Top EHR Systems for 2021
Selecting an EHR System for a medical practice is a huge decision. An EHR can have a direct effect on the performance of the business as well as the satisfaction of the clinicians and users.
Many assume that it is too disruptive and expensive to switch their EHR. But the top EHR systems work to make the transition as easy and cost effective as possible.
It can be overwhelming to see all of the EHR options available. It is also hard to compare them side by side, as they often have different pricing models which can make any comparison more of an apples to oranges exercise.
In order to help narrow the search for medical practices, we have listed the top 15 EHR Systems to consider.
Top 15 EHR Systems to Consider
Especially in the New Year, evaluating your current EHR System and considering a new one is a must for any practice. The following 15 EHR Systems should be in your consideration set:
- AdvancedMD
- Allscripts
- Athenahealth
- CareCloud
- Cerner
- eClinicalWorks
- Epic
- Greenway Health
- iSalus Healthcare
- Kareo
- MedGen
- Modernizing Medicine
- NextGen
- Office Ally
- Practice Fusion
We recommend getting price quotes from several EHR systems in order to make an informed decision.
COMPARE QUOTES FOR TOP EHR SYSTEMS
AdvancedMD
Named the Best EMR Overall by Business News Daily in 2020, AdvancedMD was designed precisely with the independent physician in mind.
One of the biggest advantages that AdvancedMD has over their competitors is their “build a bundle” pricing model. You only pay for what you need. This sounds so simple, yet its not as easy to find as one would think.
With a plethora of templates, AdvancedMD offers solutions for all practices including specialty medical practices.
AdvancedMD
Key Benefits
- Has a wide-ranging suite of solutions. But you only need to select the ones that you need with AdvancedMD’s “build a bundle” approach.
- Competitively priced. And you only pay for what you need.
- A leader in the integration of telehealth.
Allscripts
Once known to service just large hospital systems, Allscripts has fully evolved.
Having been in business for over 30 years, Allscripts has since built a suite of products and services to cater towards any sized medical practice. Their years of experience and their open platform help make them an EHR system to consider.
Although they offer a wide range of products and services, they typically bucket them into three business lines (i) Allscripts Touchworks EHR for medium to large practices, (ii) Allscripts Professional EHR for small to mid-sized practices and (iii) Practice Fusion for independent practices.
Allscripts 
Key Benefits
- Offers various solutions to cater towards different size practices.
- Excellent functionality.
- Easy to send prescriptions, as Allscripts began as an electronic prescribing organization.
Athenahealth
A company known for their innovation and technology, athenahealth also understands what medical practices need to be successful.
Athenahealth offers a variety of solutions (that can be bundled) including practice management, medical billing services and more, all at a competitive price. And they also offer solutions for different medical specialties.
Lastly, year after year, athenahealth dominates in the industry awards such as Black Book and KLAS.
Athenahealth
Key Benefits
- Earned the impressive reputation as a “disruptor” in the EHR industry.
- Marketplace by Athenahealth is a 3rd party marketplace allowing for an enormous amount of applications to its customers.
- Their patient portal is well known to be user friendly.
CareCloud
Placing a focus on patient care, CareCloud provides solutions and services aimed to achieve high patient engagement.
They also have a strong analytics solution to help the performance of any practice meet its full potential.
CareCloud is able to keep its support service domestic by leveraging a stellar U.S. based support team.
Finally, with CareCloud’s RCM experts, medical billing services, analytics and personalized advice, they should be on your list of considerations.
CareCloud
Key Benefits:
- Offers a dashboard with key metrics through the CareCloud Command Center which allows you to reach peak performance.
- Predictable monthly pricing.
- CareCloud is a technology driven organization providing innovative products and services.
Cerner
One of the most well-known EHR’s out there, Cerner has evolved from providing large health systems with its solutions and services, to offering them also for small to mid-sized medical practices.
Cerner provides tight integration with its RCM solutions and they also offer consulting for those practices looking to transform to value based care.
Lastly, Cerner should be in your consideration set because they can fit the needs of any size practice with competitive pricing.
Cerner
Key Benefits:
- Although known for its larger customers, Cerner also services small to mid-sized practices just as effectively.
- A key, reputable player in the EHR industry with very high-profile customers such as the Department of Defense.
- Clients are able to use predictive analysis because of Cerner’s advanced analytics package.
eClinicalWorks
As an experienced EHR company with almost 30 years on its side, eClinicalWorks (eCW) is technology driven and prides itself with the development of all its own technology as opposed to acquiring it. This helps make eCW one powerful, unified system.
Due to their confidence in their technology, they rely on the actual product solution (not marketing and promotion) to sell itself. As an example, eCW offers a great telemedicine solution that became one of their flagship offerings.
In addition, eClinicalWorks includes initial onsite training for small practices that make the switch.
Finally, eClinicalWorks has a niche focus on providing solutions and tools to practices looking to reinvent themselves and for those practices starting from scratch with opening up.
eClinicalWorks
Key Benefits:
- Ideal for small practices with its high degree of customization available.
- eClinicalWorks offers virtual visits through Healow, its own in-house telemedicine application.
- Provide free conversion packages for new clients looking to switch EHRs.
Epic
Epic is a giant in the EHR industry and continually evolving to meet the needs of its customers. And their customer base is very large and encompasses large hospital systems, as well as small to mid-sized medical practices. They offer a slimmed down very of their enterprise EHR called Sonnet which is very popular choice.
You can choose from hundreds of 3rd party apps that fit the needs of your practice. And it all seamlessly integrates with the Epic Practice Management system.
Lastly, Epic allows for the exchange of charts with other healthcare organizations based on interoperability.
Epic
Key Benefits:
- Let’s face it… Epic is epic. They are a well-known, reputable giant in the EHR space.
- Leverage the benefits of using a large EHR such as scalability, technology and innovation.
- Have all the power of an enterprise EHR but without the price tag by going with their “light” EHR called Sonnet.
Greenway Health
Known for their user-friendly services and technology, Greenway Health has become more than just an EHR company. They have become a popular choice for small to mid-sized medical practices for their one-stop-shop.
Greenway Health provides add-ons such as chronic care management services, medical billing services, and clearinghouse services. And the make it very easy with their single-sign-on (SSO) for their EHR and Practice Management solutions.
Finally, the excellent support that Greenway Health provides is well known in the industry.
Greenway Health
Key Benefits:
- Awarded the #1 spot for KLAS Research’s Ambulatory RCM services.
- Known for its reputable service and support for their clients.
- Greenway Health provides marketing solutions through their Marketplace to help build and manage an online presence for your practice.
iSalus Healthcare
Highly flexible, iSalus Healthcare is an ideal solution for smaller practices who have specific needs. Their flexibility is truly one of their key differentiators. And iSalus believes this ultimately has a positive effect on the work-life balance of its users.
iSalus is known to be MAC friendly for all you Apple fans. With a domestic based support team, they can provide the service and support you need from right here from the United States.
Lastly, if you are considering switching our EHR and you are worried about the transition time, you should look at iSalus Healthcare as they promote a 60 day or less implementation period.
iSalus Healthcare
Key Benefits:
- Flexible and convenient for smaller practices who need it most.
- iSalus makes for an easy vendor switch with 60 days or less implementation phase.
- U.S. based support team
Kareo
Designed specifically for independent medical practices, Kareo allows you to avoid all the pricey and complicated functionality that you don’t need. But Kareo allows you to get only what you do need for a successful practice.
With easy integration into their medical billing and Practice Management solutions, Kareo is a popular choice. They can provide over 150 customizable templates, making their solution very flexible.
Ultimately, it may be Kareo’s competitive pricing that bring in future clients.
Kareo
Key Benefits
- Unlike most of their competitors, Kareo provides digital marketing services.
- Known for their strong Practice Management solution.
- As Kareo states, they have “everything you need, nothing you don’t”.
MedGen
MegGen strongly promotes that its solution is “easy to learn and use”. And they have low-cost subscription plans starting at $300 a month.
With so many choices in the market, MedGen tries to set itself apart from its competition by offering an easy to use product and a very competitive price.
Right from their website, you can download their checklist for comparing features for EHRs. Also, you can view a demo without even having to speak with anyone.
MedGen
Key Benefits
- Low cost subscription fee model. Also, low onboarding costs.
- User-friendly
- See a demo without even talking with anyone at the company.
Modernizing Medicine
Modernizing Medicine (ModMed) has become a stand out EHR solution that any practice, specifically medical specialty practices should consider.
They have some unique approaches to how they do business that ends up showing up in their products and services as key features. For example, they have a mobile first approach which has led to strong patient engagement.
Also, Modernizing Medicine puts innovation at the forefront. They are known for using AI to help doctors support a patient’s diagnosis and treatment.
Finally, Modernizing Medicine’s success is shown through their numerous #1 rankings by Black Book for specialty medicine EHR systems.
Modernizing Medicine
Key Benefits:
- ModMed is built by actual physicians, ensuing in features that will save time.
- Awarded many #1 Rankings by Black Book for specialty specific EHR systems.
- Provides a strong telemedicine solution.
NextGen
Known as a user friendly EHR system, NextGen was designed with the clinician in mind. This has allowed them to focus more on the patients and less on the administrative duties.
NextGen support team is 100% U.S. based. They are well-known for the training and support they provide.
If your practice is looking to improve performance, NextGen’s data analytics package can set you on the right track. It is robust as it is easy to use.
Lastly, if you are considering switching your EHR, NextGen should be on your list of considerations.
NextGen
Key Benefits:
- User-friendly solution.
- NextGen has the reputation for providing terrific training and support.
- Offers a solid data analytics package.
Office Ally
If pricing is your main consideration when looking for a new EHR, then Office Ally should be on your short list. Office Ally offers an EHR at a low cost, but with plenty of nice features.
They are also well known for Practice Mate which is their free Practice Management solution. And even more so for their Office Ally Clearinghouse which can be free in some cases. To top things off, they also have a free Patient Portal.
Office Ally
Key Benefits:
- Low cost EHR with lots of features.
- Offer free Office Ally practice management called Practice Mate.
- In some cases, they provide their Office Ally Clearinghouse for free.
Practice Fusion
If you are thinking to yourself… I thought Practice Fusion was free? Well, you aren’t far off. It was once free. After being acquired by AllScripts that have changed their business model, but it is still a good deal and should be strongly considered. And at least their Patient Portal is still free.
Practice Fusion focuses on small, independent practices. They offer customizable templates for various medical specialties and once you decide to make the switch to Practice Fusion, their set up time is promoted to be less than 30 days.
Their support team aims to make the implementation painless and easy and even registered the trademark Phenomenal Support® team
Lastly, Practice Fusion provides a free trial without having to provide a credit card, so you have nothing to lose by looking into it.
Practice Fusion
Key Benefits:
- Low cost solution which also offers flexible licenses.
- Known for their fast start up time.
- Practice Fusion is ideal for smaller, independent medical practices.
In Closing
It is understandable that this is a big decision and that there are many factors that go into your selection process. Hopefully, the information provided here helps you get once step closer to a new EHR. Your end goal should be higher satisfaction and a better work-life balance.
In closing, make sure to do your homework and compare quotes and features for any EHR you are considering as they aren’t all the same.
