The Best Medical Software

Medical software refers to comprehensive tech platforms that enable medical practices to operate, including setting patient appointments, verifying patient insurance information, charting patient encounters, ordering lab tests and prescription medications, conducting medical coding and billing, and storing patient medical records. Medical software ranges from modest software geared toward small practices with one to a few providers to sprawling platforms intended for large healthcare systems with a national presence.

Electronic health records (EHR) software is the component of medical software focused on the clinical side of the business. This software includes all the tools a provider needs for filling out a patient’s chart during an encounter. It enables providers to bring up a patient’s past medical records even if they’ve previously visited a different doctor. Most EHR systems include templates that make filling out a patient’s chart quick and easy, as well as helpful tools like voice dictation, image import and editing, options to order lab tests, and the ability to e-prescribe medications.

At the end of a patient encounter, providers can finalize a patient’s chart in the EHR and the system will automatically leverage that information to create a superbill for the medical coding and billing team. In an integrated medical software that includes a practice management component with medical billing tools, the superbill is automatically forwarded to the medical billing team and the provider can simply move on with their next appointment.

Medical software offers several key benefits to medical practices and hospitals. Some of the most impactful include:

• Streamlines front office operations. Front offices are charged with scheduling patient appointments, maintaining patient demographics, verifying patient insurance eligibility and managing the check-in process. The practice management module of medical software includes a practice calendar that lets office staff see each provider’s schedule and set appointments accordingly. Most medical software enables batch insurance verification as well, so once a patient is scheduled office staff can automatically confirm their insurance is still active and eligible. Information like a patient’s phone number or preferred pharmacy can also be updated using practice management tools.
• Enhances clinical encounters. Patient charting in the EHR component of medical software is made easy by the use of templates, voice dictation and editable images, giving providers greater ability to document patient encounters in detail. When used properly, these tools support a provider’s ability to spend time with the patient, rather than filling out the chart, automating the most time-consuming and tedious tasks. All the information captured by the front office will also be available to providers, saving time on tasks like ordering prescription medications to a patient’s preferred pharmacy.
• Improves patient medical record mobility. Medical software is required to be interoperable with other systems, meaning no matter where a patient goes their latest medical records should be accessible to providers. That means, for example, if a patient goes to the emergency room, providers can retrieve data captured by the patient’s primary care physician, gaining access to a list of medications they are taking and previous health conditions that may be relevant.
  
• Makes medical billing easier. When a clinical encounter is complete, the medical billing and coding team (or medical billing service, as the case may be) is provided with a detailed list of the services rendered to a patient. They can use this to create and code medical claims for submission to payers. They can also generate patient statements for any out-of-pocket costs that the patient is responsible for. These claims and statements can be sent to the appropriate party directly from the medical software, and their status can be monitored in a queue of outstanding bills.
  
• Boosts patient engagement. Most medical software platforms include patient portals, which allow patients to update their information and access educational material about their health and wellness. Patient portals often include access to lab test results, as well, and deliver appointment reminders to help reduce no-shows and last minute cancellations.

Generally, based on the EMR systems and medical practice management software we reviewed, most medical practices should expect to spend anywhere from $140 to $750 per provider per month on one of these software-as-a-service platforms. According to the Michigan Center for Effective IT Adoption, providers can expect to pay yearly to five-year costs of $8,000 to $58,000.

All of the EMR systems on our best picks list are priced on a per provider per month basis. In most cases, these subscription rates do not include additional costs, such as installation and training. These fees can range anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000.

Prices fluctuate, depending on the scope and breadth of the system. There could be additional fees for customer support, clearinghouses, electronic statements and more. Rates are subject to change based on the size of your practice and your specific needs.

Many EMR vendors also offer RCM or medical billing services as well. Generally, these services charge a percentage of their net collections and, in exchange, perform all critical billing tasks for a practice.

When choosing medical software for your practice, consider the following steps to make sure you find the best possible fit.

Make a list of your priorities

Consider your practice’s individual priorities. These can be key front office tools like batch insurance eligibility verification or a user-friendly patient portal. They could also include charting tools that your providers can’t live without. One thing that should be at the top of every medical practice’s priorities list, though, is compliance and security.

“Compliance and security are non-negotiable,” said Shawn Davidson, a healthcare consultant at OSP. “I’ve implemented robust encryption and access controls to ensure HIPAA compliance and protect patient data. Communication tools are essential for teamwork. In a recent project, we integrated a secure messaging system, improving real-time communication among doctors, nurses, and staff.”

Create a budget and consider the overall value

Set a budget and start exploring the market. When examining pricing plans, though, don’t just look at the cost and fees. Consider the value you’ll get for your money when you subscribe to a platform. The cheapest software may cost you more if it doesn’t work properly or lacks key features, while more expensive software may generate a bigger return if it enhances the way your practice operates. Consider the big picture when comparing costs.

“When narrowing down the list, I consider functionality, integration capabilities, cost and user-friendliness,” Davidson said. “The software must meet all essential requirements and integrate with existing systems, and the total cost of ownership must be reasonable. Ease of use and available training are also critical for smooth implementation.”

Consider usability and schedule live demonstrations

Medical software is only as effective as the staff using it, so choose a user-friendly system and one that comes with extensive training and educational resources. The best way to get a feel for the usability of a system is to contact the vendor and schedule a live demonstration or, better yet, a free trial. Include your staff members who will be working within the system every day so you can gather their feedback during the process as well.

“I always conduct demonstrations or free trials for our clients to see the software in action,” Davidson said. “This hands-on experience helps them evaluate its performance and compatibility with workflows. I always recommend that providers select software development vendors for billing services by checking their industry experience, client testimonials and customer support quality.”

Examine medical billing features

Medical billing is a complex process that is critical to ensuring your practice gets paid for services rendered. The medical billing tools in medical software should be highly effective in generating and coding claims as well as making sure they get paid in a timely fashion. Examine these closely along with your medical coders and billers to be sure they’re a good fit for your team.

“From my experience and understanding, the must-have features are robust claims processing, coding accuracy and compliance with regulations like HIPAA” Davidson said. “Effective denial management and patient-friendly billing systems are essential to ensure financial stability and improve patient satisfaction.”

Ask about implementation and training support

Implementing a medical software platform is a time-consuming, costly process that involves data migration. The right implementation support is critical to the successful launch of your new medical software. Be sure to ask careful questions about the type of implementation support you can expect and what it costs above and beyond your subscription price.

“Planning and preparation are essential when implementing medical software,” Davidson said. “From my experience, creating a detailed implementation plan with clear timelines and responsibilities is key.

“Comprehensive training programs greatly help staff get comfortable quickly,” he added. “Choosing a vendor that offers robust support is essential. During one of our implementations, a 24/7 support team was invaluable in addressing issues swiftly and minimizing downtime.”

Look for reporting and data analytics

Modern medical software platforms have access to so much data that they can create useful reports that support decision-making by practice leaders. Look for tools that don’t just collect data but make effective use of it through data analytics, detailed reporting and recommendations.

“Data analytics is a game-changer,” Davidson said. “In one project, we created an analytics dashboard that helped a hospital manage patient admissions more efficiently.”

Consider how medical software’s reporting tools can support your business. One of our best picks, athenahealth, offers a robust reporting suite that uses data from other practices similar to yours to create benchmark targets. These can help you determine how well your practice is doing and in which areas it needs improvement.

The best medical software is an all-inclusive package that lets you schedule appointments, verify patients’ insurance eligibility, handle provider-patient encounters, generate, code and track medical claims, and create custom templates that suit your practice’s workflows. Most importantly, the software should be easy for the entire office to use. To reduce your office staff’s workload, the software should also include a portal where patients can schedule appointments online.

It’s also important for the software to have various integrations, including those for credit card processing, lab ordering and e-prescribing. The billing software should easily integrate with the EMR software so you don’t have to seek outside help to use the two applications in tandem.

Administrative Features

When you’re considering specific software to integrate with your practice, look for medical practice management software that can fully handle all office responsibilities – including scheduling, billing and task management – and also provide solid security and support resources.

• Automated appointment reminders: Does the software let you automate patient appointment reminders so your staff doesn’t spend hours contacting patients to remind them of upcoming appointments? Also, see if the application gives you several options – email, text message and phone call – for sending reminders.
• Patient portal: The software should have an online portal that lets patients access their accounts to edit their own information, see their balances and make payments online. This reduces your staff’s workload, because a patient can preregister or modify their address or credit card information without calling the office or taking up staff’s valuable time.
• Check-in and insurance verification: Your staff should be able to quickly check patients in, verify their insurance, determine their copay and collect payment at the time of service.
• Medical billing tools: Medical software should include tools for generating and coding medical claims to submit to payers. A good platform will also include tools for generating patient statements for their out-of-pocket costs that won’t be covered by their insurance policy. In a medical billing module, billers should also have the ability to monitor unpaid claims and statements and follow-up directly within the software.

Clinical Features

Look for an EMR with flexible charting tools that can be customized to each care provider’s liking, as well as seamless integration with the billing software so coders and billers can easily generate claims after a patient’s visit.

• Templates: Templates are pre-generated outlines of different types of notes. They can often be customized and assigned to specific appointment types, ensuring the correct note type populates for whichever type of appointment the patient has scheduled. Templates allow care providers to quickly see the required information fields for each encounter and fill them out accordingly. Many EMR systems allow providers to edit templates on the fly by adding or removing sections that may or may not be relevant to individual encounters.
• E-prescribing: The ability to electronically prescribe medications and review a patient’s active medication history is one of the most important features of an EMR system. Many EMR systems offer warnings about potential drug interactions or patient allergies to help providers avoid prescribing medications that could cause unwanted reactions.
• Labs: Providers can use an EMR system to order lab tests electronically and receive results in a secure inbox. Patients can access this information through the patient portal and use secure messaging systems to discuss results with their providers.
• Telemedicine: Telehealth is a newer element of modern healthcare and one that has been particularly important since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many EMR systems integrate a secure telemedicine component that allows providers to schedule remote appointments with patients and then engage in a video conference with them directly within the platform.
• Recommendations/compliance engine: Some EMR systems feature a recommendation engine that helps providers determine courses of treatment for certain diagnoses, prescribe preferred medications, order certain lab tests, and ensure compliance with government regulation targets, like MIPS and MACRA.

If none of our best picks seem suitable for your medical practice, these alternative options may also work.

NextGen

NextGen is a medical software platform focused on small to mid-sized medical practices with six to 99 providers. It includes practice management tools and an EHR system, so both the administrative and clinical sides of the business are covered. It also includes medical billing tools, e-prescribing functionality, financial management tools and a patient engagement platform, making it a good system to scale along with your practice as it grows.

Practice Fusion

Practice Fusion is a good choice for small practices, especially because it is one of the few medical software platforms that offers a risk-free free trial, no credit card required. While it may be more basic than what a mid-sized practice needs, it’s perfect for very small practices or those just starting out. If you’re not ready yet to make a major investment or commit to a heavy-duty platform, consider Practice Fusion.

eClinicalWorks

eClinicalWorks excels for practices that need a telehealth solution and practice management tools that make managing providers’ schedules easy. It also includes AI-powered tools that can automate repetitive or time-consuming tasks, freeing your staff up to focus on your patients and billing. It also includes tools for dental, vision, and behavioral health specialists, which aren’t always a focus for other platforms.

What about hospitals and health systems?

Large healthcare organizations typically use powerful systems like Epic and Cerner. These market leaders may be overkill for smaller practices, but they’re just what large healthcare systems need. If you’re operating a bigger business and none of the platforms above meet your demands, Epic or Cerner could be the right choice for you.

To determine the best medical software on the market, our team of technology experts and software analysts evaluated an initial list of 46 platforms. Our experts and analysts studied each solution’s functionality and evaluated the products on more than 30 factors, including pricing, fees, front office tools, clinical features, medical billing tools, and customer support.

After whittling our list down to 8, we scheduled live demonstrations and conducted free trials of each platform to see how each stacked up against our expectations. Ultimately, we chose six medical software platforms as our top recommendations.

These factors were broken down into categories and weighted differently in our overall conclusion. The weights were determined based on how much business owners prioritize these criteria when shopping for business software and services and making purchasing decisions.

• Pricing (30%): Our experts and analysts compared and contrasted each vendor’s plans, judging which packages offered the best bang for your buck. We took into account monthly subscription fees, per provider fees, extra charges and the costs of add-on services e-prescribing controlled substances.
• Features (25%): We looked for standard medical software functions both on the practice management and clinical sides. These included patient demographics, insurance eligibility verification, scheduling, and patient portal, as well as patient charting, lab integrations, e-prescribing, medical billing and reporting.
• Ease of Use (20%): We tried the software solutions ourselves, gauging each platform’s learning curve, user-friendliness and customization options. We also considered whether there was a fully featured mobile app for both practice management and clinical functions.
• Implementation and training (15%): We considered how comprehensive a vendor’s implementation and support services were when choosing our best picks. Medical software is complex and a poorly managed implementation process can be severely disruptive. We looked for implementation specialists and training that could get you up and running quickly and successfully the first time.
• Customer Service (10%): We evaluated the range of customer service options, including whether phone assistance was provided with all package tiers. We also examined each vendor’s online resources for businesses interested in self-guided help.

Based on these criteria, we not only determined which medical software our readers could trust but also the ways in which each solution could best serve different business needs. Some platforms were better at certain tasks than others or more suited to a particular type of company. These takeaways informed the “Best for” use cases you see on this page.

To learn more about our methodology, see our full editorial process.

Medical software is now a well-established part of most healthcare organizations’ workflows. From hospitals and enterprise health systems to single-provider practices, almost everyone uses medical software thanks to government incentives and penalties intended to spur mass adoption.

In 2024, look for continued updates to existing medical software platforms, a consolidation of brands in the industry, and healthcare providers settling into the systems they’ve chosen for their practices, given the significant upfront investment in capital and time.

Allied Market Research has reported that the global medical software industry will reach $63.8 billion by 2030, up from $30.6 billion in 2020, according to Allied Market Research. That represents a 7.7 percent compound annual growth rate over 10 years.

According to the report, the space is mainly driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). New developments in this technology are already bearing this out. For example, some doctors are using DocsGPT, a ChatGPT-powered platform, to write post-surgery instructions, patient referrals and death certificates. The platform is powerful enough that leading EMR vendors may eventually have little choice but to fully integrate it into their software.

AI is also proving to be useful in the development of new patient care systems. NYU Langone Health researchers recently found success with using ChatGPT to facilitate communication between medical professionals and developers on patient messaging systems.

In this study, ChatGPT has been helpful in translating nuanced medically-focused prompts from doctors and nurses into language developers can understand. This advancement could prove beneficial in designing patient messaging systems that provide relevant, helpful tips for patients with conditions such as diabetes.

In 2024, another type of technology may start being integrated into the umbrella of medical software. According to Virti research, 77 percent of healthcare organizations are using virtual reality (VR) for staff training in pre-operative preparation, empathy and communication. Expect VR to gradually join EMR and PMS as types of technology included in the medical software umbrella in 2023.

An emphasis on data security is expected as the use of cloud-based software continues. This emphasis may become especially prevalent in light of the October 2023 announcement that the medical billing service Arietis Health experienced a major data breach. A suspected ransomware attack on UnitedHealth Group unit Change Healthcare in February 2024 may contribute to this focus on security as well. Expect your medical software provider to respond with increased security measures – and the expectation that your practice ups its cybersecurity as well.

Alongside security, quality in medical billing may be emphasized in 2024. According to a December 2023 study, only 38 percent of U.S. hospitals met three key billing criteria. These were the timely delivery of itemized patient bills, patient access to qualified billing employees and hospital legal action on outstanding patient payments. Given hospitals’ lacking quality on all these fronts, expect medical billing services to prioritize them in 2024 for health systems of all sizes.

There may also be consumer and legislation expectations that medical practices prioritize transparency in their billing. In Texas, for example, a new law requires hospitals to provide patients with clear, itemized invoices ahead of sending them to collections. In Colorado, one consumer made national headlines with his complaints to the state government about billing errors that could affect tens of thousands of people. This suggests that a strong focus on billing transparency is necessary for medical practices in 2024.

Similarly, in Minnesota, the Attorney General’s office is investigating the billing procedures of the health systems Mayo Clinic and Allina Health. This investigation indicates an increasing government focus on medical billing practices that keep consumers happy. Using your medical software to power this billing transparency should be a prerogative in 2024.

Additionally, the No Surprises Act that went into effect in 2023 and banned unexpected medical bills for patients came under fire in 2023 – and continues to be disputed in 2024. In February 2023, a federal district court struck down part of the law, but in July 2023, federal executive agencies asked the court to reverse this decision. In April 2024, the Litigation Center for the American Medical Association filed an amicus brief requesting the original decision be upheld. As approximately 30 public companies labeled the Act a risk in November 2023, it’s apparent this law will continue to be contested in court.

The Biden administration’s 2024 progress report suggests that this labeling is correct. In more than 80 percent of Act-related legal disputes, mandated insured payments to out-of-network providers exceeded their equivalents for contracted providers. The three federal agencies co-managing the Act are also spending significantly more time enforcing it than expected. As enforcement of the Act changes, practices may need to alter how they use their medical software to oversee patient billing. The No Surprises Act is thus key to keep track of in 2024.