Electronic Health Records, or EHRs, have become the cornerstone of modern healthcare provision. The capabilities of these technology-driven tools extend far beyond mirroring paper records. In addition to enhancing medical care frameworks, EHR systems contribute to the optimization and automation of practice workflows. They also have the potential for increasing the interoperability between medical organizations and health data while preserving information confidentiality. However, a saturated market field makes it difficult for providers to choose the most suitable medical software for their specific needs.

It’s wise for a practice owner to want to evaluate the features as well as the pricing plans of an EHR program before committing to installing it. With that in mind, we have compared two of the top-tier electronic health recording products on the market to help make your search for the right tool a little easier. Let’s take an in-depth look at the side-by-side comparison of CounSol vs. athena.

CounSol vs. athenahealth: An Overview

CounSol is an all-inclusive medical software that includes electronic medical records (EMR), practice management (PM), and medical billing functionalities. The application is designed to help mental health professionals with patient scheduling, task management, clinical documentation, patient engagement, and more. It enables providers to expedite the patient care process, while tracking the overall trends in the population they serve. Moreover, the software supports secure online video and chat sessions that enable providers to deliver high-quality telemedicine services. Book CounSol EMR demo if you want a quick visual walkthrough into the software’s functionalities.

athenahealth is a comprehensive EHR platform for healthcare practices of all sizes. The application offers extensive scheduling, patient charting, e-prescribing, and telehealth tools alongside several robust front-office billing features. It is lauded for its data-driven insights that are generated from the vendor’s largest network in healthcare. These insights help organizations reach new heights of performance, success, and efficiency. Overall, athena EMR is a reliable medical software with a highly powerful, consultation-based approach to reporting and practice management. Book athena EHR demo to familiarize yourself with the system;s features before investing in it.

A Comparison of Features

CounSol and athenahealth are two top-tier EHR products that offer robust tools to help healthcare professionals improve patient care, while optimizing their operational efficiency. However, there are a few distinct differences in their functionalities, which you should consider before arriving at a decision.

Salient Features of CounSol EHR

CounSol EHR reviews confirm that the application comes with carious robust features for workflow automation, patient engagement, and revenue cycle management – including:

Patient Scheduling: This EMR program for behavioral health professionals offers a powerful appointment scheduling tool that enables clinicians to keep track of their daily appointments. Patients, on the other hand, can use this feature to book their own slots based on a provider’s availability.

Appointment Reminders: Therapists can easily send automated appointment reminders to their patients to reduce no-shows and improve revenue outcomes. The application empowers the front desk staff to streamline the appointment scheduling process by quickly scheduling and rescheduling patient visits. 

Billing & Invoicing:CounSol software comes with a robust suite of practice management features that make medical billing a breeze. It features an extensive range of RCM tools that enable behavioral health clinics to manage their finances by verifying insurance at the point of care, reducing multiple data entries, and billing directly. 

Communication Tools: It facilitates secure communication between patients and physicians, as well as allows providers to collaborate with other mental health professionals quickly using the portal. Patients can also communicate with their counselors using secure messaging and telehealth appointments.

Secure Video Sessions: The EHR system comes with a feature that is designed exclusively for psychologists and patients who prefer remote care sessions. They can easily  conduct safe and secure video telehealth sessions within the patient portal.

Salient Features of athenahealth EHR

Athenahealth EMR medical software offers all the features medical experts look for in a quality EHR product to streamline day-to-day practice tasks, boost operational efficiency, and improve patient care – including:

Customizable Reports: The application’s customizable weekly and monthly reports offer seemingly countless filters. Practices can rely on these reports to uncover valuable insights to improve operational efficiency and patient care.

Patient Portal: The patient portal feature includes tools for HIPAA-compliant messaging and patient appointment scheduling. It allows patients to check lab results, request prescription refills, view medical history, make payments, get follow-up notifications, and more. Moreover, they can use telehealth appointments to communicate with their providers.

Appointment Scheduling: The EHR system offers a comprehensive scheduling tool that empowers a practice’s front-office staff to quickly view the calendar through a filterable dashboard. It also allows patients to reschedule or cancel their appointments via the patient portal.

Telehealth: Its telehealth capabilities are embedded in its medical software, and patients can easily join virtual care sessions without any  special devices or new software. 

Interoperability: athena EMR reviews suggest that the application’s interoperability tools facilitate seamless sharing of practice and patient data across other organizations and vice versa. 

Pricing Comparison
CounSol Pricing:
The basic CounSol pricing plan is billed at $49.95 per provider per month, with the vendor offering flexible cost plans that are suitable for practices of all sizes.

athena EMR Pricing:
athena EMR pricing plan starts from $140 per month per provider; the package does not include any medical practice management or billing tools.

Wrapping Up

In the end, there’s no conclusive winner. The best tool for your healthcare organization will be the one that will align seamlessly with your work processes and requirements. While CounSol is suitable for only mental and behavioral health facilities, athenahealth can cater to almost all medical specialties.

It’s crucial for the ongoing success of your healthcare facility to make sure you choose the most suitable EHR system to deliver the best possible patient care, while also operating efficiently.

We highly recommend that you schedule software demos and consider various comparisons on CounSol vs. athena before finalizing your decision.