The 10 Best Cloud-based EHR Softwares of the Year – Features, Reviews and Pricing

1.     Every industry has gone through a transformation, wherein they’ve adopted digital  mechanisms. This shift is notable across the healthcare department too, where  transformations conventionally have been gradual. This transformation in the healthcare  sector can be seen in the way numerous players have adopted electronic health records  (EHR) software(s) into their systems. Moving on from managing numerous records  manually, digitization has helped healthcare institutions and individuals/patients  significantly. From scheduling appointments to billing to reimbursement claims to  review medical histories, EHR is playing a pivotal role in the way today’s healthcare  landscape shapes up.  In this day and age, where physical space brings with its astronomical costs, cloud-based  solutions have been gaining momentum. Similarly, a cloud based EHR solution is now  seen as a cost-effective solution for maintaining all the records on a cloud server, rather  than an internal one. Top ​cloud based EHR software​(s) bring with it the freedom of  customization and updates that are more than often taken care of by the provider.  While this transformation is being embraced with open arms, healthcare institutions  and hospitals are finding it difficult to choose among the best cloud based EHR  softwares for their organization. Though the software is aimed at easing out the  processes, the decision to choose the one that matches their institution is a complex  one. Owing to its capabilities, features and customization properties, healthcare  institutions have their work cut out in choosing the right one.  To aid in the process of selection, we’ve gone through a few EHR software solutions and  compiled a list of the best cloud based EHR softwares that we could find: 

2. 10 Best Cloud-based EHR Softwares of  the Year 2020  1. athenahealth EHR Software    athenahealth is one of the best cloud based EHR softwares that manages numerous  aspects that includes the likes of patient management, medical billing, revenue cycle  management, population health management and care coordination. Being a top cloud  based EHR software, athenahealth provides high quality assistance by undertaking  quality and administrative services on the doctor’s behalf. On the other hand, patients  can use the portal to pay their bills, schedule appointments, sign forms and to review  their history.  Key Features  The key features of athenahealth under hospital management are:  Appointment scheduling  Claims management  Inventory management  Accounting integration  Bed management  Medical billing  Policy management  ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

3. Physician management  Pricing  athenahealth offers numerous pricing plans, with the basic plans starting at $140 per  month, per user.  ● Reviews Unplugged  Pros  ● Provides a lot of learning and training modules to help the staff  ● The software is versatile and can run on any OS  ● Constantly innovates, through relevant updates  ● Robust and effective reporting module  ● The team is always open for feedback, with the feedback regularly  implemented     Cons  ● Clearance of claims isn’t a seamless process  ● With too many features, there is a learning curve involved in getting used to the  software  ● The task assignment overrides (TAO) is complicated and takes some learning to  understand  ● The communication preferences need to be adjusted to reduce the number of  notifications  2. DrChrono EHR Software   

4. DrChrono’s EHR software is one of the most reliable and top cloud based HER software  solutions for medical practices. Its revenue cycle management services and practice  management software cater to institutions of all sizes. It is also the first organization to  develop an EMR app for the iOS platform. It has also been the number 1 EMR for four  years in a row according to Black Book Rankings’ survey. Thanks to its effectiveness,  DrChrono is known for streamlining workflow and increasing operational and  administrative efficiency.     Key Features  Being one of the best cloud based EHR softwares, DrChrono hosts numerous features  that includes the likes of:  Billing statement generation  Customized content forms  Direct messaging to physicians  Reimbursement management  Electronic remittance advice  Profitability analysis  Integrated billing  Pricing  DrChrono offers a free trial, with its plans starting from $99 per month.  ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Reviews Unplugged  Pros  ● Clutter-free interface  ● Batch refills and ordering of medication are easy  ● Fast and reliable EHR software  ● Offers numerous customizable templates  ● Customer support is impeccable     Cons  Mobile app integration is not up to the mark  No option to change the check-in patient tab  Price is increasing steadily every year  Some functions aren’t as effective as advertised  3. Practice Fusion EHR Software  ● ● ● ●

5.   Practice Fusion’s EHR Software was launched with the singular purpose of improving  the exchange of information between patients’ and doctors while increasing and  improving efficiency of medical services. With a reputation of being the largest and one  of the top cloud based EHR software present today, Practice Fusion has transformed the  future of the healthcare industry by offering solutions that are not limited to the needs of  patients and doctors, but also those of pharmacies, labs, imaging centres and other  healthcare businesses. With a team of experts, Practice Fusion performs every function  that you would expect from the best cloud based EHR softwares.  Key Features  Being one of the best in the industry, here are a list of the cloud based EHR software  features that Practice Fusion offers:  Appointment scheduling  Compliance tracking  Self-service portal  Voice recognition  E-prescribing  ONC-ATCB Certified  Pricing  ● ● ● ● ● ● Practice Fusion offers a free trial, while its pricing starts at $99.00 per month, per user.  Reveiews Unplugged  Pros 

6. The software is easy to use  The fax system coordinates with the software system allowing easy uploads of  charts  The software provides seamless and fast integration with labs  Effective interface with numerous virtual products  Turn around time for support is very quick  ● ● ● ● ●    Cons  Slow to add any new features or customizations  Reaching customer support for any query is problematic  Can be linked to only limited billing systems  Lot of features are not optimized for mobile usage  4. AdvancedMD  ● ● ● ●   AdvancedMD is a top cloud based EHR software that is designed for physical therapy,  mental health, healthcare organizations and physician practices. By automating the  patient journey with integrated workflows, the software aims at improving the patient  experience right from self-scheduling to telemedicine appointments. The platform also  provides one of the highest levels of security, with its browser working across Windows  and Mac operating systems and its mobile app for both iOS and Android platforms.  Key Features  Features of AdvancedMD include: 

7. Practice management  Electronic health records  Medical billing  Patient engagement tools  Telemedicine functionality  Patient charts  Reputation management  Financial analytics  Business intelligence reporting  Pricing  AdvancedMD offers multiple flexible plans with the basic plan starting from $169 per  provider.  ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Reviews Unplugged  Pros  ● Trustworthy service for billing, tracking claims, verifying insurance coverage  among other things  ● Customer service is very responsive and helpful  ● The software is customizable  ● Functionality and capability of the software are top notch     Cons  No option to do automated write offs within the system  No easy way to track the notes, other than searching them one by one  Not as intuitive as expected  Certain necessary features demand an extra cost apart from the monthly cost one pays  ● ● ● 5. prognoCIS 

8.   One of the best cloud based EHR softwares, PrognoCIS has the reputation of being a  flexible and fast individual provider workflow that hosts a series of features. With features  that are useful for both hospitals and private practices, PrognoCIS leads the charge  across virtual medical encounters. The platform also hosts a dedicated portal for patients  where they can communicate with the doctors securely, along with sharing lab test  results, get prescription refills and set appointments.  Key Features  PrognoCIS has numerous features that include the likes of:  Practice management  Technical support  Dedicated patient portal  Medication management   Revenue cycle management  E-prescription  HIPAA compliant  Pricing  PrognoCIS offers a free trial and their EMR plans start from $250 per month.  ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Reviews Unplugged  Pros  ● Flexible software that can be optimized based on the functionality  ● An adaptable software that provides multiple customizations 

9. Extremely user-friendly for small practices  ●    Cons  Too many clicks across different pages to perform a simple function  Technical support is erratic  More than often, tickets get closed without any resolutions  6. Kareo Clinical EHR  ● ● ●   Kareo Clinical is one of the top cloud based EHR software which also has the reputation  of being one of the most dependable electronic health records, revenue cycle  management and practice management solutions in the market. Designed keeping in  mind private practices, Kareo Clinical EHR is one of the best cloud based EHR softwares  that is easy to use and customizable, with its comprehensive dashboard that allows  integrated patient portal, electronic superbills, e-prescribing among others. The software  is also user friendly, and seamlessly manages the workflow between the front and back  offices.  Key Features  Kareo Clinic EHR has all the cloud based EHR software features that include:  Comprehensive dashboard  E-prescribing  Patient portal  Secure messaging  ● ● ● ●

10. Electronic superbills  Flexible calendar  Agenda overview  Pricing  ● ● ● Kareo Clinical HER has plans that start from $160 per month. They do not offer a free trial.  Reviews Unplugged  Pros  ● User-friendly interface and easy to use even for people with little software  experience  ● Adaptable to a wide variety of documentation scenarios  ● Very responsive customer care     Cons  ● No auto save feature while creating progress notes  ● No mechanism to transfer data in bulk. Must be done individually  ● Infrequent and non-responsive when it comes to program updates  7. NextGen Office    Founded with the goal to make medical office run more smoothly, NextGen Office is a  top cloud based EHR software that is specially designed for private practices. The  software allows users to touch, talk or type into the documentation directly. With all the  bells and whistles of a top cloud based EHR software that include the likes of insurance 

11. eligibility, scheduling appointments and referral exchange features, NextGen Office is  compatible with all the browsers along with following HIPAA compliance.  Key Features  Features of NextGen Office include:  Appointment scheduling  Handwriting recognition  Voice recognition  Self-service portal  Compliance tracking  ONC-ATCB Certified  Pricing  NextGen Office does not provide a free trial. The pricing plans for NextGen Office are  available only on request.  ● ● ● ● ● ● Reviews Unplugged  Pros  ● Easy to use software  ● Saves a lot of administrative time  ● Free webinars are conducted daily to understand different topics  ● Customizable and flexible, the software offers good SQL performance     Cons  Being one of the oldest in the market, some aspects are phased out in  comparison with more complex systems  Complaints and tickets are closed with a simple response on the mail.  Sometimes this does not necessarily mean that the complaint is resolved  To get the best out of the software, expensive licensing and high maintenance PCs are  required  ● ● 8. ChiroTouch 

12.   Designed for small and midsized chiropractic practices, ChiroTouch combines electronic  health records, patient scheduling, outcomes assessment, billing, inventory  management, all in a single suite. Being one of the top cloud based EHR software, it also  provides wireless support and lab integration on PC and also through the CTProvider  app. The application of ChiroTouch also features claim scrubbing, automatic batch  posting, eligibility inquiry among other options.  Key Features  Features of ChiroTouch include:  Appointment management  Billing & Invoicing  Claims management  Outcome assessments  SOAP notes  Patient records  Pricing  ● ● ● ● ● ● ChiroTouch does not offer a free trial, and its plans start at $259 per month.  Reviews Unplugged  Pros  ● User-friendly interface, where one can learn how to navigate it easily  ● Billing process in accounting is very well set up, with easy navigation 

13. The software offers customization with color coding, and different views of the  schedule area  Software updates are regular with minimal glitches  ● ●    Cons  Occasional hiccups with the support not being responsive  No integration with QuickBooks  Navigating through the reports section is cumbersome  The software allows way too much room for human error  9. eClinicalWorks  ● ● ● ●   eClinicalWorks follows a structured suite where it provides technology in every stage of  the patient care delivery process. Being one of the best cloud based EHR softwares, one  can access features like customizable reminders healthcare analytics, patient  engagement with the software. The software also allows for customizable  documentation, structured data capture, trend analysis across different healthcare  sectors. eCW’s Healow app also allows to tract patient’s data from their home  monitoring devices, ensuring physicians can stay connected with their patients for  activity, progress and other vital signs.  Key Features  With all cloud based EHR software features, eClinicalWorks’ list of features include:  eClinicalWorks P2P  ●

14. Patients portal  Referral management  Registry reporting  Meaningful use dashboard  E-Prescribing  Registry reporting  Disaster recovery  Billing implementation services  Practice management  Pricing  eClinicalWorks does not offer a free trial, with its basic plan starting at $449 per  month/provider.  ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Reviews Unplugged  Pros  ● The search patient feature alerts you whenever there are two patients with the  same name  ● The chart documents are organised intuitively, so it is easy to find a specific  document when in need  ● Printing anything is smooth  ● Setting-up is seamless  ● Its features make it an all-comprehensive product     Cons  ● The customer support is erratic, and most of the representatives do not speak  English as their first language  ● Some features require a lot of clicks to navigate  ● Sometimes document viewing requires multiple log ins, multiple passwords  10. AllScripts Professional EHR 

15.   AllScripts Professional is a comprehensive software for large hospital practices. Being  one of the best cloud based EHR softwares, it also manages aspects pertaining to  revenue cycle right from eligibility verification to patient collection. These features allow  practices to track, respond and monitor their operational and financial performance.  Key Features  AllScripts Professional comes with a wide range of features including:  Appointment scheduling  Compliance tracking  Self-service portal  E-Prescribing  ONC-ATCB Certified  Voice recognition  Pricing  AllScripts professional does not offer a free trial. For pricing details, one must contact the  company directly.  ● ● ● ● ● ● Reviews Unplugged  Pros  ● Simplifies the documentation process and works efficiently  ● Easy to follow tasks under each patient  ● Customizable dashboard based on one’s needs and preferences  ● Reliable and easy to use system 

16.    Cons  Not as user-friendly as others in the market  The updates are glitchy  Customer service is not efficient  Every additional function is laden with extra costs  Frequently Asked Questions about Cloud  Based EHR Software  ● ● ● ● What are the reasons to opt for Cloud-based EHR  systems over In-house   EHR systems across the world have become indispensable in today’s day and age. These  systems are broadly categorized as Cloud-based EHR systems or in-house EHR systems.  Since the inception of EHR systems, practices have adopted the in-house systems  wherein they store data in house, with a different server, hardware, and software  solutions installed in the office. But, more and more practices are seeing the advantages  of cloud-based EHR systems. Let us look at a few of the advantages:   Simpler implementation   Cloud-based EHR systems require just a stable internet connection and a computer to  be up and running. With no hardware or software installation like the in-house EHR  systems, medical practices can implement cloud-based systems with ease.   Higher savings   Cloud-based EHR systems are relatively pocket-friendly for medical practices. The  installation costs are one of the biggest hurdles in implementing an EHR system, and  the cloud-based system takes care of that facet. It relieves a practice of different  installation, licensing, maintenance, updates, and security patches costs, which are all  applicable in an in-house EHR system.   Requirement of IT resources   By using cloud-based EHR systems, medical practices need not invest in a  well-equipped IT team to take care of the installation, configuration, testing, running,  and updating the hardware and software. By having all of these on the cloud through a  SaaS provider, updates and installations are done automatically without the IT team.      What is the difference: EHR vs EMR  

17. EHR and EMR software(s) are used interchangeably by almost everyone. However, there  are intricate differences between the two. Before we differentiate EHR and EMR  software(s), let us look at each of them individually.   Electronic Medical Records(EHRs) or Electronic Medical Records(EMRs) are both digital  versions of the different charts in a clinician’s office. The EMR contains the treatment and  medical history of the patients. It also allows clinicians to track different patient data over  time. It also helps them in identifying the patients that need preventive checkups or  screenings. EHR also allows doctors and clinicians to check how their patients are doing,  by monitoring different readings that include the likes of blood pressure, sugar levels,  vaccinations among others. Owing to these facets, EMRs have improved the overall  quality of care that is offered by various practices.   When we look at the EHR and EMR software(s) and their differences, EHRs or Electronic  health records do all the things that EMRs do and a lot more. EHRs focus on the holistic  health of the patient by going well beyond the standard clinical data that is collected.  This helps clinicians gather a broader perspective on the patient and the care that is  needed. EHRs also allow patient data to be shared among different designated entities  like laboratories, clinics, insurance providers to have a complete outlook of the patient.   How much does an EHR Software cost?   Every medical practice that wants to implement an EHR software wants to know the  EHR software cost in the market. The average EHR software cost can range anywhere  between $15,000 to $70,000 per provider. This also depends on whether a practice  chooses a cloud-based EHR system or an in-house EHR system. While the former has a  fixed monthly subscription cost, the latter requires one to pay ongoing costs to manage  and support the on-site servers. Moreover, practices must look at 5 other factors to get a  clearer and more accurate idea of the EHR software cost. These are:   Hardware that needs to be installed, and the costs incurred during the same.   EHR software that is being deployed, and the ancillary costs that come with it.  This could include additional modules, plugins, upgrades among other factors.   Implementation assistance is required in the initial phases. Some processes  need contractors, IT personnel, electricians, installation support staff among  others.   Training needed for the in-house staff to familiarize themselves with the  processes. Nurses, office staff, administrative staff, physicians need to  understand how the software can be used to their advantage, and training  sessions are needed for the same.   Maintenance fees: Every EHR software has potential ongoing costs that include  the likes of telecom fees, IT support fees, maintenance agreements, licensing  costs. These costs have to be accounted for while considering an EHR software  cost.   ● ● ● ● ●

18.    What is a Chiropractic EHR software and what are  its features?  Designed especially for chiropractors, the chiropractic EHR software is an integrated,  specialized software solution that is equipped with the necessary workflows, tools, and  processes to help relieve a patient from discomfort and pain. A chiropractic EHR  software is designed specifically to handle the unique requirements and workflows of  chiropractic clinics. They also provide the requisite features and templates that simplify  the documentation, billing, and care delivery processes. The best chiropractic EHR  software also helps their staff record different patient demographics, perform billing  operations, manage reports and appointments, improving the workflow and efficiency of  chiropractors.   A good chiropractic EHR software has numerous features that include the likes of:   Referral Management  E&M Coding Assistance  Flexible charting styles  Mobile App device access  ICD-10 Compliant  Scan in your charts or access a variety of them   Single database for EHR and Practice Management  Local professional implementation, support services, and training  ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●    What does an EHR software for behavioral health  do?   In recent years, we have seen an integration between mental and physical health in  every practice. This realization has also led to different care organizations in coming up  with EHR software for behavioral health. Behavioral health has always had complex  processes and distinctive requirements, and all these are handled with EHR software for  behavioral health. These help patients and improve a practice’s efficiency in handling  workflows by reducing the amount of time one dedicates to redundant and repetitive  tasks. The EHR software for behavioral health relieves a clinician from tasks related to  billing, scheduling, and documentation. The specialty specific nature of the EHR  software for behavioral health is bound to help practitioners in providing patients with  personalized care to improve the outcomes.   What does an EHR software for mental health do?  

19. In today’s world, while awareness towards mental health has increased, the  implementation of technology that supports the diagnosis and betterment of mental  health is still awaiting widespread usage. Similar to its effect on the health and  well-being of patients and practitioners, implementing an EHR software for mental  health can greatly help in bringing seamlessness into the field. EHR software for mental  health can help physiatrists in feeding all the requisite details without having to worry  about missing out on any details. This also reduces clinical errors and gives out detailed  information of a patient which forms the foundation for giving out the right mental  health diagnosis. The EHR software for medical health is different from the traditional  EHR software in terms of the classifications, codes, medical language, regulations, and  data reporting tools that are present. An EHR software for mental health is also  subjected to elevated privacy regulations beyond the traditional HIPAA requirements.