Running a successful healthcare practice means juggling many responsibilities—from managing schedules and billing to ensuring your patients feel supported and engaged. Patient management software (PMS) is the backbone of modern healthcare practices, offering tools that streamline these tasks and allow you to focus on what truly matters: providing exceptional care.
A comprehensive PMS does more than organize your day-to-day workflows. It enhances the patient experience through secure data sharing, client portals, and tools for measurement-based care, ensuring better outcomes for your clients. Whether you’re a mental health counselor, nutritionist, chiropractor, or primary care provider, the right software can transform your practice, saving time and simplifying compliance.
In this article, we’ll explore the types of patient management software available, highlight key features to look for, and review some of the top options to help you make the best choice for your practice.
Patient management software can simplify and optimize your practice’s daily operations. From charting and scheduling to telehealth and secure messaging, the right software integrates essential tools into one seamless system.
Below are the key features that can elevate how you run your practice and connect with your clients.
Efficient charting tools are essential for streamlining documentation, enabling healthcare providers to dedicate more time to their clients. Common charting features include customizable note templates, placeholders, and text snippets, which help simplify repetitive tasks and improve workflow efficiency. Advanced capabilities, like AI-assisted charting, can securely record, transcribe, and summarize client sessions directly within charting systems, reducing manual workload and improving accuracy.
Many patient management software systems also offer templates for patient intake forms and personalized assets, making onboarding smoother and more organized. Additionally, tools for creating reusable messages and tailored recommendations ensure consistent communication and help enhance client relationships while maintaining high standards of care.
Booking a session with a new healthcare professional can be intimidating. Make scheduling appointments as easy as possible with a patient portal that allows clients to book appointments and check-ins independently, eliminating unnecessary back and forth.
Integrated automation tools allow you to send text and email reminders, which not only cut down on no-shows but also reduce last-minute cancellations. With these tools, you can better manage your time while maintaining a flexible schedule tailored to your needs.
Enable more convenient, secure patient communication with HIPAA-compliant messaging. Use your patient management software’s app to chat with clients about appointment follow-ups, share helpful resources, enable notifications, and send auto-responses.
Some PMS systems also support secure group messaging, enabling you to foster a sense of community for clients working toward shared health goals. Notifications, auto-responses, and in-app messaging ensure seamless communication without overburdening your time or resources.
Telehealth is no longer a nice-to-have feature—it’s essential for making care accessible. A robust telehealth feature enables you to offer virtual appointments that clients can join via phone, tablet, or computer, increasing flexibility and breaking down geographical barriers to care.
Look for software that prioritizes secure, HIPAA-compliant video conferencing to maintain trust and privacy. Integration with platforms like Zoom or built-in telehealth tools ensures smooth sessions, while features like screen sharing and file uploads enhance the experience for both you and your clients.
Make medical billing as seamless as possible with a fully integrated, paperless, online payment system. Clients can pay by credit card, download automatically generated invoices and receipts for insurance, and understand exactly what they owe.
You’ll benefit from more on-time payments, reporting on your transactions for tax purposes, and fully encrypted, PCI-compliant digital payments.
By consolidating these features into a single system, patient management software allows you to focus on building stronger relationships with your clients while saving time and improving outcomes.
Patient management software comes in various forms, each tailored to specific needs in healthcare practices. Whether you’re streamlining communication, maintaining medical records, or managing prescriptions, understanding the different types of patient management tools can help you choose the best fit for your practice.
Customer relationship management systems (CRMs) simplify communication between healthcare practices and patients by tracking interactions and storing essential patient information.
Many CRMs include patient portals where clients can independently access records, test results, appointments, and billing information. These features not only improve the patient experience but also save time by reducing administrative tasks.
Electronic health records (EHRs) are the backbone of modern healthcare documentation. These systems centralize medical records, making it easy for providers to access and update information quickly.
EHRs are crucial for managing medical histories, lab results, treatment plans, and diagnostic notes. By integrating this information into one platform, EHRs ensure operational efficiency, support continuity of care, and reduce the risk of errors.
e-Prescribing (electronic prescribing) software simplifies the prescription process by tracking patient diagnoses, treatment plans, and medical history.
This type of tool supports safe and accurate medication management, promoting better treatment adherence and outcomes.
Please note: Practice Better does not currently support e-Prescribe. However, the platform integrates seamlessly with other tools, ensuring you can manage prescriptions efficiently alongside other critical practice workflows.
Imagine a single, streamlined platform that places every tool you need right at your fingertips. Practice Better consolidates scheduling, client management, billing, telehealth, and more—all in one place. This PMS saves you time on administrative tasks and gives you complete control over your workflows.
Designed with flexibility in mind, Practice Better is customizable to your wants and needs. From branded portals to white-labeling options, you can make Practice Better uniquely yours so you can run your practice your way.
Practice Better goes beyond the basics of practice management by focusing on the practitioner-client relationship. With just one platform, you can create a seamless client experience, build trust, and enhance engagement. This modern EHR system helps you keep client records and patient data in one place so you spend less time worrying about admin and organization and more time supporting well-rounded, human-centered care.
What truly sets Practice Better apart is its innovative, AI-powered features. The AI Charting Assistant reduces burnout by streamlining documentation, letting you focus on what matters most: your clients. Practice Better also integrates with other popular tools, includes automation options, and offers a mobile app so you can manage everything from anywhere, effortlessly matching your holistic approach with technology designed for your needs.
Explore alternate practice management software to find your practice’s best fit. While these platforms may suit specific needs or niches, each has unique features and limitations that you will want to evaluate carefully.
Healthie’s PMS provides tools for growing practices in the healthcare industry. Healthie gives providers access to charting, scheduling, telehealth features, and more. However, the platform does not include AI-powered tools, and users report issues with billing due to its lack of integrations and inability to create invoices.
Jane allows providers to book appointments, chart, and process payments online. Jane works best for a clinical audience, and its scheduling platform is well suited to large teams. Still, some users note a lack of customization abilities, specifically within the reporting feature. Also, the client portal access is not as robust as that of competitors.
SimplePractice is designed for therapists and mental health practitioners. It offers secure messaging, telehealth, scheduling, charting, and some marketing features like automated Google Review requests. However, if you’re not a mental health counselor, it’s probably not the best platform for you. Users also note its high price point compared to other options.
TherapyNotes is another platform made with behavioral health professionals in mind. It includes a custom client portal, telehealth, e-Prescribe, payment processing, and more. While the platform has many capabilities, users report some nonintuitive feature changes, telehealth bugs, and flaws with TherapyNotes’s billing.
Web-based practice management software Power Diary offers calendar management features, appointment reminders, and treatment note templates for medical practices. Users note that it’s very user-friendly but that it takes a very long time to make product updates and doesn’t offer many customization options on the client side.
Still undecided? Check out G2 for medical practice management software reviews from unbiased, real users. Then, see how Practice Better compares to other popular systems.
Choosing the right patient management software isn’t just about streamlining administrative tasks—it’s about creating a more efficient, patient-centered practice. By understanding the different types of PMS, essential features, and available options, you can make an informed decision that enhances workflows and improves client outcomes.
Practice Better provides the ultimate all-in-one solution for healthcare providers who want to simplify operations, engage clients, and deliver outstanding care. With customizable features, AI-powered tools, and an intuitive platform, it’s designed to help you build the practice you’ve always envisioned.
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