athenaOne® electronic health record (EHR) provides medical professionals with valuable tools, such as comprehensive revenue cycle management and easy access to information about a patient. However, like any other health information technology, athenaOne® has its strengths and weaknesses. When considering athenaOne®, healthcare providers should weigh those pros and cons to determine whether it is the best EHR platform to improve patient care for their medical practice.
Pros of athenaOne®
In the healthcare industry, the benefits of electronic health records have revolutionized the way medical professionals conduct patient care. Among the various EHR providers, athenaOne® is becoming increasingly popular with its cloud-based platform for patient health management. The electronic health record software offers a full suite of tools to streamline workflows and enhance quality of care for patients, including:
- Robust revenue cycle management (RCM): The Athena Collector module within the system offers scheduling, practice management, revenue cycle functions, clinicals, provider documentation, ordering functionality and more. Its advanced features, including rules engines for medical billing as well as billing analytics, help reduce revenue errors and denial rates, streamline billing workflows, and automate follow-up tasks.
- User-friendly interface: This EHR comes with an intuitive interface that is user-friendly and easy to navigate. It is designed to help medical professionals efficiently view medical history, manage patient care, produce required documentation, and streamline workflows.
- Cloud-based solution: athenaOne® is a cloud-based solution that eliminates the need for expensive hardware and IT infrastructure. With this software, medical professionals can access patient data and collaborate across multiple devices and locations, which improves efficiency and optimizes care delivery.
- Customizable templates: While the software itself is not customizable, its templates are. This means they can be adapted to meet the specific, unique requirements of different practices. athenaOne® provides flexibility and scalability, enabling providers to tailor the platform to their own workflows and specialties.
- Secure messaging: The athenaOne® system supports secure messaging, enabling clinicians to communicate and share clinical information and updates in real-time with other healthcare providers. This feature enhances collaboration among healthcare teams, which improves the quality of patient care.
- Advanced analytics and reporting: Users have access to advanced analytics and reporting features that can track the clinic’s and individual provider’s performance. The system also provides data-driven insights into financial and operational performance, which can help providers make informed business decisions.
- Customer support: athenahealth offers a dedicated support team available through chat, email, and phone.
Cons of athenaOne®
The right EHR should improve workflows, work within your existing operations, enhance practice management, and provide better patient outcomes. On the other hand, having the wrong EHR can lead to serious problems such as medication errors, an unused patient portal, revenue cycle management issues, and more. That is why it is important to understand the cons of any platform along with the EHR benefits. Considerations for athenaOne® include:
- Cost: athenaOne® cost can be high, depending on the size of the practice and the specific requirements. The subscription cost can be steep for smaller operations. Additionally, there could be additional costs for training, implementation, and data migration.
- Limited customization: Customization options are limited to templates, workflows, and report generation. Healthcare providers might find that the software lacks specific features and integrations they need or could be restricted in creating precisely what they require.
- Learning curve: athenaOne® has an easy-to-use user interface, but new users will still require training to use it efficiently. Staff, particularly those who may not be used to EHR systems, might find it challenging to learn the system, contributing to a lack of productivity.
- Downtime: Any EHR software, including athenaOne®, can experience downtime, scheduled maintenance, or system failure due to several reasons. This can temporarily hinder workflows and significantly have an impact on patient care, causing reduced productivity and revenue losses.
- Dependency on the internet: athenaOne® is a cloud-based solution, so it relies on a stable internet connection to work effectively. This means that any connectivity issues or downtime from the internet service could cause disruptions in the workflow, potentially delaying patient care, and resulting in lost revenue.
Summary: athenaOne® Pros and Cons
Choosing an efficient and accurate medical records system is a critical business decision that requires careful consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of each product. Though the athenaOne® system has its drawbacks, it offers several benefits that can optimize clinical processes and enhance patient care.
Healthcare providers’ decision to choose athenaOne® system should be based on their organization’s specific needs and requirements. Ultimately, the system can improve efficiency and effectiveness with patient care, but it is essential to consider the system’s cost, learning curve, and customer support when evaluating its suitability for your practice.
Is athenaOne® the Best Solution for Your Practice?
We can help you determine whether athenaOne® is right for you and, if so, assist with setup and integration. Or, if you already have a system in place, our EHR consultants can assess your operations and provide training and optimization solutions to ensure you are getting the most from your EHR. Contact us to learn more about how we can help.
