Healthcare
Table of Contents
The healthcare industry relies on efficient, accurate data. Today, electronic health records (EHR) and electronic medical records (EMR) greatly support modern medical practices. With many EHR software solutions available, selecting the right one can feel perplexing. We'll help you choose the best EHR software by introducing you to the top EHRs.
While EMR and EHR software have one common application, which is storing electronic health records, and are often used interchangeably, they are, in fact, different. In general, EHR might have more functionality and data-sharing possibilities. At the same time, EMR allows patients to collect and analyze their data only in the area of particular healthcare practice.
EMR systems are best for hospitals and small and medium-sized practices and have the following characteristics:
The main challenges for such ready-made software are the lack of customization and dependency on providers. However, seasoned EMR developers allow to create a solution for the specific needs of your organization with all system and cost control in your hands.
An EHR system is software built to manage electronic health records, such as health history, lab test results, medicines prescribed, allergies, and, of course, patient's age, gender, name, and more. In lay terms, EHRs are also digital versions of a patient's medical chart. The main EHR features include patient appointment scheduling, document management, patient communication, and electronic prescriptions.
The EHR software is a central point for creating, storing, and managing these records. It allows authorized healthcare providers to securely access and update patient data in real-time, regardless of location, and make better decisions about patient care. The software facilitates care coordination and improves communication between healthcare providers.
EHR systems are advanced versions of EMR and best suit healthcare providers who want to allow patients and doctors to share information. The other robust features of EHR software include:
In contrast with cookie-cutter platforms, custom development enables you to build any sort of solution: custom mobile or web apps, with cloud-based or on-premises infrastructure, and include features that are relevant to your business. If you won’t find a perfect fit, consider custom development.
The biggest advantage of EHR software is certainly cost efficiency. There is no question that specialized software is better than tons of handwritten paperwork. Still, the most valuable characteristic of such systems is automatization, which saves doctors' time and reduces medical errors that cost a bundle for hospitals and clinics. The major advantages of most popular EMR/EHR systems also include:
All in all, an EHR license/subscription purchase or custom development is a long-term investment in your business. When chosen right, it can increase ROI and clinic revenue. Nevertheless, this process is closely tied to clinics' ability to implement and leverage EHR.
Choosing an electronic health record system is a significant decision to considerably improve your practice's workflow, efficiency, and patient care. Here are some things to consider while choosing one for your healthcare organization:
Now, let's discover the most popular ready-to-use EMR systems the software market offers in 2025.
We have collected 15 of the best EHR and EMR systems that may address your clinic needs and improve patient care. Prepare to dive!
NextGen EHR is a popular electronic health record system designed for ambulatory practices of various sizes. It is scalable, cloud-based, but can be also deployed on-premise, and is considered as one of the best EHR systems in terms of meeting patient data security and privacy regulatory standards, such as HIPAA compliance, HL7 and ONC certification. The software is available on the web, tablets, and mobile devices.
Key features: patient scheduling, e-prescribing, billing, claims management, lab integration, patient engagement tools, voice recognition, and document management. A mobile app is available. The platform has responsive support and is user-friendly. Clinical templates for 39 specialties, including behavioral health, physiotherapy, cardiology, anesthesiology is perhaps the most outstanding platform’s feature that makes this EHR universal across the practices.
Limitations: can be expensive for smaller practices, with licensing fees and potential ongoing maintenance charges, offers limited customization, implementation is challenging.
Cost: available upon request, presumably starting at $300 per provider/month. No free trial or free version available.
Oracle Health (former Cerner) is one of the famous cloud-based EHR software solutions with a strong presence in hospitals and larger healthcare organizations. It boasts a modular design, open architecture, and advanced analytics. The best thing is that this EHR provides services for over 55 different specialties, including allergy and immunology, neurology, pediatrics, and dentistry. Oracle Health is highly customizable and offers detailed charting capabilities.
Key features: revenue cycle management, patient portal, scheduling, reporting and analytics, e-prescription, lab integration, billing management, voice recognition, medical templates, patient history, and more.
Limitations: complex due to modular design and extensive features, long customer support response time, limited customization options, rare software updates.
Cost: not provided by the vendor. No free trial available.
Epic EMR is known for its comprehensiveness and ability to cater to larger healthcare organizations, academic medical centers, and independent practices. It is considered as one of the best EMR systems for hospitals. The software has great scalability for accommodating growth and complex workflows, maintains robust security measures to protect patient data, adheres to HIPAA compliance, and emphasizes data sharing and interoperability.
Key features: patient scheduling, electronic charting, billing, order management, telehealth functionalities, and patient engagement tools, industry-specific modules. AI features are focused on improving patient outcome analytics, personalized treatment recommendations, and operational efficiency.
Limitations: significant licensing fees, steep learning curve for users, and implementation can be complex and time-consuming.significant licensing fees, steep learning curve for users, navigation difficulties, file management issues, confusing features.
Cost: between $1200 to $500,000 per provider. No free trial available.
Allscripts EHR is one of the most popular and well-established EHR/EMR systems that caters to diverse healthcare practices. It is known for its intuitive design, making it easier for staff to learn and navigate the system, potentially improving adoption rates and reducing training time. Allscripts is scalable, easy to integrate with third-party systems, and offers great customer support. Suitable for small and medium-sized practices and hospitals.
Key features: appointment scheduling, electronic health record management, e-prescribing, drug interaction alerts, patient portal, telehealth capabilities, and revenue cycle management tools.
Limitations: occasional system slowdowns, freezing or login issues, less customizable experience, data migration challenges, clunky interface, many additional costs, and poor customer support.
Cost: custom pricing, available upon request. No free trial available.
AdvancedMD EHR is a cloud-based software system designed for various-sized practices with a focus on ambulatory care. It works well for physician offices, physical therapy centers, mental health practices, and independent practices. The software claims to be HIPAA compliant and built to streamline plenty of aspects of running a medical practice.
Key features: high level of customization, billing, reporting, telehealth capabilities, good customer support, appointment scheduling, secure communication, patient flow management, and automated processes and dashboards.
Limitations: scarce reporting features, steep learning curve, data migration challenges, complex navigation, high cost, communication issues.
Cost: available upon request. No free trial available.
Athenahealth offers a cloud-based EHR system designed to improve practice efficiency, financial performance, and patient care. It is entirely cloud-based, eliminating the need for expensive on-site hardware and software installations. This EHR/EMR option works best for small practices and medium or large organizations. It is HIPAA compliant and offers videoconferencing and advisory services.
Key features: practice management integration, revenue cycle management, analytics and reports, patient portal, effective data management, and robust patient communication tools, as well as AI processing of external documents.
Limitations: little customization, steep learning curve, and additional investments in training are required. Additionally, third-party integrations are available for a fee.
Cost: flexible pricing depending on your specific needs. No free trial available.
eClinicalWorks effectively manages the needs of medium and large healthcare practices, supporting multiple physicians and various locations. The system includes telehealth functionalities, enabling online consultations and improving care accessibility. This AI-powered EHR software offers tools for document processing, automation, and revenue cycle management. The platform suits various specialties, including urgent care, ambulatory surgery, behavioral health, ophthalmology, and dentistry.
Key features: open API for easier integration with third-party applications, robust security features and HIPAA compliance, great reporting and analytics tools, ease of use, and great customization.
Limitations: may seen as complex for simple needs, is complex to implement, weak customer support, not user-friendly, steep learning curve.
Cost: starting at $449 per month per provider. No free trial available.
Meditech EHR is a cloud-based software that facilitates data management, encompasses patient engagement tools, and is HIPAA compliant. One of the best Meditech EHR is that it offers iOS and Android-compatible apps for mobile access to patient data and the potential for AI integration. It suits medium to large hospitals and can handle complex workflows and patient volumes.
Key features: robust customization, user-friendly interface, advanced charting, clinical decision support, patient portal, integrated billing and revenue cycle management, and virtual care options.
Limitations: complex integration with third-party applications, slow system, glitches and downtime reported, and insufficient charting options.
Cost: customized pricing based on the organization needs. No free trial available.
CareCloud EHR is a cloud-based system that stores patient data and offers features like clinical decision support and a patient portal. It is customizable, secure, and HIPAA-compliant. Due to its scalability and customization, this EHR software works best for medium to large medical groups and healthcare systems across various specialties.
Key features: rich patient summaries, configurable templates, actionable insights, tracking progress towards quality initiatives, and telehealth integration opportunities. It also offers drag-and-drop scheduling options.
Limitations: steep learning curve, data import complexity, some users report difficulty setting up recurring appointments, lack of robust inventory management system, pointless customer support.
Cost: estimated to start around $349 for basic EHR features per provider per month. No free trial available.
TherapyNotes is a cloud EHR software specifically designed for mental health professionals, including therapists and counselors. It handles all aspects of running a private practice, from secure patient records storing, appointment scheduling and task management, to streamlining billing. The solution offers custom treatment plans design, psychiatric evaluations development, as well as e-prescriptions support.
Key features: appointment scheduling, billing, practice management, user-friendly interface, basic telehealth capabilities, documentation management, and customizable medical templates.
Limitations: simple reporting without in-depth data analysis, no mobile app available, limited third-party integrations, few automation features.
Cost: starts at $59 per month for a single user. For practices with multiple therapists, TherapyNotes offers a group plan: the first clinician is $69 per month, and additional clinicians are $40 per month each. Each plan offers a 30-day free trial.
Valant EHR is cloud-based software designed to achieve the best results for behavioral health professionals. It is user-friendly for solo therapists and smaller practices seeking a basic, affordable EHR system with teletherapy options. Distinctive features include integrated group therapy, credit card processing, and online bill pay. Valant also has integrated measurement-based features for making evidence-based decisions.
Key features: strong tools for progress notes, treatment plans, and outcome tracking; basic telehealth capabilities, mobile access, structured note templates, and color-coded scheduling.
Limitations: customization, little scalability, some user reviews mention frustrations with customer service responsiveness and difficulty getting technical support.
Cost: no pricing available online. No free trial available.
Medhost EHR is a feature-rich EHR for hospitals and large clinics. It offers scalability, robust functionalities, and integration potential. The platform manages various healthcare settings with features like EHR, CPOE, CDS, and specialty-specific modules, while prioritizing data security and boasting HIPAA compliance.
Key features: integration with other healthcare software and labs for efficient data exchange, reporting and analytics, patient engagement features, and revenue cycle management tools.
Limitations: customization challenges, complexity for smaller practices, steep learning curve, limited free trial options.
Cost: personalized pricing. No free trial available.
TruBridge is one of the EHR software solutions specially made for the needs of rural and community hospitals and acute care centers. It offers a robust feature set that includes health records management, customizable workflows, reporting, analytics, and picture archiving functionalities.
Key features: intuitive design, streamlined ordering of medications, labs, and other procedures, patient portal, seamless integration with laboratory systems. In addition, the platform has information sharing capabilities for connected care, as well as patient engagement tools for better communication and care adherence.
Limitations: complex data flow with third-party integrations, customization complexity, limited reporting, steep learning curve.
Cost: available upon request. No free trial available.
Practice Fusion is a cloud EHR system, best fitting small providers and solo practitioners that need user-friendly interface and patient portal capabilities. As one of the best EMR systems for small practices, it offers vast customization opportunities and can be easily adjusted to medical staff requirements. There is no need to install any software: the users can start work right after signing up on the platform. Additionally, Practice Fusion is one of the rare examples of EHR software that offers a free trial.
Key features: personalized templates, telehealth integration, electronic prescribing, patient engagement features, medical billing and imaging, and lab integration.
Limitations: small storage capacity for free plan, integration challenges, lack of scalability, billing issues, difficulties with subscription cancellation, expensiveness, insufficient training.
Cost: plans are estimated to start at $199 per provider per month. 14-day free trial.
Greenway is a cloud-based EHR software that prioritizes usability and versatility. It boosts efficiency, streamlines billing, and allows for better personalization in medium-sized and large healthcare organizations. It's customizable, has the potential to implement AI features, and is aimed at increasing patient engagement, facilitating document management, and improving digital workflows.
Key features: revenue cycle management, streamlining clinical and administrative tasks, reports and dashboards, user-friendly interface and great customer service.
Limitations: integration challenges, repetitive data entry, steep learning curve, slow service response time, and updates are difficult to handle.
Cost: available upon request. No free trial available.
The EMR companies bring benefits to healthcare organizations of every size and budget, delivering better care quality, stronger organizational efficiency, and timely system maintenance and support.
Choosing an EHR software that best meets your organization’s needs can be daunting. Sometimes, the better option would be to build custom healthcare software. If you feel stuck choosing an EHR system or want to create your own, do not hesitate to reach out to us. With over 15 years in software development, we'll ensure success in your endeavors.
US-based and operating globally, NEKLO spearheads digital transformation initiatives for businesses worldwide. We deliver software solutions complying with your market and legislation.
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