptions and lab test reports.

Primary Features

• Patient Portal: Enable patients to view their health records, including test results, medication lists and immunization records, using a patient portal. Provide them with educational resources and personalized health recommendations based on their medical histories and current health statuses for superlative care delivery.
• Documentation: Let clinicians create, update and access patient records in digital formats. Generate reports and analyze patient data to identify trends and patterns in health outcomes.
• E-Prescribing: Eliminate paper prescriptions and phone calls by enabling providers to quickly and accurately generate and send prescriptions directly to patient pharmacies. Provide patients with convenient access to prescription information and refill requests.

Limitations

• Evasive support assistance.
• Automatic notification generation without new messages.
• Difficult individual patient data navigation.

Features Not Fully Supported According to Our Data

• Day Notes — Not Supported
• Auto Save — Not Supported
• Multiple Appointment Books — Not Supported
• FIPS 140-2 Compliance — Not Supported
• QR Code Login — Not Supported

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Cerner Ambulatory

Cerner PowerChart Ambulatory helps automate medication and diagnoses documentation tasks to simplify everyday clinical operations. Ideal for more than 50 specialties, this cloud-based solution provides e-prescribing tools, narrative reporting, eligibility verification, a patient portal, financial management and direct messaging modules for swift bill settlement and effective care plan drafting.

Automate administrative workflows with Cerner Ambulatory to improve business performance and care delivery. Source

Highest Rated Modules According to Our Data

• Clinical Workflows Management — 100
• Collaboration — 100
• Medical Billing — 100
• Electronic Prescriptions — 97
• Mobile EHR — 94

Top Benefits

• Improve Patient-Physician Communication: Facilitate direct patient access to medical reports, treatment plans and progress notes for better care management and secure communication between patients and physicians. Involve patients in care delivery to improve their engagement and satisfaction levels.
• Enhance Record-Keeping: Provide legible, up-to-date and complete patient information to streamline daily administrative duties, including record-keeping, medical billing and documenting.
• Reduce Costs: Drill down into reports on your organization’s financial performance to combat faults and monitor error-prone patterns. Switch to electronic documentation and billing procedures to save money on office supplies, including monthly stationery items, prescription files and other paper-based requirements.

Primary Features

• Patient Portal: Enable patients to update their contact information, insurance information and medical history online. Facilitate seamless online bill payments and insurance claim submissions.
• Documentation: Offer smooth collaboration among physicians by providing them access to electronic patient records. Use customizable templates and forms to write, edit and store relevant patient data.
• Financial Management: Facilitate communication among billing staff to ensure invoicing practices comply with regulatory requirements.

Limitations

• Limited record storage.
• Poor customer support assistance.
• Glitchy system updates.

Features Not Fully Supported According to Our Data

• Day Notes — Not Supported
• Diet Management — Not Supported
• Screen Sharing — Not Supported
• QR Code Login — Not Supported
• Dose Calculator — Not Supported

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DrChrono

DrChrono is a cloud-based solution that improves cognitive productivity and patient care with features such as practice calendars, automated emails and customized templates. Dashboard tools include speech-to-text and drawing, making patient file management simple for physicians.

DrChrono’s patient file modules enable caregivers to view multiple records in a single window. Source

Highest Rated Modules According to Our Data

• Notes and Templates — 100
• Clinical Workflows Management — 97
• Electronic Prescriptions — 97
• Medical Billing — 95
• Mobile EHR — 94

Top Benefits

• Improve Information Security: Limit access to medical files and patient databases for information protection against malware attacks, unauthorized file shares, data tampering and third-party activities. It secures sensitive medical information through multiple encryption and limited access levels to adhere to HIPAA privacy rules.
• Minimize Errors: Switch to electronic record-keeping methods to avoid coding errors and handwriting mistakes. Use documentation and billing modules to enter and view information correctly and refrain from keying them repeatedly to mitigate inaccuracies.
• Increase Efficiency: Enable staff to easily access patient records and medical files to save time and improve daily productivity. Streamline front-desk activities to keep staff from interpreting handwritten documents and manually entering patient information into record files.

Primary Features

• Claim Management: Enable providers to track claims statuses and resubmit rejected or denied claims. Validate claims for accuracy to reduce denials.
• Appointment Scheduling: Schedule appointments, track patient availability and manage waitlists using this digital module. Send reminders via email or text message to reduce missed appointments.
• Lab Integration: Order test results electronically to minimize manual entry needs and improve result turnaround time.

Limitations

• Steep learning curve.
• Glitchy integrations.
• Poor customer support.

Features Not Fully Supported According to Our Data

• Day Notes — Not Supported
• Ad-Hoc Reporting — Not Supported
• Auto Save — Not Supported
• Screen Sharing — Not Supported
• Claim Batch Import — Not Supported

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EpicCare

EpicCare is a cloud-based ambulatory solution that can simplify clinical workflows and increase physician productivity. It provides a comprehensive set of functionalities, including documentation modules, revenue cycle management, telehealth software and data-driven treatment progression reports for cost-effective treatments.

Edit, review and store crucial patient and medical information using EpicCare’s flowsheets. Source

Highest Rated Modules According to Our Data

• Clinical Workflows Management — 100
• Electronic Prescriptions — 100
• Medical Billing — 100
• Notes and Templates — 97
• Clinical Charts — 95

Top Benefits

• Improve Accuracy: Frame electronic invoicing statements to enable error-free and precise charting among physicians, lab technicians and administrative staff. Implement a robust data management strategy and enhance medical record-keeping abilities using documentation modules.
• Increase Information Security: Code patient information in a way that only authorized parties can access and decipher the data. Enable encryption to allow limited means of entry to crucial files and sensitive health care information.
• Maintain Care Quality: Provide your administrative staff and physicians with organized medical files and patient information datasets. Enable organization members to save time on paper-based record-keeping methods for better focus on care quality using electronic documentation modules.

Primary Features

• Telehealth: Conduct remote patient consultations using videoconferencing. Improve patient engagement by reducing travel time and increasing appointment availability.
• Customizable Templates: Create and use customizable, built-in forms for patient appointments and treatment documentation. Use standardized documents to promote consistency and accuracy across providers.
• Revenue Cycle Management: Identify potential revenue gaps and other issues to capture missed revenue opportunities. Analyze financial data and performance to determine improvement areas.

Limitations

• Evasive technical and customer support services.
• Steep learning curve
• Complicated features.

Features Not Fully Supported According to Our Data

• Screen Sharing — Not Supported
• Videoconferencing — Not Supported
• Auto-Schedule Reports — Not Supported
• Clinician Directory — Not supported
• Custom Fields — Not Supported

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eClinicalWorks

Suitable for all types of medical practices, eClinicalWorks is a value-based care solution that provides automated features such as patient management, clinical documentation, revenue management, device integration and more.

It offers extensive configuration as well as customization options for dashboard personalization to improve cognitive efficiency and organizational productivity.

Use eClinicalWorks’ revenue cycle management module to streamline billing tasks. Source

Highest Rated Modules According to Our Data

• Clinical Workflows Management — 100
• Collaboration — 100
• Medical Billing — 96
• Patient Engagement — 94
• Mobile EHR — 90

Top Benefits

• Improve Decision-Making: Organize teams, assign staff duties and monitor employee performance using electronic systems to examine organizational productivity and efficiency closely. Use daily reports to analyze company revenue, staff work rate and patient health progress to make data-driven decisions.
• Enhance Flexibility: Provide clinicians and doctors with the flexibility to view and edit patient records, medical files and health care datasets from anywhere. Allow physicians the freedom to increase care delivery speed by providing them remote access to sensitive patient information for improved patient-physician communication and swift treatment progress monitoring.
• Minimize Errors: Recognize faulty patterns and error-prone medical procedures by transitioning to electronic documentation, billing and scheduling modules. This aids in circumventing illegible handwriting errors, spelling mistakes and accidental data misplacement from official records.

Primary Features

• Scheduling: Electronically schedule and manage appointments to save staff time and improve patient experiences. Incorporate consultation notes into patient files to store important data in one place.
• Telemedicine: Hold virtual appointments with patients. Expand care delivery to cover new areas and reach patients otherwise unable to visit your clinic. Reduce in-person visits by addressing minor patient concerns online with telemedicine software.
• Virtual Assistant: Use natural language processing to understand and respond to voice commands. Create and access patient data, schedule appointments and retrieve crucial medical information hands-free.

Limitations

• Additional fees for integrated practice management.
• Steep learning curve.
• Limited upgrades for certain features.

Features Not Fully Supported According to Our Data

• Diet Management — Not Supported
• Screen Sharing — Not Supported
• Auto Save — Not Supported
• QR Code Login — Not Supported
• Two Factor Authentication — Not Supported

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Key Features

In this section, we’ll delve into the key features of EHRs and how they enhance care quality for patients while also enabling providers to streamline daily workflows.

Documentation and Clinical Workflow

As one of the most important aspects of patient care, these functions should be a top consideration for a new EHR application. Make sure the EHR you select enables both physicians and administrative staff to incorporate their work and efforts into the clinical record.

Evaluate current best-practice workflows and documentation styles for a clinical environment. Be aware that every EHR won’t support all workflows and documentation styles.

Even though it’s possible to configure and customize a system to fit a practice’s needs, functionality assurances aren’t enough when creating a successful environment with an EHR application.

Billing

Medical billing software included in or integrated with EHR applications is crucial to a practice’s success. Without accurately coding and billing for services rendered, operations will grind to a halt with no profit realizations.

You should select an EHR with an internal module to bill patients and insurance, or ensure that the EHR can connect seamlessly to your existing revenue cycle management (RCM) service.

Population Health Management

Population health management is another vital consideration in your electronic medical records software comparison journey.

If your clinic is currently involved in or has any plans to begin using patient data to improve care for specific populations of patients, then using an EHR with features that best allow for these activities will be beneficial.

This is especially important if you’re part of any risk-bearing contracts or partnerships with payers, including CMS (Medicare and Medicaid). It’s also crucial if your facility takes part in an accountable care organization or any other diverse partnership related to quality and use.

It’s wise to consider how an EHR would support these needs as they are today and how they may advance in the future.

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Electronic Prescriptions

Electronic prescribing, or e-prescribing, enables you to enter medication details into the patient portal for secure and direct transmission to pharmacies. Conventional prescription methods involve illegible handwriting and incorrect spelling risks, which can lead to information omission and misinterpretation.

Electronic tools aid in detecting potential errors by providing clear visibility into patient documents and streamlining medication management.

• Clinical Decision Support: This feature facilitates a built-in system to pick up on drug-to-drug conflicts, allergies and changes in dosage amounts.
• Benefit Verification and Formulary: Price comparisons aid in prescribing cost-efficient medicines based on patients’ insurances and financial statuses.

Using an EHR with a secure e-prescribing feature is essential to carefully monitor medication adherence by providing limited access to third parties for reduced data tampering and misplacement risks.

Longitudinal Patient Records

A longitudinal record module compiles and tracks a patient’s entire history rather than relying on single encounters. It can decrease costs, increase patient compliance and limit the potential for error.

EHR interoperability enables seamless sharing of clinical data with outside agencies and clinics through various technological functions, creating a comprehensive longitudinal patient record. It includes intensive interfacing and secure email to streamline clinical, financial and demographic data sharing with third parties.

Though certified applications will have some aspects of interoperability built into their systems, it’s important to know what methods are currently in use and available to other practices as well as your own.

This could include connecting to a local or regional regional Health Information Exchange (HIE), joining a clinically integrated network or building interfaces to the key locations that you share with a majority of patients.

Effective communication and patient records transfer between different points of care, regardless of the EHR used, is crucial for seamless transitions and better patient care. Inadequate or incomplete charts and notes shared during transitions can negatively impact patient outcomes and reflect poorly on your practice.

Patient Portals

EHR systems enable patients to participate more fully in their own care. By giving patients access to their medical records, EHR systems can help patients stay informed about their health status and treatment options.

Patients can use online portals to communicate with their health care providers, making it easier to ask questions and get the information they need to make informed decisions about their health. This increased collaboration between patients and health care providers can lead to better health outcomes and improved patient satisfaction.

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Vendor Considerations

As more and more providers adopt EHRs, the market has become saturated with a plethora of merchants offering a wide range of solutions. With so many options available, it can be challenging to determine which vendor and product is the right fit for your organization’s needs.

Making the wrong choice can lead to wasted resources, decreased productivity and a negative impact on patient care. Therefore, conducting EHR vendors comparison is an essential step toward successful EHR implementation.

Take a look at some crucial considerations you must make before finalizing your decision:

Costs

While EHRs can be expensive, many businesses see them as an essential operational cost. Determining the return on investment of EHR adoption can help justify the cost and improve clinical operations.

Consider how much more efficient, well-connected, well-positioned and competitive clinical operations can be upon implementing a new EHR application.

Data Migration

If you’re replacing an EHR and your practice has data to migrate to a new clinical system, it’s important to ensure all clinical data is appropriate.

You can accrue errors and additional costs if you don’t add historical data into the new application. Many EHR organizations will work with existing EHR systems to export data before the new application goes live.

There are a variety of potential formats in which to transfer existing data into a new EHR. Send full records using HL7 C-CDA format, SQL queries and/or proprietary import functions. If a prospective vendor is unwilling (or unable) to incorporate your historical clinical data into their system as part of your EHR implementation, they may not be the best fit.

Most will offer this service either as part of the startup cost or for an additional fee.

It’s of the utmost importance to prioritize the re-creation of every patient in your new system without the loss of any key historical and billing data. Current and future reporting requirements highly value data continuity, and it contributes to value-based patient care.

Certified Technology

A range of EHR incentive programs, from individual payers to governmental organizations, rely on certified EHR technology. It’s a distinction given to EHR vendors that have products that meet a variety of criteria related to functionality, security and interoperability.

Depending on your organization’s goals, it may be beneficial to limit potential vendors to only those that have received certification from a trusted organization.

Certification doesn’t, in and of itself, create a successful partnership. You should consider it as a single selling point, not a sole reason to acquire a specific product. However, using a certified product will, at a minimum, enable your clinic or hospital to participate in a variety of programs. Successfully implementing these programs can prove to be lucrative and rewarding.

Deployment Environment

You can use two distinct ways to accomplish EHR deployment. They can be client-hosted on your premises or accessed through a web-based connection to the cloud. Both function similarly, but come with unique pros and cons. For a comprehensive dive into this issue, check out our cloud-based vs. on-premise EHR comparison.

For a brief overview, on-premise is typically more secure, customizable and accessible without an internet connection. It’s also more expensive, requires more in-house support and is a less popular offering from vendors.

Cloud-based is convenient to access, cheaper upfront and enables users to connect from a range of devices, making it very mobile. It’s also slightly less secure, less customizable (unless you’re willing to pay for it) and can be prone to going down for maintenance without warning, depending on your vendor or internet provider.

Perform comprehensive research to decide which deployment option is right for you and how deployment options work on different systems.

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Best Practices for Successful EHR Implementation

For effective EHR vendor comparison, have vendor representatives demonstrate their application on-site to clinical and ancillary staff (billing, coding, etc.) in a simulated environment.

Observe how they interact with the application and identify potential bottlenecks and frustrations in patient care areas.

Site visits to similar organizations are essential to gather objective feedback on EHR functionality and workflow. Contracting experts should assist in building a well-negotiated contract for financial sustainability. Implementation requires adequate training and documentation for a turn-key approach to onboarding new employees.

Read our article to know more about EHR implementation in detail — EHR Implementation: Assembling Your Team and Managing Your Implementation.

Questions To Ask

Conducting an EHR and EMR software comparison assessment establishes an information-gathering procedure necessary to determine each application’s weak areas. As a critical step, we’ve provided a few starting questions to ask vendors:

• Do you offer training resources and demo sessions?
• How will you migrate my data into the new EHR system?
• Does the application offer integration functionalities?
• How frequent are the updates?
• What methods do you implement to fix update-related errors and bugs?

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Next Steps

The EHR comparison process is different for every organization, but the beginning steps are very similar, no matter your size or specialty. Luckily, there are plenty of resources out there to make the process of comparing EHR systems smooth and painless.

If you’re ready to start comparing vendors mentioned above with other top EHR companies, check out our free, intuitive comparison report. Learn all about their functional requirements, user reviews and more. Good luck!

Did you find this guide helpful? What other questions can we answer? Let us know in the comments!