athenaOne vs Cerner Practice Management

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Our analysts compared athenaOne vs Cerner Practice Management based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Medical Practice Management Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

athenaOne Software Tool
Cerner Practice Management Software Tool

Product Basics

athenaOne by athenahealth is a cloud-based healthcare management solution tailored for practices of various sizes, particularly in fields like orthopedics, urgent care and primary care.

High scores in reporting (100), payment management (92) and coding (95) reflect its robust functionality in tracking financial health, automating payments and reducing claim rejections through accurate coding.

While many users appreciate the platform’s fast system navigation, customizable workflows and responsive customer support, there are some drawbacks. Costs tend to increase over time, which can be challenging for practices with tighter budgets.

Additionally, some users report that navigation, while fast, can be complex, with multi-step processes required for simple tasks like switching between patient charts and billing.

The system has delivered impressive results in real-world cases. For example, Peachtree Orthopedics experienced a 240% increase in time-of-service collections and SCP Health reported a 67% reduction in eligibility-related denials.

These results highlight the platform’s ability to boost revenue and efficiency, making it a solid choice for practices that need strong financial oversight, coding accuracy and patient engagement tools.

Our Research Process for athenaOne

Using our internal data, we compared the platform with alternatives like DrChrono and eClinicalWorks. After carefully analyzing the scores for each feature, we identified its key strengths.

We couldn’t get trial access to the platform. But that didn’t dampen our spirits. We dug through user reviews and case studies to learn more about the system. Read on to discover our findings.

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Cerner Practice Management allows health care providers to save company money by reducing inventory holding costs spent on excess stocks. It offers physicians and administrators efficient management tools to eliminate miscommunication, information duplication and error-prone record keeping.

Its digital features, including documentation, scheduling and e-prescribing, automatically flag unreliable and faulty information, thereby saving physician time. In addition to providing sharable, precise and accurate medical records, the system equips practices with database backups in the event of misplacement, theft or natural disasters. 
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$550/Provider, Monthly
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$25/Provider, Monthly
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Rocky Hill Pediatrics
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Product Insights

  • Analyze Data to Make Informed Decisions: In our analysis, the product achieved a perfect score of 100 for dashboard and reporting capabilities, more than competitors like DrChrono (88). It helps you:
    • Access ready-made and custom reports that break down everything from outstanding balances and transaction histories to revenue trends and write-offs.
    • Create reports across multiple data areas, bookmark frequently-used filters and even set up automatic delivery to keep the key numbers coming in on your schedule.
    • Gain a clear view of patient payments, insurance trends and overall financial health.
  • Manage Patient Payments With Real-Time Tracking: With a top score of 92 in our analysis — outperforming competitors like DrChrono at 81 — athenaOne’s patient payments management features streamline the payment journey end-to-end. How?
    • It enables direct ACH payment acceptance, generates detailed patient statements with comprehensive billing information, and provides clear access to payment histories and current balances.
    • It helps you track payments, manage unallocated funds and monitor overdue or upcoming balances, while electronic reminders keep patients informed and engaged.
  • Reduce Medical Coding Errors: In our analysis, the system scored 95 for its medical coding capabilities, excelling in assigning CPT, E&M, HCPCS, ICD and NDC codes. This helps you document services and diagnoses accurately, reducing claim rejections due to coding errors.
  • Pre-Appointment Management: The platform scored really well for features that make managing appointments and patient information simple. Doctors can easily schedule appointments, send reminders, collect patient details online and track follow-up care. Patients can book, reschedule and pay for appointments, fill out forms and view medical information through a patient portal, all in one place.
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  • Streamlined Billing: Cerner Practice Management simplifies the billing process, reducing the time and effort required to manage invoices and payments, which can lead to improved cash flow for practices.
  • Enhanced Patient Experience: By automating appointment scheduling and reminders, the software ensures a smoother, more efficient patient journey from booking to visit, enhancing overall satisfaction.
  • Improved Accuracy: The system minimizes human error in coding and billing, ensuring that claims are accurate and reducing the likelihood of rejections or denials from insurance companies.
  • Comprehensive Reporting: With advanced reporting capabilities, practices can easily generate detailed financial and clinical reports, aiding in better decision-making and strategic planning.
  • Increased Productivity: Automating routine tasks such as appointment scheduling, patient registration, and billing frees up staff to focus on more critical aspects of patient care and practice management.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Cerner Practice Management helps practices stay compliant with changing healthcare regulations, including HIPAA and MACRA, reducing the risk of penalties and ensuring patient data is protected.
  • Scalability: The software is designed to grow with your practice, easily accommodating new providers, services, and locations without significant disruptions to operations.
  • Integrated EHR Compatibility: Seamlessly integrating with electronic health records (EHR) systems, Cerner Practice Management ensures that patient information is up-to-date and accessible across all points of care.
  • Reduced No-Shows: Automated appointment reminders significantly reduce the number of no-shows, ensuring better utilization of resources and potentially increasing revenue.
  • Enhanced Data Security: With robust security measures in place, the software ensures that sensitive patient data is securely stored and managed, protecting against breaches and unauthorized access.
  • Customizable Features: Cerner Practice Management offers customizable features that can be tailored to meet the unique needs of each practice, ensuring a perfect fit for various specialties and practice sizes.
  • Mobile Access: Providers and staff can access patient information and practice management tools on-the-go through mobile apps, enhancing flexibility and responsiveness.
  • Improved Patient Flow: By efficiently managing appointments and patient registrations, the software helps in optimizing patient flow, reducing wait times, and improving the overall efficiency of the practice.
  • Financial Management: The platform offers tools for detailed financial analysis and management, helping practices monitor their financial health and make informed decisions regarding expenses and investments.
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  • Medical Coding: Access certified coding support for accurate ICD-10-CM and CPT coding, ensuring alignment with current coding standards. Benefit from automated coding suggestions and alerts for potential code mismatches, reducing coding errors.
  • Claims Resolution: Manage denied and rejected claims with tools that offer real-time claim status tracking and detailed feedback on claim issues. Receive automated alerts and guidance for correcting errors, allowing faster re-submission and reducing denial rates.
  • Insurance Verification: Automate patient eligibility verification before appointments to ensure coverage and minimize denied claims. Receive alerts for potential eligibility issues, enabling front-office staff to resolve discrepancies early.
  • Billing Rules Engine: Automatically flag and correct potential issues in coding, documentation and claim formatting, increasing first-pass acceptance rates. Continuously update rules to stay aligned with payer requirements and industry regulations, minimizing rework.
  • Telehealth Billing: Use special codes that tell insurance companies this is a virtual visit, so they know exactly how to pay. Automatically add these codes when creating bills so that they match what insurance needs. Add a “place of service” code that shows the visit happened online, not in a clinic or office. Make sure bills reflect that the service was remote, so insurance pays correctly.
  • Authorization Management: Initiate same or next-day authorizations for urgent situations requiring immediate care, with a two-hour initiation window for same-day requests. Track and manage prior authorizations directly within the billing system. Automate follow-ups for pending authorizations to get necessary approvals before you provide the services.
  • Dashboard: Access financial performance metrics like days in accounts receivable, total receivables and unpaid claims. Track claim statuses from submission to payment in one centralized view.
  • Reporting: Use customizable reporting tools to analyze practice financials, claim performance and payer trends. Generate detailed reports on revenue metrics including payer performance, patient collections and claim aging for strategic planning.
  • Patient Portal: Let patients view medical histories, sign documents, pay bills, manage appointments and more using mobile devices. Physicians can communicate with patients through messaging, notes or even video calls.
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  • Documentation: Reduce transcription costs and eliminate malpractice risks by enhancing documentation and storage methods. Facilitate easier record management abilities by cutting down paper-based resource usage. Provide staff and physicians with digital documentation options for better care quality and simplified administrative operations. 
  • Scheduling: Fill appointment gaps using automated scheduling modules. Gain instant visibility into canceled appointments to efficiently backfill free slots. Enable patients to book, reschedule and cancel from anywhere across the globe. 
  • Patient Portal: Facilitate virtual care coordination using an online portal for easy communication among patients, physicians and front office staff. Store everything from patient data, medical histories, e-prescriptions, treatment progress to lab results in a unified space. 
  • Claims Management: Check, track and resubmit rejected claims using an electronic claims management system. Achieve fewer denials and cleaner claims by efficiently managing the whole process through automated tools. Identify recurring claim errors and fix them without requiring a large number of changes. 
  • E-Prescribing: Gain complete insight into a patient’s medical history with a click of a button. Set system alerts to inform providers and prescribers about potential drug interactions, allergies and other contraindications for better care delivery. 
  • Medical Billing: Enable an effortless way to bill by using electronic invoicing tools for uniform data entry capabilities. Eliminate staff fatigue by cutting down repetitive manual entries. Run automated processes to detect errors, including coding inconsistencies, missing documentation and outdated patient information backup. 
    • Dunning Management: Streamline billing procedures by optimizing time and costs of daily workflows. Reduce payment declines and recurring revenue loss by providing a digital mechanism for swift notification of unsuccessful payment attempts via emails and in-app text messages. 
  • Inventory Management: Improve order and sales accuracy to save money on inventory damage control. Use the inventory management feature to identify appropriate quantities of each product and automate error-free renewals and shipment processes. 
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Product Ranking

#8

among all
Medical Practice Management Software

#27

among all
Medical Practice Management Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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91
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69
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Dashboard and Reporting
Clinical Management
Medical Coding
Platform Capabilities, Security, and Compliances
Clinical Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

athenaOne
Cerner Practice Management
+ Add Product + Add Product
Billing And Claims Management Clinical Management Collaboration Dashboard And Reporting Medical Coding Mobile Capabilities Patient Payments Management Patient Schedule Management 84 87 71 88 80 47 65 83 82 91 69 82 100 47 70 75 0 25 50 75 100
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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User Sentiment Summary

Good User Sentiment 1000 reviews
Good User Sentiment 252 reviews
75%
of users recommend this product

athenaOne has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 75% when considering 1000 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

71%
of users recommend this product

Cerner Practice Management has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 71% when considering 252 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

n/a
4.1 (16)
3.4 (106)
3.5 (219)
n/a
3.5 (14)
3.8 (880)
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5.0 (1)
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4.1 (13)
2.5 (3)

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Efficient and Fast System: Users appreciate the system’s ability to navigate through charts quickly, simplify patient check-ins and automate appointment reminders.
Several Customization Options: Users needing tailored workflows for unique clinical or administrative needs find the customization options particularly useful, as they can adapt the system to meet their practice’s specific requirements, enhancing workflow and reporting accuracy.
Integrated Features: Users highly value the solution’s comprehensive feature set, which includes EMR, ePrescribing, billing and practice management capabilities.
Responsive Customer Support: Many users note that support personnel are approachable, knowledgeable and effective in resolving common challenges.
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Appointment Scheduling: Scheduling appointments is a breeze with Cerner's user-friendly interface. The system is designed to streamline the process, making it easy for staff to manage appointments efficiently.
Billing and Claims: Cerner simplifies the billing process by automating tasks and reducing errors. This leads to faster reimbursement and improved revenue cycle management for practices.
Reporting and Analytics: Gain valuable insights into your practice's performance with Cerner's comprehensive reporting tools. Track key metrics, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to optimize operations.
Patient Engagement: Enhance patient engagement and satisfaction with Cerner's patient portal. Patients can easily access their medical records, schedule appointments, and communicate with their providers online.
Integration and Interoperability: Cerner's commitment to interoperability ensures seamless data exchange with other healthcare systems. This promotes care coordination and improves patient outcomes.
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High Set-Up and Ongoing Costs: Users feel that costs increase over time without necessarily reflecting improvements in service or functionality.
Poor Billing Support: Users report that the support team frequently lacks expertise in handling complex billing issues, often leading to mistakes or delays in claims processing.
Frequent Crashes: The platform’s stability is a recurring concern, as users report crashes and bugs that interfere with daily operations. These issues are especially problematic after software updates, which sometimes introduce new bugs, requiring further patches and troubleshooting.
Cumbersome Navigation: While some users praise the interface, many find the system’s navigation complex and time-consuming, requiring numerous clicks to complete even simple tasks. For example, switching between patient charts, scheduling and billing can be a multi-step process, slowing down workflow efficiency.
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Steep Learning Curve: The system's complexity can be overwhelming for new users, requiring extensive training and ongoing support to achieve proficiency.
Customization Challenges: Tailoring the software to specific workflows and preferences can be difficult, often necessitating costly and time-consuming custom development.
Reporting Limitations: Generating custom reports or extracting specific data points can be cumbersome, hindering data analysis and decision-making.
Integration Issues: Seamless integration with other healthcare systems or third-party applications can be problematic, leading to data silos and workflow disruptions.
User Interface Concerns: The user interface is often described as outdated and clunky, impacting user experience and productivity.
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athenaOne brings a lot to the table for healthcare practices, with tools that make managing payments, billing and patient records a lot easier. One of the platform’s biggest strengths is its reporting capabilities, where it scored a perfect 100 in our analysis.You get both ready-made and customizable reports that break down everything from outstanding balances to revenue trends, so it’s easy to stay on top of your practice’s financial health. Plus, you can bookmark filters you use often and set up automated deliveries.When it comes to handling patient payments, the platform really shines, scoring a 92. It lets you accept direct ACH payments, send out detailed billing statements to patients and provide a transparent view of payment histories.You can send automated reminders, so patients know when a payment is due — no surprises, no confusion. This level of tracking and transparency is something you don’t always find, even in other competitive platforms like DrChrono.The system also tackles one of the biggest headaches in healthcare: coding accuracy. It scored 95 for medical coding, which means it does a solid job of helping providers document services and diagnoses correctly.We’re talking support for everything from CPT and E&M codes to ICD and NDC codes, which are essential for reducing errors in claims.Of course, no system is perfect, and some users have noted a few downsides. Navigation can be a bit of a chore, with some tasks requiring several clicks to get done. While some users appreciate the comprehensive interface, others feel it’s a bit too complex for everyday tasks, especially when you’re constantly switching between patient charts, scheduling and billing.There are also occasional stability issues — some users report crashes, particularly after software updates. But the good news is that customer support is generally responsive, so they’re there to help troubleshoot.Overall, though, the platform has shown tangible results. Just look at Peachtree Orthopedics: they reported a 240% increase in time-of-service collections and SCP Health saw a 67% drop in eligibility-related denials. Those are serious wins for any practice looking to boost revenue and reduce paperwork headaches.

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Cerner Practice Management, a comprehensive software solution designed to streamline administrative tasks in healthcare settings, has elicited a range of user feedback. While some users appreciate the software's user-friendly interface and extensive features, others express concerns about its cost and potential rigidity. Let's delve into the specifics of these perspectives. Users frequently commend Cerner Practice Management for its intuitive design and ease of use. The software's interface is lauded for its straightforwardness, enabling healthcare professionals to navigate the system efficiently. Additionally, the software's customizability empowers practices to tailor the system to their specific workflows and requirements. This adaptability is particularly beneficial for practices with unique operational needs. However, the software's cost can be a significant barrier for smaller practices or those with limited budgets. The price tag associated with Cerner Practice Management may necessitate careful consideration and financial planning. Cerner Practice Management distinguishes itself through its robust integration capabilities. The software seamlessly integrates with Cerner's electronic health record (EHR) system, facilitating a smooth exchange of patient data and streamlining clinical workflows. This integration is especially advantageous for healthcare organizations already utilizing Cerner's EHR solutions. Furthermore, Cerner Practice Management offers both cloud-based and on-premise deployment options, providing flexibility to accommodate diverse technological preferences and infrastructure limitations. Considering these factors, Cerner Practice Management is well-suited for medium to large healthcare practices seeking a comprehensive, integrated solution to optimize their administrative processes and enhance operational efficiency. Smaller practices may find alternative solutions better aligned with their budgetary constraints.

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