athenahealth
athenahealth provides a cloud-based electronic health record and practice management solution designed to help medical groups improve clinical workflows, accelerate collections, and enhance the overall patient experience through integrated technology.
Epic
Epic is a comprehensive health information system designed to manage patient records, clinical workflows, and revenue cycles across entire healthcare organizations to improve patient care and operational efficiency.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | athenahealth | Epic |
|---|---|---|
| Website | athenahealth.com | epic.com |
| Pricing Model | Custom | Custom |
| Starting Price | Custom Pricing | Custom Pricing |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 1997 | 1979 |
| Headquarters | Watertown, USA | Verona, USA |
Overview
athenahealth
athenahealth offers a comprehensive suite of cloud-based tools designed to help you run a more efficient and profitable medical practice. You can manage clinical records, streamline your front-office tasks, and handle complex medical billing all within a single, integrated ecosystem. The platform focuses on reducing your administrative burden by automating documentation and providing real-time insights into your practice's financial health.
By connecting you to a massive network of healthcare providers and payers, the software helps you coordinate care more effectively and close gaps in patient treatment. You can engage patients through a modern portal, offer telehealth visits, and manage population health initiatives. It is built to scale with your needs, whether you operate a small independent clinic or a large multi-specialty health system.
Epic
Epic provides a unified software ecosystem designed to handle every aspect of healthcare delivery. You can manage patient journeys from initial scheduling and registration through clinical documentation and final billing within a single, integrated database. This eliminates the need for fragmented systems and ensures that every department—from the pharmacy to the ICU—accesses the same real-time patient data.
You can customize the platform to fit specific medical specialties while maintaining a core focus on patient safety and interoperability. Whether you are running a large academic medical center, a retail clinic, or a multi-specialty physician group, the software scales to support your clinical and financial goals. It helps you reduce administrative burdens so your team can focus more on direct patient interactions.
Overview
athenahealth Features
- athenaClinicals EHR Document patient encounters faster with intuitive workflows and mobile access that let you focus on the patient instead of the screen.
- athenaCollector Billing Boost your revenue with automated claim scrubbing and a rules engine that catches coding errors before they lead to denials.
- Patient Engagement Portal Give your patients the ability to book appointments, pay bills, and message your team securely from any device at any time.
- athenaTelehealth Conduct virtual visits directly within your clinical workflow, making it easy to see patients remotely without switching between different apps.
- Epocrates Integration Access trusted clinical decision support and drug information directly at the point of care to ensure safe and accurate prescribing.
- Population Health Tools Identify at-risk patient groups and track quality metrics across your entire patient base to improve long-term health outcomes.
Epic Features
- MyChart Patient Portal. Give your patients direct access to their medical records, test results, and appointment scheduling from any web browser or mobile device.
- Care Everywhere. Exchange patient data instantly with other healthcare providers across the country to ensure you always have a complete clinical history.
- Revenue Cycle Management. Streamline your billing and collections with integrated tools that track insurance eligibility and automate claims processing to improve cash flow.
- Specialty-Specific Modules. Access tailored workflows for over 40 medical specialties, ensuring your documentation matches the specific needs of your clinical practice.
- Decision Support Tools. Receive real-time clinical alerts and evidence-based reminders during patient encounters to improve safety and adhere to best practices.
- Telehealth Integration. Conduct virtual visits directly within the patient record so you can document findings and update charts during the video call.
Pricing Comparison
athenahealth Pricing
Epic Pricing
Pros & Cons
athenahealth
Pros
- Cloud-based access allows you to work from anywhere
- Regular automatic updates keep you compliant with regulations
- Strong billing rules engine reduces denied insurance claims
- Integrated patient portal improves communication and satisfaction
Cons
- Pricing model can be expensive for high-revenue practices
- Learning curve for navigating complex clinical templates
- Customer support response times can vary during peak hours
Epic
Pros
- Unmatched interoperability with other major healthcare systems
- Highly customizable workflows for different medical specialties
- Comprehensive patient portal improves engagement and communication
- Single database architecture ensures data consistency across departments
Cons
- Significant upfront investment and high maintenance costs
- Steep learning curve requires extensive staff training
- Implementation process is often long and resource-intensive