Last Updated | October 29, 2024
Executive Summary: What Are The Top 5 EHR Systems?
EHRs streamline medical records to enhance patient safety, improve workflow efficiency, and increase accountability within the healthcare system. The structure of an electronic health record system prevents conflicting treatments by ensuring easy access to patient data.
The assessment was conducted by gathering data on the most promising EHR systems, and only those that aligned with specific criteria were selected. This blog serves as a guide to help you determine the top 5 EHR systems and understand their advantages and disadvantages.
Brief Overview of EHR Systems
The use of electronic health records in hospital computer systems has eliminated the need for physical paperwork by handling medical data exchange and storage and consolidating them in one place. Thanks to the efforts of medical software development companies, patient-relevant information can be gathered in just a few seconds, regardless of physical location.
Surprisingly, EHR systems aren’t the latest form of storing and exchanging medical records electronically. The first electronic health data registries date back to the ’70s, and their latest version is advantageous to medical practitioners in several ways:
- It significantly reduces paperwork
- Minimizes costs
- Saves time
- Data handling according to HIPAA compliance
Additionally, patients don’t have to undergo repetitive medical tests since their records can be accessed with just a click! The system ensures that doctors receive accurate and consistent health information, leading to more precise treatment.
The credit goes to the software developers, who work alongside integration teams to ensure the software is seamless. For example, the Folio3 healthcare integration team helps develop tailored healthcare software systems that aid organizations in solving their challenges.
The sharing of data makes the role of healthcare compliance consultants even more critical since they must ensure that the patient’s private data is always protected. So, if you’ve been looking for the best EHRs, you’re in the right place!
What Are The Best EHR Systems?
Whether you’re looking for efficient EHR software for solo practices or larger-scale setups, these examples are some of the best, most cost-effective, and most common EHR systems in the USA.
1- EPIC:
Epic was founded in 1979 and is one of the top EMR companies in the USA. The EHR has been designed specifically for extensive medical groups, offering inpatient settings. The software is well suited to hospitals where various specialists require access to patient records.
This explains why Epic’s software is most commonly used in community hospitals, academic medical centers, and health organizations. Epic features’ MyChart’, which enables patients to access their family and personal health data easily which is one of the most vital elements out of the 10 Components of Medical Records.
Through the software, patients can get in touch with doctors and even schedule appointments electronically. Using the ‘MyChart Bedside’ feature of the application, patients can contact their care team and obtain health education materials specifically designed for them.
What is Epic Software?
Epic Systems Corporation, commonly referred to as Epic, is one of the prominent providers of EHR systems in healthcare. It is an American software company that specializes in electronic health records (EHR) and electronic medical records (EMR) solutions.
Epic software is quite easily implementable and can be utilized in large-scale organizations. The software offers rapid specialty applications, screens, workflows, and flexibility, allowing healthcare systems to tailor their app features to match their requirements. Since the software can be managed through mobile applications and computer systems, medical personnel can stay connected regardless of location.
Thanks to the embedded decision support tools and hospital CMMS software, medical practices can now generate improved results that enhance overall healthcare standards. However, since Epic has been designed for larger healthcare facilities, smaller ones might find it complicated to use since their needs differ.
Here are some of the pros and cons of Epic software:
Pros:
- Offers inpatient settings
- Easy to use and implement
- Allows doctors and patients to stay connected at all times
Cons:
- Not suitable for smaller healthcare facilities.
For more detailed information, explore our guide: Cerner vs Epic pros and cons.
2- Cerner:
Cerner was first introduced 40 years ago in Kansas, Missouri, by three accountants as a provider of electronic health care resources. It is now one of the largest suppliers of systems for inpatient care and the top provider of Health IT solutions, currently supporting more than 55 facilities.
Since Cerner is also an EMR integration company, it allows patient data to be shared smoothly from one system to the other. This includes sending messages in response to trigger events like when a patient is admitted to or discharged from a clinic.
Read more about HL7 message examples.
Cerner caters to the requirements of healthcare providers of every size. HL7 offers support in several areas, including organizations’ clinical, operational, and financial needs. Cerner can integrate devices to share accurate data in a suitable format whenever required. This increases clinic efficiency by saving time that would otherwise have been spent acquiring information from paperwork.
The voice recognition feature allows physicians to document data much faster than typing it into a system. Cerner provides unparalleled connectivity between medical devices through healthcare applications. The seamless HL7 Integration allows medical professionals to access health records in just a few seconds, improving the quality of healthcare services. The central monitoring station enables trained technicians to observe several patient rooms simultaneously.
Cerner connects patients with IT architects and clinical care team members. This increases patient engagement and bridges the gap between healthcare providers and patients in need.
Pros:
- Designed for organizations of every size
- Offers a wide variety of features for healthcare providers
- Supports every need of healthcare providers
- Increases patient engagement
Cons:
- Multiple features make it challenging to adapt.
3-NextGen:
NextGen, an EHR service by Quality Systems Inc., has been assisting approximately 155,000 physicians and providing them with various features since 1976. This electronic health records service has over 2900 employees and operates to enhance ambulatory care. Plus, it is designed specifically to cater to the financial needs of its users. The software is best suited to medium practices and offers clinical content for a few specialties.
Specifically, NextGen was designed to provide efficient solutions to smaller healthcare facilities where resources and staff are sometimes insufficient to provide excellent patient care. It uses various tools for clinics, ranging from cloud-based billing solutions to mobile Integration, streamlining clinical processes to maintain optimum efficiency.
This cloud-based EHR system allows clinics to customize it according to their needs, making operations easy. Its modern interface makes it a good choice for smaller practices because of increased adaptability.
NextGen automatically provides appointment reminders, intending to increase patient engagement and improve access to healthcare. Combined with its expert CRM, the EHR system raises profitability while minimizing the burden of medical billing.
It allows customers to schedule appointments online and receive automated reminders, ensuring their medical needs are fully met. Moreover, NextGen software provides a platform to make payments online, a major plus point for patients.
Pros:
- Provides financial assistance
- Increases patient volume
- Improves ambulatory care
- Improves communication between patients and healthcare facilities
Cons:
- Not well suited for larger healthcare facilities
4- eClinicalWorks:
Although it is a privately owned company, eClinicalWorks has been catering to the needs of more than 130,000 doctors and nurse practitioners, providing EHR services to over 850,00 medical professionals. One of the most notable features of this EHR system is its integrated solutions for Population Health, which allows healthcare practitioners to track disease patterns.
This helps in accurate risk assessment, yielding improved medical results. To cater to clinics’ financial needs, eClinicalWorks offers self-service Practice Management and RCM Service models. Healthcare facilities can decide whether they want complete billing control or prefer billing solutions handled by the software.
eClinicalWorks is compatible with both PC and Mac medical computer systems, meaning healthcare facilities can take full advantage of the cloud-based EHR and access patient data at any time from anywhere.
Additionally, it provides access to the PRISMA health information search engine to help doctors acquire all kinds of patients’ medical records from various sources for a more accurate diagnosis. This form of messaging is known as FHIR and is used as an alternative to HL7. FHIR can be considered an easier mode of exchanging data compared to HL7. So, the aim of this software is to improve healthcare facilities for its users.
Pros:
- Offers flexible financial support options to users
- Easy access to patient data
- Wide compatibility
- Helps track disease patterns
Cons:
- New users might find it difficult to use because of many features.
5- Allscripts EHR:
Meditech EHR systems are designed to cater to the needs of healthcare facilities and patients themselves. MHealth is the mobile version of the Patient and Consumer Health Portal, which offers online appointment scheduling, connection with medical professionals, and vaccine dosage administration. The primary purpose of these features is to actively involve patients in their healthcare management.
Moreover, participating organizations can access various patients’ health information, helping them get a clearer picture of the condition for a more accurate diagnosis in less time.
Medical data includes allergies, vital signs, medications previously administered to the patient, lab results, etc. Through mobile applications, medical professionals can access patient records, respond to important messages, provide results, and always stay informed.
This feature promotes the remote management of routine tasks, raising the clinics’ productivity levels. The cloud-based EHR solution brings several benefits to healthcare facilities, including communicating proactively with patients, which increases patient volume and engagement.
Allscripts EHR provides virtual care features, allowing clinics to offer remote visits on a routine or urgent basis. Thanks to EDITECH’s Data Intelligence team, clinics can take advantage of the EHR software’s business and clinical analytic features as well to improve their business-related performance.
Pros:
- Easy for patients to schedule appointments
- Allows remote access to medical professionals
- Virtual care features allow patients to reach out whenever they require care
Cons:
- The user interface is complicated to get the hang of
Do you know about the best EHR software for mental health? For psychiatrists, there are benefits of an EHR that can guide them to make the best choice.
If you are a therapist, we have some great recommendations for the best EHR system, especially for you.
Other EHR Systems You Can Explore
An EHR system is a real-time, patient-oriented record that provides information instantly and securely only to authorized users. Different practices have different EHR systems available. Listed below are options other than the top 5 EHR systems currently available.
Praxis EMR
Praxis EMR is a flexible server or cloud-based EHR system. It is a certified EHR for MACRA and stands out in the list of best EHRs due to its innovative AI operating system known as Concept Processing.
Praxis is a world-renowned EHR system helping thousands of physicians all over the world. It focuses on effective usability and its template-free model reflects a good user experience. Due to its customizable nature, this system is considered the best EHR for serving all specialties.
Pros:
- It allows highly personalized workflows and documentation, which is ideal for various specialties.
- The Concept Processing system adapts to the physician’s unique practice style, improving efficiency.
- It does not have rigid templates, providing flexibility in recording patient data.
Cons:
- The lack of templates can require a longer learning period for new users.
- It may not integrate as smoothly with other third-party software as some other EHRs.
Athenahealth
Athenahealth is one of the best EHR systems for small practices. The company presently works with a network of over 160,000 providers. This EHR software has a homepage that lets you do the following things:
- Review patient information
- Daily schedules
- Manage orders
- View lab results
Moreover, its practice management tools incorporate custom benchmarking, viewing daily responsibilities, dynamic trends analysis, and much more.
Pros:
- Includes practice management, revenue cycle management, and patient engagement tools.
- Intuitive interface with a highly organized homepage for easy navigation.
- An extensive network of providers and robust customer support.
Cons:
- It can be more expensive than other EHR options, especially for smaller practices.
- Less customizable than some other systems, which might not suit all practice needs.
DrChrono
DrChrono offers an EHR compatible with iPhones and iPads. It also includes a medical billing portal that assists all kinds of healthcare practices in managing clinical charting, patient intake, patient care, billing, and revenue cycle. Thus, it might be the best EHR for small practices.
It provides customizable scheduling tools, e-prescribing, medical forms, a patient portal, and patient eligibility checks as well.
Pros:
- It is designed for use on iPhones and iPads, making it highly accessible.
- Combines EHR, medical billing, and practice management in one platform.
- Offers flexible scheduling, e-prescribing, and patient portals.
Cons:
- Some features may be less robust on desktop versions compared to mobile.
- The full range of features can be costly, particularly for smaller practices.
CureMD
CureMD offers a streamlined solution for up-to-date clinical reporting and some software tools to simplify the process of patient care. Their reporting options are flexible and the patient information dashboard is easily customizable.
CureMD’s EHR can easily be integrated with other third-party billing systems to transfer patients’ billing data, ensuring seamless financial data exchange and efficient revenue cycle management. This entire collection and billing process is seamlessly managed, further optimizing the advantages of integrated health services.
Moreover, their EHR system is in compliance with HIPAA and strictly follows directives to protect patient health information.
Pros:
- Integrates well with third-party billing and lab systems.
- Strong focus on HIPAA compliance and security of patient data.
- Offers flexible reporting options tailored to practice needs.
Cons:
- Initial setup and customization can be time-consuming.
- Some users report that customer support response times can be slow.
How To Choose the Best EHR System?
Choosing the best Electronic Health Record (EHR) system is crucial for medical organizations as it impacts patient care and operational efficiency. Every practice has a different set of needs that drives the selection of the EHR system; however, some standardized features make it useful. When you begin your search, look for:
- Billing Process: Electronic Health Record systems streamline the billing and claims process to make payments faster and increase revenue.
- E-prescriptions: Healthcare providers can send error-free prescriptions directly to a pharmacy from the point of care.
- Patient portal: Patient portals make way for patients to easily communicate with their doctors and become more aware about their treatment by accessing outpatient laboratory and radiology results.
- Appointment Scheduling: Online appointment system eliminates the hassle of physical presence in the office and long lines of patients. It also keeps you fully booked while avoiding overlaps.
- Telehealth: It is a HIPAA-compliant and user-friendly way to connect providers with patients when certain circumstances make an in-person visit difficult.
3 Things You Need To Know About Implementing EHR Systems in Hospitals
Achieve Smooth EHR Interoperability with Folio3 Digital Health
Whether you are a healthcare professional looking for EHR software development or a large hospital setup that wants to streamline operations, Folio3 Digital Health is here to solve your problems. Our team of skilled designers, developers, and marketers can assist you from the initial conception of the idea to the final deployment. Partner with Folio3 Digital Health to have the best EHR software for any healthcare discipline. Every Folio3 Digital Health product is HIPAA-compliant and uses the latest HL7 and FHIR interoperability standards.
Conclusion
Selecting the right Electronic Health Record (EHR) system plays a significant role in helping healthcare organizations improve patient care, streamline their operations, and enhance overall efficiency. Among the top contenders, common examples of electronic healthcare resources include Epic, Cerner, eClinicalWorks, etc. Each offers various features to meet the needs of different kinds of healthcare settings.
Frequently Asked Questions: What are the top 5 EHR Systems
What is the Most Popular Electronic Patient Record Software in the UK?
The UK has some of the top healthcare app development services globally that have provided the best patient record software to aid healthcare facilities throughout the United Kingdom. One of the best electronic patient record software in the UK is ChARM EHR, an online web-based electronic health record (EHR) solution designed to cater to the needs of both healthcare organizations and patients.
The EHR solution is designed in compliance with HIPAA, allowing clinics to manage and create patient records seamlessly with just your browser. Through the EHR solution, organizations can prescribe medication to patients electronically and transfer Vaccine and Immunization data to the state immunization registry seamlessly.
What is the Top Electronic Medical Records Software in Australia?
Adroit is a popular medical records software in Australia, providing many electronic solutions to users. It allows patients to transfer customer data quickly from one department to another, increases productivity by raising the count of patients served daily and provides advanced e-Prescribing and clinical documentation. Since electronic medical records are stored digitally, the risk of errors in medical records is minimized, maximizing the standard of healthcare.
What is the Canadian EMR market share?
TELUS Health Solutions is one of the most prominent EMR vendors in Canada, with a market share of about 35%, followed by OSCAR, which has about 19 %. On number 3 and number 4 come QHR Technologies and Nightingale Informatix, with 19 % and 13% market shares, respectively.
What Are The Most Common EMR Systems?
Other than Epic, Cerner, eClinicalWorks, and NextGen, popular EMR systems include DrChrono, Allscripts, Athenahealth, etc.
About the Author
Naqqash Khan
As a seasoned .NET Developer, I am dedicated to creating innovative digital health solutions that improve patient outcomes and streamline healthcare processes. Working in the Digital Health division of Folio3, I have a wealth of experience utilizing the latest technologies to craft highly scalable, HIPAA-compliant, and secure software systems. My experience includes developing web and mobile applications, implementing RESTful APIs, and utilizing cloud computing technologies such as AWS/Azure for scalable and secure data storage and processing. If you're looking for a professional who can turn your digital health vision into a reality, connect with me to discuss how we can work together to revolutionize healthcare through technology.