Health Care EHR/EMR Software Best Practices

What is Behavioral Health EHR/EMR software?

The Behavioral Health EHR/EMR Software assists health care professionals to deliver high-quality care and improve patient outcomes . They streamline work processes and help save time and money by streamlining communication between clinicians and patients. Patients can be notified by text, email, or telephone. E-prescribing allows you to track prescription requests, and ensures that patients consume the right medications.

You can quickly submit accurate claims using e-claim technology. These applications simplify your workflows by reducing administrative tasks like billing, documenting and scheduling, as well as reporting. Clients can pay their bills electronically and process credit cards through patient portals. To better monitor the progress of patients, you can attach notes to files. Analytical modules allow you to track changes over time.

Implementation

Two main steps can be taken to search for EMRs in behavioral health:

• Analyze your needs. The more you know your EMR requirements, and the better your purchase will be, the greater your chances of a successful outcome, both financially and clinically.
• Use your list of requirements to evaluate potential EMR vendors.

When defining your EMR requirements, it is important to determine what your clinicians require. Your organization won't see much benefit if your clinicians are uncomfortable using the system. If you are replacing an EMR, you should ask your clinicians what they think of it. You should also talk about what they want out of a new EMR.

Unfortunately, many organizations ignore their clinicians and end up purchasing EMRs they don't understand, or just don't want. This is a mistake to avoid.

Be aware of your facility's specific needs and current issues when searching for EMR software for behavioral health. Both cloud-basedhealthcare technology solutions offer their benefits, but some clinics will be more successful with one than the other. A cloud-based solution would be more beneficial for specialty clinics such as behavioral health facilities than it would be for a hospital with many departments. On-premise solutions also require you to have your own IT team to handle updates and issues.

Sometimes, a less-known system can be just as effective in meeting the needs of behavioral health practitioners than systems developed by vendors with larger marketing budgets. Some vendors may charge additional fees for adding features or applications.

It may seem difficult at first to distinguish between specialty EMR systems, let alone rank them. If you carefully compare the features of different vendors and adhere to your requirements you will find an EMR that allows you to easily share patient records, improves your bill process, and makes your health records accessible from any device.

Common Questions

With so many options available, it can be difficult to choose the right EHR software for behavioral health. It is important to find the right application for your workflow. We have listed below some questions that you can use in order to get started on your journey towards behavioral health software selection.

General

• How much does the system cost?
• Is it possible to have a plan customized according to my features?

System Requirements

• What are the compatibility requirements for your product?
• Is the platform mobile-friendly
• Is the app compatible with an Internet connection?

Privacy and security

• What level of data encryption does the solution offer you?
• Is the cloud storage protected?

Federal Regulations

• Is the product ONC-certified?
• Is the software compliant with HIPAA regulations?

Best Behavioral Health EHR/EMR Software

We have narrowed down the list to five top behavioral health EMR/EHR programs in order to make it easier. We will be discussing each vendor and their key tasks throughout this article.

Cloud-based solutions are often the best option for behavioral health treatment, which is mainly done in outpatient facilities and clinics. Our top five behavioral EHR/EMR options are all cloud-based.

TheraNest

TheraNest EMR is used by all types of organizations. It helps counselors, therapists, and social workers to streamline their daily operations. It provides management, scheduling and billing modules. Clients can electronically submit and sign forms. It allows you to save files on a secure server and not worry about data breaches. With just a few clicks, patients can see available slots and book appointments.

You can also conduct virtual sessions with clients to better understand them. Mobile devices allow you to access the information from anywhere. To reduce the no-show rate, automatically send reminders for appointments to clients through the patient portal.

Benefits

• Stay Mobile: View appointments and create treatment plans using an internet-enabled device. Electronic signatures are possible for patients. With just a few clicks, you can also access the DSM-5 or ICD-10 diagnostic codes.
• No Hassle Notes Management: TheraNest is compatible with Wiley Practice Planners. This allows you to store and create therapy notes such as treatment plans, initial assessments, and progress records. Clients can approve, deny, and cosign forms. Send notes as PDFs to clients
• Unlimited User Accounts: It is possible to add unlimited users (e.g. students, teachers, interns, front desk staff, billers) at no additional cost.
• Embezzle in the Cloud: Access documents from a convenient location and increase productivity. Perform multiple backups of data to prevent losing important files.
• Send appointment reminders: To reduce no-shows, send appointment reminders via voice calls or SMS to To notify clients about their responses, you can set up automated reminders at an organizational level.
• Accept Payments: Patients can pay online with debit or credit cards. For improved cash flow, save card information.
• Save Document Drafts: When you save a document in your system but don't export it, the draft folder is created. When you are certain that the file contains accurate information, save it.
• Reducing Medication Errors

Features

• Patient Portal: Create intake forms for therapy using pre-built templates. Patients can submit their documents online, and staff can schedule appointments. Clients can also clear credit card balances electronically and make payments electronically. You will receive updates in real-time to ensure you don't miss important details.
• Scheduling It is possible to create appointments for individuals, groups, or multiple staff members. The calendar can be filtered by service type, location, and staff member. Notifications will be sent when schedules are changed. To improve workflows, you can integrate with Apple iCal or Google Calendar.
• Invoicing and Billing: Allows doctors to create invoices electronically and send them out. Batch invoicing allows you to search for unbilled appointments, create invoices and send them out all at once. To generate accurate bills, you can access the built-in CPT codes for mental health. To assess your practice, print and download the claim insurance forms (CMS-1500).
• Telehealth: Allows you to hold online individual or group therapy sessions up to six people using video conferencing technology. You can share files and work together digitally. Patients can also join meetings using their mobile devices.
• Reporting To analyze the efficiency of your practice's operations, you can produce reports on client demographics, revenue, billing, appointments, and referrals. Clients can export data to PDF or CSV formats.
• Claims Management and Tracking: You have the ability to check claim statuses throughout your billing cycle. You can modify or resubmit claims that have been rejected.
• Insurance Management Send insurance claims, make payments, and receive ERAs. It offers insurance billing workflows that include batch payments, statements, and invoices.

Limitations

• Does not support on-premise deployment.
• Clients can't make changes to invoices that are linked to appointments. They must delete the invoice and create a brand new one.
• The vendor's app for mobile doesn't have insurance or client billing functionality.
• It is not possible to embed an online booking widget onto your website.

TherapyNotes

TherapyNotes is an EMR that can be used by therapists, psychiatrists and social workers. TherapyNotes EMR features include billing, claims management and documentation. There is also technical support.

It includes both practice management and EMR capabilities. The scheduling software allows you to track physician schedules, patient appointments, and billing.

TherapyNotes offers practice management functions such as one-click electronic claim submission, direct receipt from certain insurance companies of Electronic Remittance Advice, credit/debit/HSA processing, and the ability generate patient statements and superbills.

The EMR-based note-taking function is built around forms for therapy, counseling, psychology, and psychiatry. It also includes form-based templates for treatment plans, progress and psychological evaluations. Automates adding tasks to treatment plans when needed, or to submit electronic claims.

TherapyNotes' customer service is a major advantage. TherapyNotes offers unlimited, 24/7 technical support, which is a major advantage over other EMR software for behavioral health. TherapyNotes is also the most affordable of these five options, starting at $49/month.

Benefits

• Reminders for Appointments: Inform patients via text, email, or phone call about upcoming sessions to lower no-show rates. This helps you avoid cancellations last minute.
• Access Automated MODIFIER Codes: Use default modifier codes to set billing settings, multiple practice locations, and services. These codes can be automatically attached to patient's claim documents.
• Unlimited Support: Contact the support team via phone or email. They are available to help you understand rejections and navigate credit card processing. More than 75,000 customers have been helped by the vendor's representatives.
• Create an Environment that is Paperless: Scan through all information required for claim generation. You can track claim statuses, and get alerts via the to-do lists whenever claims are ready for submission.
• Regulation Health Submission Compliance: This tool helps you to comply with regulations like MIPS and state-organized information exchanges on health.
• Personalize Your Brand Look: You have the option to customize your client portal with your logo, welcome message, and color scheme.
• Quickly Diagnoses: Enter DSM-5 and ICD codes in the search box. The system will then show you a list with suggested matches. This saves both time AND energy. This allows you to concentrate on other tasks, such as billing and insurance verifications.
• Speed up Note-Taking: Use the pre-built templates for notes to record information in SOAP format. The application creates a task list item when you start a session. This allows you to create progress notes.

Features

• Patient Information form: Patients can upload their demographic information and make changes to specific fields via the patient portal. The collected data can be converted into charts for easy access.
• Patient Scheduling Allows clinicians to schedule sessions, events, and intakes in just a few clicks. To avoid scheduling sessions outside of normal hours, you can create work schedules. To simplify workflows, automatically add tasks to your list.
• Calendar: Filter Calendar view by clients, clinicians or locations. To help you plan strategically, you can view your daily and weekly agendas. To access remote data, integrate with iCal and Google Calendar.
• The Patient Portal allows patients to request, reschedule or cancel appointments electronically. Clients have the ability to view and schedule available clinicians. With just one click, you can approve or deny appointment request. Electronic signatures are possible for patients.
• Therapy Notes To help you organize your notes efficiently, use customizable templates that comply with HIPAA and APA. For review purposes, you can transfer historical data to the current document. Securely store sensitive information to protect confidentiality
• Billing Track patient balances, submit claims, generate statements, create CMS-1500 forms, and print CMS-1500 forms. You can also track electronic pre-authorizations for insurance. Fast payments can be made by processing clients' credit cards.
• Reporting To help you make data-driven decisions, and improve productivity, generate financial, patient, and insurance aging adjustment, and write-off reports.
• Document Library Share files with your team, view, download and discuss them to ensure everyone is on the same page. Secure cloud storage is a good way to keep sensitive information safe.

Limitations

• It does not integrate with Wiley Practice Planner.
• Does not support on-premise deployment.
• Absence of mobile apps

EasyPractice

SimplePractice can be used for both solo and group practices. It can handle tasks such as scheduling, patient rooming and reporting. The client portal allows you to send in intake forms. Patients can then review, sign, and make digital payments. Patients can view available slots and make appointment requests. You can conduct sessions remotely with the telehealth function.

Telemedicine allows clinicians and patients to have face-to-face conferences, securely transmit still images and high-resolution video conference screenshots and then save them to patient files. You can use customizable templates to create treatment plans and patient notes to assess, diagnose, and monitor the severity of a condition.

Benefits

• Provide Patient-Centered Healthcare: Clients can check availability and make appointments online through an online booking widget. Clients can submit consent forms and intake via the patient portal.
• Stay Mobile: This solution is compatible with both Android and iPhone devices. It allows you to access data from anywhere, at any time. From the comfort and convenience of your home, you can manage your schedules and generate exact bills.
• Reminders can be sent to clients via text, voice, or email. With just a few clicks, patients can cancel or reschedule appointments.
• Streamline Daily Activities: All your operations can be managed from one system. Integrate Google, Outlook Calendars, Stripe and Braintree to eliminate data migration headaches. To avoid making mistakes in diagnosing, you can access a library with over 1000 Wiley Treatment Plans.
• Get Paperless Payments: Clients can make fast payments with credit card processing. To speed up financial processes, encourage patients to sign up for autopay.

Features

• Client Portal Allows patients to electronically submit their intake forms, demographic information, and make credit payment payments. Patients can upload important documents, such as paperwork, insurance cards, and referrals, in PDF, CSV and PNG formats. Patients can be sent statements, invoices and superbills at any time. You can also send secure texts to patients via the HIPAA-compliant messaging channel.
• Calendar: Filter view for clinicians, locations and days, weeks, or months. Integrate Outlook Calendar, Google Calendar and iCal to organize client appointments better
• Telehealth: Clients can join sessions without logging in or creating passwords. Video meetings can be held and clients can share PDFs, worksheets, and exercises via screen sharing.
• Insurance Management Create, submit, reconcile, track and track all claims from one screen. It integrates payment reports for insurance accounting automation. It allows you to add or modify default modifiers based on service codes and locations.
• Billing Allows you to create and send invoices, statements, and CMS-1500 forms electronically to clients. It integrates with Stripe to offer autopay and credit card processing.
• Scheduling See available times, locations, and services to approve/denial appointment requests electronically. To help lower no-show rates, you can send automated reminders via text, email, or voice call.
• Reports Create patient, insurance, and practice income reports to track your facility's progress. These reports often include information about payment statuses, referrals, card transactions, and other details.
• Templates The behavioral healthcare EHR provides a pre-built and customizable template library that includes questionnaires, progress notes, intake forms, and more. It is possible to add ICD-10 codes and diagnoses to treatment plans automatically. This saves you time and effort compared to creating new plans.

Limitations

• It does not offer integrated e-prescribing capabilities.
• Telehealth group sessions are not supported.
• There is no on-demand telephone support available.

DrChrono

DrChrono EMR provides modules like e-prescribing and scheduling. This helps medical professionals streamline their work processes. The online marketplace allows developers to download the necessary solutions for health care apps. It integrates with Box, a cloud storage system that conforms to HIPAA regulations. This allows you to generate accurate bills. The free draw function allows you to add notes to patient charts or x-rays.

Access information is available from any device with internet access. Its document management tool allows users to create, edit, and populate consent forms. Staff and patient signatures can also electronically be captured.

Benefits

• Automated reminders: Notify patients via text or email about upcoming appointments. Clients can confirm appointments by email or phone.
• Remote Access: View information through your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch. You can use the app to manage your e-prescribing as well as scheduling, documenting, and billing functions.
• Prescribe medications electronically to avoid any handwriting legibility problems. To determine the correct dosage of medication, use the dosage calculator. To view historical prescription records, log in to the Surescripts network.
• Integrate Bidirectionally: This vendor offers bidirectional lab integrations with more than 9,000 diagnostics centers and 35,000+ radiology centres such as Quest Diagnostics or LabCorp. Lab results can be analyzed directly from patient charts.
• Provide learning materials: Discuss educational resources, such as documents about treatment procedures, chronic care management, and exercises that patients can complete at home. Access resources from MayoClinic and other sites is also possible.
• Use Speech-To-Text: To reduce the time spent writing notes, you can use voice recognition technology to dictate your notes.
• Create data flexibility: Integrate Box to benefit from unlimited storage, seamless back-ups, and data portability. A centralized database allows you to access and share files with your colleagues.
• Streamline Communication Talk to your patients through a secure messaging portal. The patient portal allows clients to ask questions and download attachments from clinicians.

Features

• Schedule Management Clients can check availability and schedule appointments via an iPhone, iPad, or web browser. To quickly create patient profiles, auto-populate billing codes, reasons to visit and consent forms.
• Client Portal Allow patients to access laboratory results, educational materials, and their health information records. Apple Health Kit allows clients to view their prescriptions and vitals in real-time.
• Client Check-In App: This app allows clients to self-check-in to cut down on waiting times. Patients can sign-in using their name, date of birth, and this automatically populates insurance and medical details on charts.
• Insurance Eligibility Check: Verify the insurance plans of patients to avoid legal problems. You can also view past and failed eligibility checks based on service types.
• Billing Add accurate medical codes to bills in order to produce error-free statements. You can track the status of claims in real-time. To improve cash flow, resolve denial issues. The financial dashboard allows you to view billing reports.
• Document Management Access documents via web browsers and iPads. To make it easier for patients to find files quickly, clinicians can add tags to them. These documents can be shared with patients through OnPatient.com
• Telehealth You can conduct virtual visits from the system. Patients can access sessions via a link. Patients can receive appointment reminders by email.
• Reporting To track progress, generate patient, insurance, productivity and prescription reports. To quickly find files, filter reports according to the assigned criteria.

Limitations

• Does not support on-premise deployment.
• It does not integrate with Wiley Practice Planners.
• Incompatible with Android devices

CounSol

CounSol.com, like most behavioral health EHRs, is equipped with features and tools to handle behavioral health workflows. It allows doctors to remotely review patient records and make notes.

The patient portal makes it easy for clients and health organizations to communicate with each other. Patients can access their medical information online, get updates and communicate with their doctors in real-time.

Benefits

• Customize forms: Allow clients to fill out intake forms, policy agreements, and practice terms online. To collect patient data, you can edit questions and add text fields or checkboxes.
• Synchronize Calenders: Integrate the app's calendar with your device to ensure you don't miss important updates.
• Hold Group Sessions Multiple participants can be scheduled at once. To schedule appointments, you can set the duration, location, time, and size of your group. Patients can view and register online for group meetings via the client portal.
• Send Birthday Notifications: Track upcoming birthdays and create custom birthday messages for clients via email.
• Contact your Personal Account Manager: To get a more detailed understanding, you can ask your personal account manager questions.
• Wiley Treatment Planners: Create evidence-based treatment plans with Wiley Treatment Planners.
• Reminders for Appointments: Notify patients automatically 24 hours, 48 or 72 hours before their appointment via text, email, or phone
• Simplify Communication - Send messages and information to clients about sessions or payment status.

Features

• Patient Portal Allows patients to view their emails, schedule appointments, pay bills, and keep a private journal through the patient portal. Clients can also participate in video chat and online meetings.
• Invoicing and Billing: Remind patients that they can send payments by email. Administrators can track transactions and get alerts about pending invoicing.
• Patient Treatment Plan: Customizable Templates allow you to create accurate treatment plans, such as diagnosis descriptions and interventions.
• Scheduling & Calendar: To view the available slots, you can filter your calendar by day, hour and week. Patients can schedule video, phone, chat, or office appointments. Integrate with iCal for desktop, tablet, and smartphone calendars.
• Notes on Progress: Create, maintain, and revise diagnosis, symptom descriptions, current assessments and treatment plans.
• Client Journal: Allow clients the ability to save and write their progress notes in a folder. Clients can also share their entries with counselors via a secure server.
• Telehealth: Video and chat sessions can be conducted via the patient portal. Clients can participate in meetings via their smartphones, tablets, or laptops without installing additional apps.
• Reports: Create bill reports with pre-built templates. This will help you make financial decisions. The behavioral health software provides analytical insight such as the number of sessions per week and the payment information.

Limitations

• It does not offer a mobile app that is compatible with both iOS and Android devices.
• Absence of e–prescribing functionality

Make Your Decision

There are many choices available, so choosing the right EMR for your behavioral healthcare treatment can seem daunting. Although we cannot tell you which behavioral health software is best for you, this list should give you some idea of the capabilities of these systems.

We can't stress enough that you must adhere to your EMR/EHR requirements to help guide your choice of behavioral health EHR vendors. It's important to prepare. If your organization understands what it needs to support clinicians effectively, you will be much more likely to make the best choice among the many behavioral healthcare EMRs available. Each organization is unique and has its own workflow, clinical style, and administrative challenges. Your investment will be successful if you carefully screen the top behavioral healthcare companies in your area.

No matter how large your behavioral health organization, an EMR purchase is a significant investment. You have a better chance of making your behavioral healthcare EMR investment a success by identifying key behavioral health EHR requirements. To learn more about software selection, please refer to our buyer’s guide.

What has the behavioral health EMR/EHR done for your health care organization? We missed some. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments.