Compare Athenahealth and Practice fusion - Feb 2023

Shlomi Lavi / Feb 17, 2023

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Bottom Line: Which is Better - Athenahealth or Practice fusion?

Functionality:

Athenahealth and Practice Fusion are both electronic health record (EHR) systems that offer similar functionality for medical practices. Both systems provide tools for scheduling, billing, and patient management. They also offer electronic prescribing, lab integration, and patient portals for communication and access to health records. However, Athenahealth offers a more comprehensive set of features, including population health management and revenue cycle management tools. Additionally, Athenahealth has a more robust mobile app for remote access to patient data.

Pricing:

The Starting price of Athenahealth is $140 per month, while Practice Fusion pricing begins at $149 per provider per month.

User Interface:

Athenahealth's user interface is more modern and intuitive compared to Practice Fusion. Athenahealth's interface is also more customizable, allowing practices to tailor the system to their specific needs. Both systems offer desktop and mobile access to patient data, but Athenahealth's mobile app is more robust and user-friendly.

Integration:

Both Athenahealth and Practice Fusion offer a variety of integrations with other systems, such as lab systems and billing software. Athenahealth offers more robust integration options, including the ability to integrate with other EHR systems and health systems. However, Practice Fusion has a number of pre-built integrations that make it easy to connect with other systems.

Scalability:

Athenahealth is more scalable than Practice Fusion and can serve a larger number of users. Athenahealth's system is designed to handle the needs of larger practices and health systems, while Practice Fusion is better suited for smaller practices.

Security:

Both Athenahealth and Practice Fusion offers robust security features, including data encryption and secure access controls. Athenahealth has received several security awards for its system, including SOC 2 Type 2 certification. Practice Fusion is also compliant with industry security standards such as HIPAA.

Reporting and Analytics:

Both Athenahealth and Practice Fusion offer a variety of reporting and analytics tools, including patient demographics, clinical data, and financial data. Athenahealth's reporting and analytics tools are more advanced, allowing practices to access more detailed information and create custom reports.

Support and Maintenance:

Both Athenahealth and Practice Fusion offer support and maintenance services, including documentation, chat support, and SLAs. Athenahealth's support team is generally considered to be more responsive and helpful than Practice Fusion's support team.

Training and Implementation:

Both Athenahealth and Practice Fusion require training and implementation, with Athenahealth generally taking longer to implement. Athenahealth's implementation process is more complex and can take several weeks to complete. Practice Fusion's implementation process is less complex and can be completed in a matter of days.

Flexibility:

Athenahealth is more flexible than Practice Fusion and can support more users. Athenahealth's system is designed to handle the needs of larger practices and health systems, while Practice Fusion is better suited for smaller practices.

Data Migration:

Both Athenahealth and Practice Fusion offer assistance with data migration, but Athenahealth's data migration process is more complex. Athenahealth offers a variety of tools to help with data migration, such as data mapping and data validation. Practice Fusion's data migration process is less complex and can be completed in a matter of days.

Mobile Access:

Both Athenahealth and Practice Fusion offers mobile access to patient data, but Athenahealth's mobile app is more robust and user-friendly. Athenahealth's mobile app offers a wider range of features and functionality, including the ability to view patient records, access lab results, and prescribe medications. Practice Fusion's mobile app is more limited in its functionality and is primarily used for scheduling and patient communication.

Cloud-Based or On-Premise:

Both Athenahealth and Practice Fusion are cloud-based systems, meaning that the software and data are hosted on remote servers and accessed via the internet. This eliminates the need for on-premise hardware and allows for more flexible and scalable access to the system.

Vendor Reputation:

Athenahealth was founded in 1997 and has a large customer base with over 160,000 users. Practice Fusion was founded in 2005 and has a smaller customer base, with over 100,000 users. Athenahealth has a better reputation in the industry and is considered to be a more established and reliable vendor.

Industry Certifications:

Athenahealth has received several industry certifications, including SOC 2 Type 2 certification and HITRUST CSF certification. Practice Fusion has received certifications such as SOC 2 Type 2 and HITRUST CSF.

User Reviews:

Athenahealth has generally positive reviews, with users praising its functionality and user-friendliness. Users also appreciate the system's robust security features. Practice Fusion has mixed reviews, with some users praising its ease of use and low cost, while others have expressed dissatisfaction with the system's limitations and lack of features.

Technical Requirements:

Both Athenahealth and Practice Fusion require an internet connection and a web browser to access the system. Athenahealth's system is more complex and requires more IT resources to maintain and manage. Practice Fusion's system is less complex and can be managed with fewer IT resources.

Implementation Timeline:

Both Athenahealth and Practice Fusion require training and implementation, with Athenahealth generally taking longer to implement. Athenahealth's implementation process is more complex and can take several weeks to complete. Practice Fusion's implementation process is less complex and can be completed in a matter of days.

Vendor Stability and Compliance:

Both Athenahealth and Practice Fusion are compliant with industry standards such as HIPAA and are considered to be stable vendors. Athenahealth has a better reputation for stability and reliability and has been in business for longer than Practice Fusion.

Overall, Athenahealth and Practice Fusion are both EHR systems that offer similar functionality for medical practices. Athenahealth is less expensive than Practice Fusion and offers more features, a better user interface, and more robust integrations. Athenahealth is also more scalable and flexible and has a better reputation in the industry. Practice Fusion is more expensive but easier to implement, but its features are more limited. Both systems offer robust security features, but Athenahealth has more industry certifications. Users tend to be more satisfied with Athenahealth than Practice Fusion. Ultimately, the choice between the two systems will depend on the specific needs and budget of a practice.