Practice management software (PMS) is the backbone of any medical practice. It incorporates medical record keeping with administrative features like insurance billing and scheduling, so your firm can free up time to focus on growth and revenue cycle management.
The question isn’t whether to get one, but which one is best for your practice. Some PMSs like NextGen cover all fields, whereas others focus on therapy and psychiatry. You’ll have to narrow down the options based on what type of medicine you practice and the size of your firm. It’s a big decision with far-reaching consequences.
I interviewed Robert Gutman, a practice manager and biller in Orlando, FL with 20+ years of experience to better understand the needs of each practitioner and which PMS is best for the job.
“PMSs pretty much integrate all of the services that you need. Demographic data, doctor’s portion,” Robert explained. “It all flows through to the billing.”
How much do practice management software cost?
“For full practice management software with all the bells and whistles, for about $400 – $500/month, you can get unlimited users,” said Robert. “Receptionists, schedulers, billers, and all support staff all get included. It’s a pretty good deal.”
He explained that most practitioners will benefit from the full package. “Some providers start out cheaper, but they sell you services à la carte, and in the end it’s the same amount or more,” he explained.
“If you have a really small practice, the à la carte services can make sense. Otherwise, it’s just better to go with the full service. It’s just like flying — cheap upfront tickets end up costing more once you add checked bags.”
“It’s like using a smart phone versus having a flip phone,” said Robert. “It’s much more efficient. You can’t really survive without a PMS today.”
Robert Gutman, practice manager with 20+ years experience
Purpose
The purpose of practice management software is to automate the storage and transfer of patient data, as well as demographic documentation and subsequent billing.
Practice Management Software is effectively a core system that handles doctors’ manual exam documentation, patient scheduling, and insurance paperwork.
It does not, however, handle non-patient vendor relationships like the purchase of machines and supplies. It also doesn’t handle doctor credentialing with insurance firms, which is where you need help from practice managers.
“There’s no organization of practitioners, unfortunately, so each doctor is just sort of on his or her own. It’s so competitive that doctors are not so interested in teaming up. That’s why doctors need to get the right EHR so their teams can work in the same place,” Robert explained.
What does practice management software do?
Practically speaking, PMS uses intuitive step-by-step guides to record patient data, notes, and scheduling. They handle data transfer to clearing houses and insurance companies to ensure billing goes smoothly.
They eliminate the manual work so you can focus on what matters most: the patient.
Tasks
PMS automate or partially automate the following tasks:
- Record keeping
- Prescriptions
- Lab Orders
- Consultations
- Scheduling
- Note taking
- Guided interview diagnosis. “This is the part where, as you ask questions and check boxes, it leads you to the codes you need. It’s almost like Artificial Intelligence,” Robert explained.
- Billing codification
- Clearing house management. Your billing person will know how important this is.
The Importance of Record Keeping
Record keeping is everything in medicine. Without proper records, it’s unlikely practitioners can provide optimal service because previous medical conditions and operations impact the present. That’s what Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are for.
Practice management software incorporate EHRs, which automate record keeping,
Electronic Health Record (EHR) vs Practice Management Software
An Electronic Health Record (EHR) system is documentation software that securely stores and transfers patient records, whereas Practice Management Software is a larger system that includes EHR and other functions such as medical billing.
“The truth is EHRs have become synonymous with billing,” Robert told me. “They’re basically the same thing today.” When you get practice management software, you also get an EHR.
Why You Should Use a PMS
Everyone is doing it. Some old-school practitioners still do the heavy lifting manually, and some even use paper. But they’re at as strong disadvantage.
“It’s like using a smart phone versus having a flip phone,” said Robert. “It’s much more efficient. You can’t really survive without it today.”
PMSs are the new norm simply because they make you so much faster and accurate. A microcosmic way to view it is like MS Word. You could keep writing by hand, but typing into word is faster, more legible, and has spell check. It’s hard to imagine anything done the old way now, and for good reason.
For only $400 – $500/month max, it hardly seems like a question.
Do you need someone to run your PMS?
The truth is you don’t need someone to run your PMS for you, and that’s sort of the point. With a learning curve you can perform all of the basic functions required to intake, treat, and get paid.
That said, you may benefit from having a billing professional on the team in the long run. Insurance companies can be tricky, and given that codes evolve over time to combat things like fraud, a skilled professional running the system will ensure your requests don’t get bounced back.
These professionals are often Certified Professional Coders (CPC), but the certificate isn’t a requirement. In fact, many CPCs have a reputation for book smarts but lack in-the-field experience to perform well on the job.
“A lot of CPCs I’ve seen know the theory, but nothing replaces in the field training,” explained Robert.
Moreover, the PMS will bring your practice’s teams together. “Multiple people use different parts of the EHR,” said Robert. “The doctor using the medical records side, the receptionist and/or scheduler uses the scheduling functionality, and the biller runs your billing.”
What’s the best practice management software?
Here are our top picks for practice management software:
| Practice Field | Software |
|---|---|
| Family Doctors | NextGen read review→ |
| Pediatricians | NextGen read review→ |
| Internists | Athena read review→ |
| Psychiatrists | Simple Practice read review→ |
| OBGYNs | Athena read review→ |
| Chiropractors | Chiro Touch read review→ |
| Radiologists | AdvancedMD read review→ |
| Dentist | Meditab read review→ |
| Therapist | Valent read review→ |
| General Practitioners | NextGen read review→ |
| Neurologists | PrognoCIS read review→ |
| Cardiologists | NextGen read review→ |
| Immunologists/Allergists | NextGen read review→ |
| Dermatologists | NextGen read review→ |
| Endocrinologists | NextGen read review→ |
| Gastroenterologists | ChartLogic read review→ |
| Geriatric Medicine Specialists | NextGen read review→ |
| Hematologists | Practice Fusion read review→ |
NextGen
Best for General Practitioners
The medical community has to give NextGen credit. It’s one of the older PMSs in the industry but has managed to stay at the forefront of digital ease of use and competitive pricing. The reason NextGen is so good at developing medical software is they perform consulting services to gather feedback from users. They also run trainings for medical billers to actively see how the new tech-savvy generations view their interface.
For medical practitioners of all kinds, NextGen is a strong candidate for your business, but they may be overkill. At $400 and a very noisy interface, small practices may be better suited with another on our list.
“If you tried to piece out each service and cut out from the EMRs/EHRs, you won’t save any more,” Robert explained. That’s where NextGen really excels. They’re a one-stop shop.”
Ease of Use
Ease of Use Score: 8/10.
NextGen is true to its word when it comes to a full range of services. It tops the list in breadth of functionality. If you need something in your practice, they can cover it. And whatever the tech can’t handle, NextGen’s consultants can manage.
With over 10 years of existence, NextGen has proven its place. And it’s not getting outdated either, which is rare for this space.
Monthly Price
$400. This is an estimated minimum for unlimited users and a full PMS with EHR functionality as provided by Robert.
Athena
Best for Internists
Whereas general practitioners and other surface-level doctors have some space for trial and error, internists need to be precise. “The EHR portion of your PMS provides guided interview diagnosis,” explained Robert. “And a PMS may work better for a given field. Athena is a good program in general, but it’s very specific. Some doctors don’t like it because it takes more time, but it’s accurate.”
Ease of Use
Ease of Use Score: 8.5/10.
This cockpit view shows you patient intake allergies, meds, and problems, as well as evolution in weight and blood pressure. It also shows pending diagnoses based on input over time.
Two tabs later, Athena provides color-coded pills of symptoms, lifestyle choices, and medication. That data gets rolled up over time to provide more accurate diagnoses. Lab tests can be prescribed and recorded, and measurements can be uploaded directly into the system with normal or smart devices like 3M’s stethoscope.
Monthly Price
$150/month. Athena’s solution is more affordable than 69% of other options on our list.
Simple Practice
Best for Psychiatrists
Psychiatry has special needs. Mental illness and affliction is almost always a long game, whereas other illnesses can be short term. Patient symptoms don’t always show up through measurable metrics like blood pressure, and self-described symptoms may elicit varying interpretations from doctors over time. A good PMS needs to handle these issues with special care, and Simple Practice is the leader.
Ease of Use
Ease of Use Score: 9.5/10.
Psychiatrists and other mental health physicians are lucky because not every field has an interface like Simple Practice. It’s easy to use and covers virtually every workflow in your practice, from scheduling and support to insurance billing and even telehealth.
Solo practices who just want a modern affordable interface get everything they need, and bigger groups can focus all their work in one place to centralize data and avoid costly miscommunication.
Monthly Price
$69. Simple Practice is not only good, it’s lean. Plans start from only $69 for the minimum functionality.
Valent
Best for Therapists
Therapists could also do well with Simple Practice, but sine they don’t need to handle medicine there’s a more efficient PMS. A former psychiatrist built the platform after years of frustration with PMSs built for primary care, fine tuning each step in the process to mental health treatment. No more searching for therapy billing codes among 1000s of irrelevant ones.
Ease of Use
Valent is built for therapists, so it’s better than other EHRs. But it could still use some work, which is why we give it an 8 out of 10.
Ease of Use Score: 8/10.
Therapy is naturally subjective, but it doesn’t have to be. Valent provides rating scales and measures you can use to build a data repertoire around a client, then automate its integration into diagnosis. Blend your skills with a data driven approach.
With 16 years experience, Valent isn’t new. That’s one reason we find it frustrating the interface hasn’t been modernized, even if it’s optimized for therapists.
Monthly Price
$100. A flat rate pricing model makes it easy for solo practitioners and larger groups alike to predict expense flow. It’s also more affordable than 90% of other options on this list.
Chiro Touch
Best for Chiropractors
Chiropractors need a simple interface with easy SOAP notes, scheduling, payment processing and claims management. Chiro Touch has two modules, one for cash practices and another for insurance practices, so don’t feel like you need to be credentialed. Using a primary care EHR or PMS will run you a bigger bill for services you don’t need as a chiropractor.
Ease of Use
Ease of Use Score: 9/10.
Cash based practice? Accept insurance? Either way, Chiro Touch has the payment processing and claim follow up you need. They’ve streamlined this process after working with over 21k chiropractors.
SOAPs are easy to create with pre-built macros, and scheduling is an easy, natural extension of the platform. Payment processing is built-in as well, so you’ll have analytics behind to understand your business on a deeper level.
Monthly Price
$159. Chiro Touch is the PMS of choice for chiropractors, but just because the market is small doesn’t mean it’ll hurt your wallet. At $159, it’s more affordable than over 60% of others on our list.
RXNT
Best for Customer Service
If you’re the kind of person who likes to pick up the phone and call your providers when things aren’t going well, RXNT is your best option. It competes with NextGen on most fronts but outshines for customer service.
Ease of Use
RXNT has heavily invested in ease of use, which follows suit with customer service.
Ease of Use Score: 10/10.
One unique thing about RXNT is that it sells PMS services separately, or as a “full suite.”
For additional ease of use, the interface is optimized for all device, so you won’t rally have to work about being stuck going into the office. You’ll be mobile in work, like you are in the rest of life.
Monthly Price
$170. RXNT is more affordable than 50% of the others offers on our list.
Kareo Clinical
Best for Billing
Kareo has positioned itself around a 3-faced problem small practices have. Front office managers must provide awesome customer experience to remain competitive, billers need to stay up-to-date on coding and hustle for claims, and practitioners are pressed for time and struggle to provide top tier service. Kareo billing solves all three, with a focus on billing.
Ease of Use
Ease of Use Score: 7/10.
Kareo is clearly focused on billing, so if your primary goal is to optimize record keeping we don’t think it’s the best option, but it’s certainly not a bad option. The billing tools are streamlined, making collections easier than ever.
To make things even easier, Kareo provides telehealth functionality and analytics. Used correctly, these features will end up growing your practice simply by giving your more time and insight.
Monthly Price
$349. Making money faster has its price, but it’s worth it. Karo’s monthly price is in the 61st percentile on this list — not too high but not low either.
Charm Health
Best for Free Plan
CharmHealth took a very modern approach and provides free access to the platform for testing purposes, which is nice because smaller practices can easily benefit from testing the platform for compatibility. Sometimes you don’t need all the bells and whistles, and a free trail let’s you find out.
Ease of Use
While it has a load of functionality, CharmHealth’s interface is slightly outdates. In practice, you won’t have too much trouble using it but in a modern digital world we would expect more, so the rating is 7.
Ease of Use Rating: 7/10.
CharmHealth has the full suite of services you need, so it’s definitely a global PMS provider and not a niche service. Since congress enacted MACRA, there have been changes to pricing and billing. CharmHealth has been ahead of the curve since step one.
That said, the folks at CharmHealth aren’t unaware of all the possible tools you’re using in your practice. They provide integrations with popular tools like surescripts for psychiatrists and bluefin for payment processing.
Monthly Price
$350. CharmHealth is a little pricey, but they believe they merit more because you can use the free trial to test it out. Why wait?
EPIC
Best for Lab Integration
To be transparent, I’m not a big fan of EPIC. It’s the industry incumbent and pretty outdated. That said, because it’s been around so long it can offer what few others can: virtual 100% integration with lab and insurance partners. Whereas other EHR and PMSs may struggle with certain partners, EPIC comes through.
Ease of Use
Ease of Use Score: 5/10.
This is a real snippet from EPIC’s current website, so you get what I mean by outdated. That said, the message is clear that EPIC is well connected and has all the classic functionalities you would expect from a PMS.
With over 280MM patients with records, EPIC is prolific. For small practices that might not mean much, but for ambitious mid- and large-enterprises, access to long histories of patient information is a huge benefit.
Monthly Price
$1,200. Integration has a price, and EPIC is by far the most expensive option on our list because they know larger practices would otherwise have to pay more to onboard patient data into competitor PMSs.
AdvancedMD
Best for Radiologists
AdvancedMD is one of the few PMS built on Amazon’s AWS, and the benefits of that show. They can handle demand for hight definition x-rays and imaging directly in the platform. It’s also just a top-tier PMS with a full stack of services, making it a competitive choice for any prcatice if you can stomach the price.
Ease of Use
Ease of Use Score: 9/10.
As you can see, AdvancedMD is true to its name and honors a full-spectrum cloud-based experience with record keeping and administrative tasks.
Monthly Price
$729. Yes, it’s pricey, but sometimes quality is worth it. We recommend AMD for radiologists needs.
PrognoCIS
Best for Neurologists
Neurologists, you can’t afford to make mistakes. You need a PMS catered to tough diagnoses and billing codes in your field. Of them all, PronoCIS has done the best job catering to data around the brain and nervous system. It’s also one the the mid-range options.
Ease of Use
Ease of Use Score: 8/10.
PrognoCIS may be optimized for neurologists, but it has all the firepower of a primary care EHR/PMS. It can even handle e-prescriptions, which is an added bonus.
The one downside is that it’s interface is a bit antiquated. This cockpit view will get you the information you need, but it’s not the prettiest interface.
Monthly Price
$249. PrognoCIS is right at the midpoint of pricing on our list.
ChartLogic
Best for Gastroenterologists
Every practice is better off using technology built for its field, and ChartLogic was made for gastroenterologists. The promise? Efficiency.
Ease of Use
Ease of Use Score: 7/10.
The records system for doctors is where ChartLogic shines for gastroenterologists, but it’s got a claims center manager that reduces rejection by 25%, a Windows-like scheduler, collections center, and of course robust analytics of all the data inside.
This picture says it all. Voice recognition, field-specific templates, and customizable permatemplates will make your life a lot easier.
Monthly Price
$350. It’s slightly higher than the average, but that extra buck is worth the time saved customizing a general PMS like NextGen for gastroenterologists.
Practice Fusion
Best for Hematologists
There was a time when Practice Fusion was the go-to EHR, but it got beat out at the generalist level and niched down into hematology. Now it focuses templates, codes, and billing specifically for blood doctors.
Ease of Use
Ease of Use Score: 8/10.
Customized flowsheets, online checkin, reminders, and integration with local labs for testing — what more could a hematologist want?
Practice Fusion has hundreds of templates for quick guided interview diagnosis. Combined with local lab integration, this will streamline a huge administrative part of your job.
Monthly Price
$149. At this price Practice Fusion is more affordable than 80% of others on our list.
Meditab’s IDS
Best for Dentists
Meditab’s IDS system is the best for dentists. Like other specialty PMS, it’s templates and codes are built to minimize work for dentist, their billers, and their front office staff.
Ease of Use
Ease of Use Score: 7/10.
IDS is an EHS, but it’s built to work with Meditab’s OMS system as well.
The full suite of mental services, from multiple devices and dental templates to collections and accounts receivable management.
Monthly Price
$149. At this price, dentists can feel they’ve got a good deal, because it’s cheaper than over 80% of the others on our list.
Conclusion
You definitely need a PMS to succeed as a private practice with today’s competition. NextGen and AdvancedMD are good choices if you don’t want to limit your options in the future, but a PMS optimized for your field of medicine will save you more time with customized templates and reduced billing codes.
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