Top 8 Electronic Health Record (EHR) Software for 2024

Electronic Health Record (EHR) software is a platform that centralizes and digitizes patient health information and provides comprehensive and real-time access to medical data for healthcare professionals. It includes patient history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, and test results. EHRs streamline workflows, enhance care coordination, and support informed decision-making.

However, choosing the right electronic health record software poses challenges for many practices due to varying system functionalities and the dynamic nature of healthcare technology. Also, each electronic health record software has unique features, costs, and implementation needs.

Moreover, compatibility with existing systems and user-friendliness further complicate the decision-making process for healthcare practices. If you are looking for the best EHR software in 2024, this blog serves as a detailed guide to your needs.
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What to Look for in an Electronic Health Record Software

All EHR software is not built the same. Each of them offer unique features, capabilities and user experience. Their variation in design, functionality and usability makes it crucial for healthcare practices to thoroughly evaluate the options before zeroing their decision. Therefore, when selecting an electronic health record software for your healthcare practice, consider the following key factors:

• Usability: When considering an EHR, prioritize usability to ensure healthcare professionals can easily navigate the system. An intuitive interface streamlines workflows and reduces the learning curve for users. User-friendly EHRs also contribute to increased efficiency, minimized errors, and enhanced overall satisfaction among staff.
  

• Interoperability: Opt for an electronic health record software that excels in interoperability and seamlessly integrates with existing healthcare systems. This capability allows efficient data exchange between different platforms and improves collaboration among healthcare providers. It also contributes to comprehensive patient care by providing a unified view of patient information, regardless of the source system.
  

• Comprehensive Features: Evaluate the scope of features offered by the EHR to ensure that it covers a broad range of functionalities crucial to the healthcare organization. Beyond core features like patient records, assess support for e-prescribing, appointment scheduling, billing, and reporting. A comprehensive EHR adapts to diverse organizational needs and offers a holistic solution for efficient healthcare management.
  

• Customization Options: Look for EHR software that provides robust customization options, allowing adaptation to the unique workflows and requirements of the healthcare practice. Customizable EHRs enable organizations to tailor the system to specific specialties, ensuring seamless integration with existing processes and enhancing overall usability.
  

• Scalability: Ensure the selected electronic health record software is scalable to accommodate the practice's growth. A scalable EHR adapts to increased patient numbers and remains a sustainable and valuable asset as the practice evolves.
  

• Security Measures: Check for security features in EHR software, like encryption, access control, etc., to create a robust defense against potential threats. These measures also ensure the confidentiality and integrity of patient health information. 
  

• Vendor Reputation and Support: Thoroughly research the reputation of the EHR vendor by assessing its reliability and commitment to customer support. A vendor with a positive track record is more likely to offer a stable and well-supported EHR system. Responsive customer support is also essential to address issues promptly, minimizing downtime, and ensuring a smooth user experience.

List of Electronic Health Record Software

Here are eight best EHR software for healthcare practices in 2024:

1. Epic EHR

Epic offers a cloud-based EHR solution to meet the needs of various healthcare specialties, community hospitals, and independent practices. This EHR software prioritizes patient engagement and remote care facilitation. It is a native Android and iOS app with multiple telehealth options. Epic supports a range of functionalities, including video visits, post-surgical follow-ups, and patient monitoring features.

Standout Features

• Appointment Management: Schedules and manages appointments for patients, healthcare providers, and resources and streamlines the booking process with intuitive scheduling tools.
  
• Billing Management: Handles billing processes, including claims submission, payment processing, and revenue reporting, and ensures accurate coding and documentation to optimize reimbursement. 
  
• Clinical Workflow: Enhances clinical workflows with customizable templates and streamlined documentation processes and enhances collaboration among healthcare team members. 
  
• Document Management: Allows for efficient storage, retrieval, and management of electronic documents, such as patient records, lab results, and imaging reports.

2. Practice Fusion 

Practice Fusion is another cloud-based EHR software that fosters collaborative environments for treatment teams and healthcare professionals. Its electronic medical records are meticulously crafted with input from medical professionals, service providers, analysts, and patients. The Practice Fusion app features a patient portal to empower patients to conveniently access their Personal Health Records (PHR). This enhances engagement in the healthcare process and fosters a patient-centered approach to care.

Standout Features

• User-Friendly Interface: Provides an intuitive and easy-to-use interface that allows healthcare providers to quickly navigate and access patient information without extensive training.
  
• Customizable Templates: Provides templates for documenting patient encounters and allows providers to personalize the system to match their specialty and workflow preferences.
  
• E-Prescribing: Enables healthcare professionals to electronically send prescriptions to pharmacies and enhance medication management and patient safety.
  
• Lab Integration: Supports seamless integration with laboratory systems and facilitates electronic ordering and receiving of lab tests and results directly within the EHR.

3. Cerner

Cerner EHR, developed by physicians, delivers fully functional medical software for practices of all sizes and specialties. Its customizable workflows cater to over 55 medical specialties and ensure adaptability to diverse practice needs. The scheduling system is intuitively designed to meet administrative staff and patients' needs, prioritizing user-friendliness. With a physician-led approach and extensive specialty support, Cerner EHR offers comprehensive solutions for patient care.‍

Standout Features

• Interoperability: Enables seamless data exchange between different healthcare systems and facilitates collaboration among healthcare providers to ensure that patient information is readily accessible 
  
• Clinical Decision Support: Incorporates advanced clinical decision support tools that provide healthcare professionals with real-time guidance and alerts at the point of care and help improve clinical decision-making.
  
• Population Health Management: Allows healthcare practices to identify and manage high-risk patient populations, implement preventive care measures, and improve population health outcomes.
  
• Customization and Flexibility: Provides extensive customization options to allow practices to customize the system to their unique needs and workflows.

4. Allscripts 

Allscripts Professional EHR software is tailored for healthcare practices that want to streamline clinical and operational workflows. The software follows a seamless and interconnected approach to patient record management. Its open platform facilitates enhanced collaboration among all patient care providers and fosters improved diagnosis, decision-making, and treatment outcomes. It is available as a web-based solution with an iOS application option.  

Standout Features

• Comprehensive EHR Management: Provides a comprehensive suite of tools covering patient demographics, medical history, diagnoses, medications, and treatment plans. 
  
• Clinical Decision Support: Help practices with improved clinical decision-making and ensure adherence to evidence-based practices with real-time guidance.
  
• Integrated Practice Management: Integrates practice management functionalities, such as scheduling, billing, and RCM, into its EHR system for a streamlined administrative process.
  
• Analytics and Reporting: Provides robust analytics and reporting capabilities to allow practices to derive insights from data, monitor performance metrics, and drive continuous improvement in care delivery.
  

5. eClinicalWorks

eClinicalWorks EHR system is designed to enhance provider workflow across desktop, mobile, and tablet platforms. With support for over 40 specialties and subspecialties, the system boasts a comprehensive range of functionalities backed by an integrated database. Additionally, users can establish their network of care providers, including collaboration, and ensure seamless care coordination for improved patient outcomes.

Standout Features

• Telehealth Capabilities: Enables remote consultations and virtual care delivery. This expands access to healthcare services, improves patient convenience, and enhances continuity of care.
  
• Chronic Care Management: Allows healthcare providers to monitor and manage patients with chronic conditions more effectively, improve outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs.
  
• Care Coordination Tools: Enables healthcare providers to collaborate effectively across different specialties and care settings using the latest tools for care team communication, referral management, and care transitions.

6. NextGen Healthcare

NextGen Healthcare offers a robust and fully integrated technology and services platform to meet the unique requirements of ambulatory and specialty practices. Through national interoperability, this EHR software facilitates the seamless exchange of patient data across diverse systems and ensures accessibility to health information regardless of the patient's treatment location. 

Standout Features

• Interoperability: Allows efficient data exchange between healthcare systems and enables care coordination across various care settings.
• Customizable Templates and Workflows: Allows for customizable templates and workflows to match healthcare practices' specific needs and preferences and enhance efficiency and usability.
  
• Health Information Exchange (HIE): Facilitates health information exchange (HIE) by enabling the secure sharing of patient information between healthcare providers, laboratories, pharmacies, and other entities.
  
• Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI): Provides efficient tools for clinical documentation improvement (CDI) and helps practices ensure accurate and complete documentation of patient encounters.

7. AthenaOne

athenaOne is a comprehensive solution crafted to meet the diverse needs of practices and organizations across the healthcare landscape. With a focus on seamless operation, it offers intuitive EHR and EHR app functionalities alongside exceptional customer service and transparent pricing structures. This holistic approach ensures that healthcare providers of all sizes can navigate the intricacies of modern healthcare with confidence and efficiency.

Standout Features

• Cloud-Based Platform: Ensures accessibility from any internet-enabled device to facilitate remote access to patient information and clinical workflows.
  
• Patient Engagement Tools: Offers patient engagement tools such as patient portals and mobile apps to allow patients to check their health records, schedule appointments, and communicate securely with their healthcare providers.
  
• Appointment Reminders and Scheduling: Helps healthcare practices reduce no-shows, improve patient attendance rates with appointment reminders, and optimize appointment scheduling.
  
• Telehealth Capabilities: Enables remote consultations and virtual care delivery to expand access to healthcare services and improve patient convenience.
  

8. DrChrono

DrChrono is a comprehensive solution for EHR, practice management, and billing to cater to practices of all sizes. With its user-friendly API, DrChrono facilitates seamless interaction for both medical professionals and patients. The platform prioritizes effortless communication and provides automated email/text reminders for appointments. Its mobile app helps patients access their records on the go. Additionally, patients can conveniently schedule appointments, directly communicate with their clinicians, and ensure efficient management of healthcare interactions.  

• Mobile Access: Offers a mobile app that allows healthcare practices to access patient information, manage appointments, e-prescribe medications, and document encounters on the go.
• Patient Check-In Kiosk: Provides a patient check-in kiosk feature that streamlines the check-in process and allows patients to verify their information and complete necessary forms electronically upon arrival at the clinic.
  
• Integration with Wearable Devices: Integrates with wearable devices and health tracking apps to allow patients to sync their health data directly into their electronic health records for a more detailed view of their health status.
  
• Speech Recognition: Allows healthcare providers to dictate clinical notes and documentation to improve efficiency and reduce the need for manual data entry.

Conclusion 

As technology continues to advance, EHR software is set to play a crucial role in shaping the future of healthcare delivery. The integration of AI and ML into this software will allow more accurate diagnosis, personalized treatment plans, and predictive analytics for identifying at-risk patients. The continued evolution of EHR software is expected to transform healthcare delivery by enhancing efficiency, quality of care, and patient outcomes. Therefore, practices looking forward to sailing through such transformation must collaborate with experts. It will help them with specialized knowledge and insights, helping them to implement and optimize EHR systems effectively.

At Invensis, we utilize EHR to support medical practices in streamlining different administrative tasks such as appointment scheduling, patient record management, billing, and coding. We also provide them customizable reporting tools within EHR systems and help them generate comprehensive reports for recording patient information, diagnoses and more. Contact us to improve clinical decision-making and care coordination with our RCM services.