athenahealth vs Oracle Health (Cerner)
Side-by-side from the Top 11 ranking of The 11 Best EHR Software for Medical Practices. Last verified June 15, 2026.
The short answer
athenahealth ranks higher on Top 11 (#1 vs #3) for Physicians and practice managers choosing an electronic health records system. Best for network intelligence and cloud-based revenue cycle management in ambulatory settings.
At a glance
| athenahealth | Oracle Health (Cerner) | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 11 rank | #1 / The 11 Best EHR Software for Medical Practices | #3 / The 11 Best EHR Software for Medical Practices |
| Score (out of 9.4) | 9.3 | 8.9 |
| Best for | Networked, cloud-based practices | Hospitals with complex workflows |
| Pricing | $$$$ ($500 to $900/mo/provider) | $$$$$ (Implementation costs in millions) |
| HQ | Watertown, MA, USA | Austin, TX, USA |
| Founded | 1997 | 1979 |
athenahealth
Best for network intelligence and cloud-based revenue cycle management in ambulatory settings.
www.athenahealth.comSee full entry in The 11 Best EHR Software for Medical Practices
Oracle Health (Cerner)
Top-tier EHR for inpatient hospital environments and large systems.
www.oracle.com/healthSee full entry in The 11 Best EHR Software for Medical Practices
Methodology and scoring weights live at /methodology. No vendor pays for placement — see about.