athenahealth EHR Software – An Overview
athenahealth is one of the top EHR software that provides a wide range of products to increase operational efficiency and patient care quality. athenahealth meets the core needs of healthcare practitioners to ensure the success of their practices. Overall, the program boosts clinical productivity, allowing you to provide better care to your patients.
The organization claims to have a network of more than 160,000 clients and 117 million patients spread across the country. Not only that, but it is one of the largest Electronic Health Record (EHR) organizations in terms of staff headcount, with over 6,000 employees.
The robust system offers five modules; athenaCoordinator, athenaCollector, athenaClinicals, athenaClarity, and athenaCommunicator. Each of these is intended to address a specific role in a medical facility to improve clinical, administrative, and financial performance. This athenahealth review discusses the benefits and drawbacks of utilizing this system before deciding whether it is worthwhile to invest in it.
Advantages of the athena EHR system
athena Medical Billing
The athena medical billing software, athenaCollector, offers a robust, automated claims management feature unrivaled by other medical billing software on the market. In addition, the athena revenue cycle dashboard streamlines administrative processes while providing total visibility into your organization’s revenue cycle performance.
The rules engine in athenahealth billing software is constantly updated, resulting in a 93 percent first-pass claims resolution rate.
Improves efficiency
The goal of investing in an EHR system is to improve workplace efficiencies. The latter is made feasible by the fantastic features provided by the athena EHR system. In addition, to improve financial health, the system will identify any red flags and provide instructions on how to correct them.
It will also broaden strategies for increasing production after finding areas for improvement. The EHR system manages claims on behalf of the doctor, performs eligibility checks, and flags declined claims.
Patient Engagement via Patient Portal
Patients can engage with you via email and web messages, obtain prescription refills, and review their spending using an interactive patient portal. The site also makes special preparations for patients who require a higher level of care.
For example, because patients and doctors agree on the appointment dates, the odds of a no-show are reduced. Patients can also make payments online and obtain medical consultations from the comfort of their own homes, thanks to the system’s telehealth capability.
Mobile App
The athenahealth mobile app is a powerful tool from the software provider that allows you to give care while on the go. You can use a touch or face ID to log into the mobile app quickly. The user-friendly site displays all vital information, such as planned appointments, mail inbox, and pending dues, at a glance.
The mobile app makes it easier to access patient records. In addition, the athena EHR system generates tailored summaries for each patient, allowing you to prepare for appointments in seconds.
Easy to Use Interface
athena EHR includes an easy-to-use dashboard that displays all scheduled appointments, unpaid costs, claims, and results at a glance. The system is incredibly user-friendly, especially for non-tech-aware people. With an orientation course, every user may get hands-on with the system and use it to get the most out of it.
Organized Patient information
Another advantage of utilizing athena EHR is that it simplifies and eliminates the need for paper records. As patients have consultations, a central EHR database is constructed in which patient information is stored and updated regularly. Patient profiles are constantly updated and can be shared with various specialists, pharmacies, and laboratories. The athena EHR system also saves time by scanning and uploading patients’ existing paper charts.
Free Demo
athenahealth offers a free demo so that you can evaluate the software in real-time before purchasing it. A conference call or one-on-one calls are options for receiving an athenahealth EHR demo. You can also select from a variety of guide materials, such as tutorials and literature.
Cons of athena EHR System
Expensive for Small Practices
The most significant disadvantage of athena EHR is its high cost. Many small and medium-sized businesses are unable to afford expensive EHR systems. Many consumers believe that the software charges a more significant price when compared to competitors in terms of the amount and quality of features provided. Potential clients are not allowed a free trial, and they are also compelled to pay more for new services that they want to be installed.
Poor customer Support
After speaking with several athena EHR system users, most of them stated that customer service is poor to non-existent. For example, when a client reports an issue, a ticket is created, and some say it might take up to three weeks to resolve. Furthermore, some claim that they must repeatedly discuss their issues with various representatives.
Implementation Takes Time
Another disadvantage of adopting the athena EHR system is the lengthy implementation period. Other EHR systems are up and running quickly, whereas athena takes its time. The data transferring process is also really slow. As the software disables several functionalities, it is not easy to install yourself and requires an implementation specialist. These long periods will shift the practitioner’s focus from providing care to fixing administrative concerns.
athenahealth Pricing
Athena EHR Cost is not publicly disclosed, so you can contact the seller to obtain a quote.
Do We Recommend athenahealth EHR software?
athena EHR system, one of the top EHR software, takes pleasure in offering many innovative features. It improves an institution’s efficiency and fosters viable relationships with patients, provides a user-friendly interface, and smoothly organizes a large amount of information.
However, the system has its pros and cons. So, should you go ahead and invest in athena EHR? This athenahealth review finds that this system best suits big-scale organizations with a large clientele and busy daily operations. On the other hand, small and medium-sized businesses can search for more affordable EHR Software.
