What is medical practice management software?
Without the proper medical practice management software (MPMS) program, doctors would be missing one of the most critical medical business tools. Regarding front-office duties, nurses and staff contribute to the company. Regarding back-office responsibilities, the nurses and physicians oversee the doctor-patient relationship, see the patients, and make diagnoses.
However, a quality MPMS program consolidates all the front-office and back-office administrative tasks into one place, making it easier for a secretary to make appointments and medical staff to update and monitor their patients’ files more easily. Additionally, it helps organize patient information in a secure database that meets HIPAA requirements. This also allows external billing service teams to integrate quickly, enabling the accounting department to ensure that financial and personal concerns are taken care of.
Because of an MPMS program’s ability to consolidate all administrative tasks into one convenient location, a doctor who gets the wrong MPMS program will not run the best possible business or offer the best possible type of personal care.
Benefits of medical practice management software
The benefits of a quality MPMS program are many.
- efficient scheduling
- intuitive user interface
- networking for multiple users
- on-time billing
- e-mail follow-ups
- increase profits by making day-to-day operations more efficient
- daily, weekly, and monthly operation reports and summaries
- referral tracking
- up-selling
- ability to enter notes and consult reference manuals
- secure database for client privacy
- questionnaire printing
1. AdvancedMD
AdvancedMD’s primary service is to help physicians keep up on their patient’s progress and outstanding balances. Additional primary services include helping to establish whether a patient is covered by insurance and enabling to update payment information as necessary.
In terms of accounts receivable, it provides an easy way for staff to collect co-pays.
In addition to the billing services, AdvancedMD billing services can be bundled with Practice Management, which provides the following front-office and back-office features.
- scheduling
- report printing
- bench-marking
- patient messaging
- patient kiosk
Free trial
A free trial is not widely available or advertised. That said, the online representative indicated that one could be provided following the demo. Although this post-demo trial is a sales technique to get physicians used to the program, it does allow doctors to test what is largely considered a top-notch service.
Price
Pricing depends on the features a physician requires. For instance, AdvancedMD allows physicians to customize the features, and the cost is based on the services they select.
Standard practice management runs $429 per month per insurance provider. However, physicians with low traffic can opt for a fee of just $1.29 per encounter, which is designed to average approximately $150 per month.
Mobile app
AdvancedMD is available as a mobile app compatible with iPhones and iPads.
Host location
The program itself is hosted online.
Training
Physicians can schedule a demo, and in-depth training is available by staff or via online documents.
Support
Support is available via online chats, phone calls, or e-mail.
Website: https://www.advancedmd.com
2. enki Office
enki Office is primarily a front-office solution suite. However, it can be integrated with the patient portal and other medical-management software solutions that the parent company, NextServices, provides. Overall features include billing and scheduling, analytics, and office administrative solutions for gastroenterology practices.
Free trial
For prospective clients, enki Office offers a free assessment, allowing physicians to acquaint themselves with the program’s full capabilities.
Price
Pricing can be negotiated, but a final price cannot be delivered until a physician has scheduled a demo.
Mobile app
The app is compatible with PC, Mac, and iOS or Android tablets.
Host location
The service is cloud-based.
Training
A demo can be scheduled, during which staff can answer questions. In addition, post-purchase training can be scheduled. Training is on-site or online.
Support
Technical support is available via e-mail and online chats. However, priority phone support is also available.
Website: www.nextservices.com
3. Simplepractice
As one of the most affordable services for physicians, Simplepractice is also one of the most comprehensive solutions in terms of billing and billing follow-up, scheduling, and diagnosis and treatment plans. In addition, it is 100-percent HIPAA approved, and it offers a client portal and a secure database for doctors or counselors to enter notes on treatment and therapy, respectively.
Free trial
Simplepractice offers a 30-day free trial.
Price
Affordable subscriptions are available for $39 to $49 per month. The difference in the price is that the $39 “Essential” package does not offer video appointments. Additionally, secure messaging and online booking are not available. The $49 “Professional” service offers video appointments and every service necessary for front-end administrators to run the office.
Mobile app
No app is available, but the service is responsive. As such, it will run on tablets.
Host location
This service is offered only online.
Training
Training is available during the demo and can be scheduled on-site. Additionally, available resources are available online.
Support
Support is available via the user interface. Questions can be submitted, and Simplepractice techs will get back to the doctors. However, essential online and telephone support are also available.
Website: https://www.simplepractice.com/
4. MDConnection
MDConnection is a comprehensive, front-office solution that provides an online billing dashboard, records database, and a scheduling platform. Other services include the ability to run financial analytics and customize the interface to meet the specific practice needs of the client.
Free trial
No free trial is permitted, but physicians can cancel at any time.
Price
For medical practices, pricing ranges from $299 per month per provider for unlimited transactions to $199 per month for fee-based transactions. For medical practices involving non-MD professionals, prices range from $199 for unlimited transactions to $99 for fee-based transactions.
Mobile app
A mobile app is not available.
Host location
MDConnection is cloud-based.
Training
Training is offered via online support videos and the online support system.
Support
Although unlimited support is available via the user interface and also via phone, the support system is, of course, queue-based. Consequently, some waiting is involved. However, you can also submit a help ticket. Support videos are also available.
Website: https://www.mdconnection.com/
5. MedEZ
MedEZ is explicitly designed for medical professionals in specific medical specialties, such as behavioral health and substance abuse. It offers solutions for in-patient and out-patient programs, and the practice-management dashboard allows every staff member to coordinate services and communications.
Statistics are available via various reports, and the program offers a complete solution for verifying insurance, submitting correctly coded claims, and following up on customer payments. It can also track unpaid insurance claims.
Free trial
Physicians can schedule a demo, preliminary training, and a free trial.
Price
Pricing is provided during your free demo.
Mobile app
A mobile app is not available at this time.
Host location
This program is available via the cloud, but it is also available as a local installation on either Mac- or Windows-based systems.
Training
Training is provided in person by MedEZ staff. Additionally, physicians can receive live training online.
Support
Support is available during standard business hours online via help tickets.
Website: http://medez.com/
6. Harmony Medical
Harmony Medical offers a robust suite of standard options that help medical businesses schedule and bill. Additional services include HIPAA-compliant record keeping, reports printing, and basic analytics.
Free trial
No free trial is available.
Price
The $1,500 base price includes software licensing and training, implementation services, and (if necessary) hardware. Standard monthly pricing can be as low as $149 to $399 per provider.
Mobile app
No mobile app is provided.
Host location
The service is provided online, and each client can log in onto the “My Harmony” dashboard. However, if desired, local installations are also available.
Training
In-person training is available, and online training via video conference and help tickets is also available.
Support
Support is available on a 24/7 basis with a live representative. This is one of the best aspects of Harmony Medical because they are available when needed.
Website: https://www.harmonymedical.net/ehr
7. DrChrono
DrChrono is one of the most comprehensive MPMS programs available. It will serve any medical practice, but it is also good for the following.
- chiropractor
- dermatologist
- masseuse
- optometrist
- plastic surgeons
- tele-medicine professionals
It offers the standard fare of front-office solutions, such as billing follow-up, patient scheduling, and HIPAA-compliant records keeping. Additionally, it serves as a patient portal, allowing patients to review their records and make appointments. However, the EHR app provides a variety of medical forms and has enough essential features that it has been used to launch actual practices.
Free trial
A free trial is included before purchase. Clients can pay nothing for three months or accept a 30-day free software trial only.
Price
The package price of $199 per month is still available, but the price itself depends on the following.
- number of clients
- need for unlimited billing
If a physician’s need varies, the price varies. Moreover, DrChrono offers four pricing plans. However, the final price is only provided at the demo time.
Mobile app
DrChrono is available via an iOS-compatible mobile app.
Host location
DrChrono is cloud-based, but it can also be installed locally.
Training
Comprehensive training is provided.
Support
Support is available on a 24/7 basis via a live agent. It is also available online.
Website: https://www.drchrono.com/
8. Luma Health
Luma Health is one of the newest MPMS programs. They offer a suite of services designed to automate and facilitate patient communication. More accessible communication is accomplished via essential front-office scheduling, billing, and follow-up communication. Luma Health also focuses on generating referrals, a solution to help grow any medical provider’s business.
Free trial
Luma Health does not offer a free trial.
Price
Pricing is provided during the scheduled demo.
Mobile app
Luma Health’s iOS-compatible and Android-compatible apps are available for patients to sign and submit paperwork and make appointments.
Host location
Luma Health is only available online.
Training
Training can be scheduled to take place online or in person. For specific questions, these two training methods can be combined. Additional training for user-interface questions is available via an online user’s manual and videos.
Support
Support is available only online via standard work hours.
Website: https://www.lumahealth.io/
9. Kareo
When it comes to MPMS programs, Kareo is a powerhouse made specifically for small practices. In addition, it attempts to streamline the services it provides, ensuring clients do not get bogged down in features they do not want and cannot afford.
Features include the following.
- document management
- scheduling
- reminders and patient follow-ups
- ICD-10 and HIPAA-compliant database
- billing solutions
- charge capture
- digital business development and best-practice module
Free trial
They do not offer a free trial, but clients can test it for a month without signing a contract.
Price
The introductory price ranges from $100 to $300 per month for medical management plans. However, as with most plans, the essential services can be customized. For instance, billing services are available for an additional $75 to $300 per month.
Mobile app
An iOS-compatible app is available for clients and patients.
Host location
Kareo is cloud-based.
Training
Training is provided during the demo and can be scheduled again to occur in person. Additional training modules are available online and via an online user’s manual.
Support
Technical support is available online during weekday business hours.
Website: https://www.kareo.com/