Finding an EHR That Balances Features and Budget
So you’re excited and ready to dive into the world of private practice! You have your business name, your legal entities are established, you’ve been busy with early marketing strategies and getting closer to actually launching the practice. But before you see your first client, you have another very important decision to make; your EHR system.
When starting a private therapy practice, choosing the right Electronic Health Record (EHR) system can significantly impact both your workflow and your bottom line. As a small practice owner, balancing affordability with functionality is essential. Google Workspace, a versatile and cost-effective platform, offers an attractive solution. But how does it compare to other popular EHR systems specifically designed for therapists? In this article, we’ll explore several popular EHR options and compare their features and costs to Google Workspace.
But before we jump in with the comparisons…
What is EHR/EMR?
While Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are often used interchangeably, they are distinct in their scope and functionality within healthcare.
Electronic Medical Records (EMRs)
An EMR is essentially a digital version of a patient’s chart that contains medical history, diagnoses, medications, and treatment plans within a single practice or facility. EMRs are typically used by clinicians for diagnosis and treatment, and they are restricted to the specific practice that generated them. For example, an EMR in a therapist’s office might record patient sessions, notes, and therapy plans, but that information typically stays within the office and isn’t easily shared with other providers. EMRs replaced traditional paper records but are still limited in their sharing and interoperability capabilities.
Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
An EHR, on the other hand, goes beyond just digital documentation within a single practice. EHRs are designed to be comprehensive, real-time records that include a broader view of a patient’s health and can be shared across multiple healthcare providers and settings. EHRs contain all the information found in an EMR but also include data from other specialists, labs, and care providers, ensuring that a patient’s health information follows them as they transition between care environments. This facilitates better coordination of care and allows providers to have a more complete understanding of a patient’s health history.
In short, while EMRs are a starting point for digitizing patient information, EHRs represent a more advanced, interconnected system that supports continuity of care across different healthcare settings. All of the options we will be looking at in this article can be utilized for an EHR system in a private therapy practice, including Google Workspace. One major advantage to using Google Workspace for EHR is that you cannot beat the price for a single user at just $6 a month for the Business Starter plan. It also allows for customization of the organization and flow of your documentation in ways that you may not find in other more traditional EHR systems. That said, while Google Workspace can offer a cost-effective and flexible solution for managing client information, it requires a more hands-on approach and may lack the specialized features that fully dedicated EHR systems, like SimplePractice or Jane.app, provide.
Let’s look at the options in more detail.
What to Look For in an EHR System
Before diving into the specifics of different EHR systems, it’s essential to understand the key features you should look for when selecting the best platform for your therapy practice:
- HIPAA Compliance: Ensuring your EHR system is HIPAA-compliant is critical for safeguarding patient privacy and meeting legal requirements.
- Record Keeping: A system for creating progress notes, reports and organizing and storing digital patient files and records is essential.
- Scheduling and Billing: Many EHR systems offer features that integrate client scheduling and billing which can streamline your administrative tasks.
- Intake Forms/Client Portal: The ability to create and send intake forms to patients in a secure way is essential.
- Customization: The ability to customize your EHR to suit your specific practice needs can be a valuable feature.
- Cost: For small practices, affordability without sacrificing essential features is often a top priority.
With these factors in mind, let’s take a look at some popular EHR systems for therapists.
1. SimplePractice
Features: SimplePractice is a popular EHR platform for mental health professionals and therapists. It offers a range of features, including HIPAA-compliant telehealth, billing, client scheduling and secure client messaging. The platform also integrates with insurance claims management, making it a comprehensive option for therapists who accept insurance.
Cost: SimplePractice offers three pricing tiers:
- Starter: $29/month (plus an additional $15 for telehealth)
- Essential: $69/month
- Plus: $99/month
Each tier provides additional features, with the Plus plan including advanced telehealth options, insurance billing, and automated reminders.
Pros:
- Easy-to-use interface
- Comprehensive features tailored to mental health professionals
- Customer support
Cons:
- Higher cost for premium features
- Limited customization options
- Additional fees may apply to access key features
2. TheraNest
Features: TheraNest is another well-known EHR system for therapists. It offers a full suite of features, including progress notes, billing, scheduling, telehealth and tools for managing group practices. TheraNest also includes a client portal where clients can complete intake forms, pay bills and schedule appointments.
Cost: TheraNest offers a pricing model based on the number of active clients:
- Up to 30 Clients: $42/month
- Up to 40 clients: $54/month
- Up to 50 Clients: $65/month
- Up to 80 Clients: $98/month
- 80 plus Clients: custom pricing
Pros:
- Scalable pricing based on client volume
- Includes group therapy and assessment tools
- Comprehensive feature set
Cons:
- Can become expensive as your client base grows
- Some users report a steep learning curve
3. TherapyNotes
Features: TherapyNotes is regarded for its robust note-taking capabilities. The platform offers customizable therapy notes templates, billing and insurance claims management, scheduling and a client portal. Additionally, TherapyNotes integrates with telehealth, making it a versatile choice for therapists who offer both in-person and online sessions.
Cost:
- Solo Practice: $59/month
- Group Practice: $69/month for first clinician, $40 for each additional
Pros:
- Good note-taking and documentation features
- Customizable templates for different types of therapy
Cons:
- Higher base cost compared to some competitors
- Some features, like premium telehealth, may require additional fees
4. Jane.app
Features: Jane.app caters to health and wellness professionals including mental health counselors, therapists, physiotherapists, and chiropractors. The platform is known for its clean interface, which simplifies tasks like appointment scheduling, billing, and patient records management. Additionally, Jane.app supports telehealth services.
- Appointment Scheduling: Jane.app offers an intuitive interface for scheduling, with options for both in-person and virtual appointments. It integrates with telehealth services, making it easy to provide remote sessions.
- Billing and Payments: Jane.app allows you to manage payments, create invoices and track insurance claims. You can also set up automated reminders for clients.
- Client Charting: This feature enables you to create, store and share clinical notes securely. The charting tool is customizable and allows for adding forms, photos and signatures.
- Client Portal: Clients can book appointments, fill out forms and make payments directly through the client portal.
Cost: Jane.app has a tiered pricing structure that caters to different practice sizes and needs:
- Balance: $54 per month. This tier is suitable for single practitioners with up to 20 appointments per month.
- Practice: $79 per month. This option allows for unlimited appointments, making it ideal for growing practices.
- Thrive: $99 per month. The Thrive plan offers unlimited appointments and enhanced features, making it ideal for practices looking to scale.
Pros:
- Intuitive interface
- Good customer support
- Versatile features suitable for various types of health practices
Cons:
- Higher base cost than some competitors, with limited appointments per month in the lowest pricing tier
- Limited in-depth insurance billing features compared to other platforms
5. Google Workspace for EHR
Features: While Google Workspace isn’t an EHR system out of the box, with proper setup, it can be an affordable alternative. Google Workspace includes tools like Google Drive for document storage, Google Calendar for scheduling, and Google Meet for telehealth. With HIPAA compliance available under a Business Associate Agreement (BAA), it can be customized to serve as a simplified EHR system.
- Storage and Organization: Google Drive allows you to organize client records, forms and notes securely.
- Scheduling: Google Calendar can be used for appointment scheduling and automated reminders can be set up via Google Forms or Sheets.
- Telehealth: Google Meet is included and can be used for HIPAA-compliant video sessions with clients.
Cost: Google Workspace is much more affordable than traditional EHR systems, starting at just $6 per user per month for the Business Standard annual plan.
Pros:
- Extremely cost-effective
- Customizable to fit your specific practice needs
- Access to all the HIPAA compliant Google services including Drive, Docs, Forms, Sheets, Email, Calendar, Slides, Meet, and Keep
- No additional or hidden costs to use or customize these services
Cons:
- Requires more manual setup compared to dedicated EHR systems
- Lacks built-in billing and insurance features
Cost Comparison: Google Workspace vs. Traditional EHR Systems
To give you a clearer picture of the cost differences between Google Workspace and dedicated EHR systems, let’s compare them side by side, for a single user, including telehealth:
| EHR System | Starting Cost | Features |
|---|---|---|
|
Simple Practice |
$44/month |
Scheduling, billing, telehealth, insurance integration |
|
TheraNest |
$54/month |
Progress notes, group therapy tools, client portal, price is for up to 40 clients |
|
TherapyNotes |
$59/month |
Customizable notes, billing, telehealth, client portal
|
|
Jane.app |
$54/month |
Scheduling, 1:1 telehealth, client portal, charting, intake forms; Price jumps to $79/month for more than 20 appointments per month |
|
Google Workspace |
$6/month |
Customized progress notes and record keeping with Google Docs, Forms, or Sheets, telehealth, scheduling, client portal capability, file storage, customized intake forms, customized email address and Gmail, customizable bookkeeping capability with Google Sheets, Google Slides
|
As you can see, Google Workspace offers a significant cost advantage compared to traditional EHR systems. However, it requires more setup and doesn’t include certain features like insurance billing and payment processing.
Why Choose Google Workspace?
Google Workspace may be the right choice for you if:
- You’re a small practice on a budget: If keeping costs low is a priority, Google Workspace can provide the essential tools you need for a fraction of the cost of traditional EHR systems.
- You prefer customization: If you’re comfortable setting up your own systems and enjoy the flexibility to customize your practice’s workflow, Google Workspace offers unparalleled flexibility.
- You don’t rely on insurance: You CAN actually use Google Workspace if you take insurance. However you will need to use another platform for submission of claims. Many therapists do this without difficulty. However, if your practice is primarily cash-based and doesn’t require insurance billing, this certainly will simplify things for you and Google Workspace can be a streamlined, affordable option.
When to Choose a Traditional EHR System
On the other hand, you may want to choose a traditional EHR system if:
- You need insurance integration: If your practice deals with many insurance claims on a regular basis, a dedicated EHR system like SimplePractice or TherapyNotes may be a better fit.
- You want a ready-made solution and cost isn’t a factor: Maybe you don’t want to do any work with the setup and just aren’t familiar enough with the Google platform to feel comfortable being able to customize it. Traditional EHR systems come with built-in features so you won’t have to spend time customizing and integrating various tools like you would with Google Workspace.
- You’re scaling your practice: If you plan to expand your practice with multiple clinicians or larger group therapy options, traditional EHR systems offer features designed to accommodate larger practices.
Choosing the best EHR system for your small therapy practice comes down to balancing your needs with your budget. Google Workspace presents a highly affordable and flexible alternative to traditional EHR systems, particularly for small practices that are primarily cash-based. However, if you need more advanced features like insurance billing and automated payment processing all in one place, investing in a more traditional, dedicated EHR system may be worth the higher monthly cost.
Ultimately, the best choice will depend on your specific practice needs, the volume of clients you handle, and how much customization you’re willing to do. By carefully considering your options and weighing the costs, you can find an EHR solution that supports your practice’s growth without breaking the bank.
If you’re a therapist just starting out, I highly recommend considering Google Workspace for EHR! If you’d like to learn more about Google Workspace and HIPAA compliance check out this post here. If you are looking for information on how to start a private practice and would like a free checklist to help get you started, read this post over here.
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