# The 11 Best EHR Software for Medical Practices

> The best EHR software for most medical practices is athenahealth for its cloud-based network intelligence, followed by Epic for large integrated health systems and eClinicalWorks for small-to-midsize ambulatory clinics.

- URL: https://topelevens.com/electronic-health-records
- Last verified: 2026-06-15
- Methodology: https://topelevens.com/methodology
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## Ranking

### #1 athenahealth · 9.3/9.4
- Best for: Mid-to-large sized ambulatory practices seeking a cloud-based platform with strong revenue cycle management and data-driven insights from a national network.
- Watertown, MA, USA · founded 1997 · $$$$ ($500 to $900/mo/provider)
- athenahealth is the best EHR for most ambulatory practices because its cloud platform leverages data from over 150,000 providers on its network to deliver clinical and financial insights directly within the workflow.
- Pro: Its athenaOne suite, which combines the EHR with practice management and patient engagement, is particularly effective at automating billing rules, resulting in a reported 94% first-pass claims resolution rate.
- Con: The pricing model, often a percentage of collections (typically 3-7%), can be more expensive for high-revenue practices compared to a fixed per-provider subscription.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-15): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-15.

### #2 Epic Systems · 9.1/9.4
- Best for: Large, integrated health systems and academic medical centers that require a single, unified patient record across inpatient and outpatient settings.
- Verona, WI, USA · founded 1979 · $$$$$ (Implementation costs in millions)
- Epic is the top choice for large hospital systems due to its unparalleled interoperability through the Care Everywhere network and its deeply integrated suite of specialty modules.
- Pro: Its MyChart patient portal is the most widely adopted in the industry, used by over 250 million patients to access records, schedule appointments, and communicate with providers.
- Con: The total cost of ownership is prohibitive for any organization outside of large health systems, with implementation projects frequently costing hundreds of millions of dollars.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-15): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-15.

### #3 Oracle Health (Cerner) · 8.9/9.4
- Best for: Hospitals and large health systems, particularly those with complex inpatient workflows and a need for strong clinical decision support.
- Austin, TX, USA · founded 1979 · $$$$$ (Implementation costs in millions)
- Oracle Health, formerly Cerner, excels in the inpatient hospital market by offering a highly configurable platform with deep clinical capabilities, especially in its Millennium EHR.
- Pro: The platform's open architecture, now backed by Oracle's cloud infrastructure (OCI), provides more flexibility for third-party integrations compared to its primary competitor, Epic.
- Con: The user interface is often cited by clinicians as being less intuitive and more dated than competitors, requiring more clicks to complete common tasks.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-15): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-15.

### #4 eClinicalWorks · 8.6/9.4
- Best for: Small to medium-sized ambulatory practices looking for a single, all-in-one platform that includes EHR, practice management, and patient engagement tools.
- Westborough, MA, USA · founded 1999 · $$$ ($449 to $699/mo/provider)
- eClinicalWorks provides one of the most functionally rich, unified platforms for private practices at a competitive price point, bundling features that others sell as add-ons.
- Pro: The Healow app for patient engagement is a standout feature, offering telehealth, remote monitoring, and patient messaging in a single mobile application.
- Con: The user interface can feel cluttered due to the sheer number of features, and customer support response times have been a point of criticism in user reviews.
- Risk signals (low, checked 2026-06-15): The company settled with the DOJ in 2017 over certification criteria. No recent signals, but historical context is relevant.
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### #5 NextGen Healthcare · 8.4/9.4
- Best for: Specialty practices (like orthopedics, cardiology, and ophthalmology) that need highly customizable templates and workflows.
- Atlanta, GA, USA · founded 1974 · $$$ ($379 to $649/mo/provider)
- NextGen Healthcare stands out for its deep customization options and specialty-specific content, allowing practices to build an EHR that precisely matches their unique clinical workflows.
- Pro: The NextGen Enterprise platform offers robust templates for over 25 different medical specialties, which reduces the initial setup time and improves clinical documentation quality.
- Con: The high degree of customizability can also lead to a complex and lengthy implementation process, and some users report the interface feels dated.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-15): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-15.

### #6 Veradigm (formerly Allscripts) · 8.2/9.4
- Best for: Practices of all sizes, from solo practitioners to large health systems, needing a choice of platforms tailored to their specific scale and needs.
- Chicago, IL, USA · founded 1986 · $$$ ($300 to $700/mo/provider)
- Veradigm offers a uniquely broad portfolio of EHR solutions, including TouchWorks for large practices and Professional EHR for smaller ones, allowing buyers to select a best-fit platform.
- Pro: The company's open platform philosophy and extensive API library facilitate strong third-party application integration, giving practices flexibility to build a custom tech stack.
- Con: Managing a portfolio of distinct EHR products has led to an inconsistent user experience across their offerings, and support quality can vary depending on the platform.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-15): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-15.

### #7 Tebra (formerly Kareo) · 8/9.4
- Best for: Small, independent practices that want an all-in-one, easy-to-use platform for clinical documentation, billing, and patient marketing.
- Newport Beach, CA, USA · founded 2004 · $$ ($199 to $499/mo/provider)
- Tebra, the result of Kareo and PatientPop's merger, is ideal for independent practices because it combines a straightforward EHR with tools for patient acquisition and reputation management.
- Pro: The platform's user interface is clean and intuitive, making it one of the easiest EHRs for new users and small teams to adopt with minimal training.
- Con: Its clinical features are less robust than those of competitors focused on complex specialties, and it lacks the deep interoperability needed for larger health systems.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-15): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-15.

### #8 AdvancedMD · 7.8/9.4
- Best for: Independent physician practices and medical billing companies that prioritize strong revenue cycle management (RCM) features.
- South Jordan, UT, USA · founded 1999 · $$$$ ($429 to $729/mo/provider)
- AdvancedMD is the best choice for practices focused on financial performance, as its fully integrated suite offers some of the most powerful medical billing and RCM tools on the market.
- Pro: The platform's claims management tools, including a central clearinghouse and detailed denial analysis reporting, help practices maximize their collections, often improving revenue by 5-10%.
- Con: The pricing model is highly modular, which can be confusing and lead to unexpected costs as practices add necessary features like telemedicine or e-prescribing.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-15): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-15.

### #9 Greenway Health · 7.6/9.4
- Best for: Ambulatory practices that need a stable, reliable EHR and are willing to choose between different platforms to find the right fit.
- Tampa, FL, USA · founded 1979 · $$$ ($350 to $700/mo/provider)
- Greenway Health provides dependable EHR solutions like Intergy and Prime Suite, making it a solid choice for ambulatory practices that value stability and a long-standing market presence.
- Pro: Their Intergy platform is well-regarded for its user-friendly interface and efficient handling of core practice management tasks like scheduling and billing for primary care.
- Con: Innovation and the rollout of new features, particularly in patient engagement and telehealth, have been slower compared to more agile, cloud-native competitors.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-15): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-15.

### #10 DrChrono (by EverHealth) · 7.4/9.4
- Best for: Small, mobile-first practices (especially specialties like chiropractic and physical therapy) that want a native iPad and iPhone experience.
- Sunnyvale, CA, USA · founded 2009 · $$ ($250 to $500/mo/provider)
- DrChrono delivers the best mobile EHR experience, allowing physicians to manage their entire practice from an iPad, which is ideal for modern, tech-savvy small clinics.
- Pro: The ability to customize medical forms and use the iPad's camera to upload photos directly into patient charts is a significant workflow accelerator for many specialties.
- Con: The platform's focus on the Apple ecosystem can be a limitation for practices that use Windows or Android devices, and its billing module is less powerful than dedicated RCM platforms.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-15): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-15.

### #11 [WILDCARD] Elation Health · 7.2/9.4
- Best for: Direct Primary Care (DPC) and other small, independent primary care practices that prioritize clinical efficiency and a clean user experience over extensive features.
- San Francisco, CA, USA · founded 2010 · $$$ ($349 to $499/mo/provider)
- Elation Health is a contrarian pick focused entirely on a 'Clinical First' design that streamlines charting to combat physician burnout, making it a favorite among DPC practices.
- Pro: Its three-pane clinical view, which simultaneously displays the chart, a problem list, and a new note, is highly praised by physicians for dramatically speeding up documentation time.
- Con: The platform intentionally omits integrated practice management and billing features found in all-in-one suites, requiring practices to integrate with third-party software for those functions.
- Risk signals (none, checked 2026-06-15): No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-15.

## FAQ

**What is the difference between an EHR and an EMR?**

An EMR (Electronic Medical Record) is a digital version of a patient's paper chart from a single practice, whereas an EHR (Electronic Health Record) is a more inclusive record of a patient's overall health designed to be shared across different healthcare providers. EHRs offer greater interoperability, allowing a specialist, a hospital, and a primary care physician to all see the same patient data.

**How much does EHR software cost?**

EHR software costs vary widely, from $200 per provider per month for basic cloud systems to over $1,500 per provider per month for more advanced platforms. The total cost of ownership should also account for one-time implementation fees ($2,000 - $30,000), data migration, staff training, and ongoing support costs.

**How long does it take to implement a new EHR system?**

Implementation time ranges from 4 weeks for simple cloud-based systems in small practices to over 12 months for large, on-premise installations in hospital systems. A typical ambulatory practice should plan for a 60-to-120-day process that includes workflow analysis, data migration, setup, and staff training.

**Can I switch EHR vendors?**

Yes, you can switch EHR vendors, but it is a complex process that requires careful planning. The biggest challenge is data migration, which involves extracting patient data from your old system and importing it into the new one in a compatible format (often using the CCDA standard). Expect to pay data extraction fees to your old vendor and data import fees to your new one.