Introduction
With the quickly increasing number of practice management systems available, it can be hard to know what to choose. Practice management software offers countless benefits for healthcare businesses, so finding the perfect solution will help you put your best put forward and achieve your business goals. ICANotes offers a platform that can assist your practice in various ways, yet despite its benefits, there are certain drawbacks we think you should be aware of. In this guide, we’re going to unpack the ICANotes system before highlighting five other alternatives - let’s get started!
What is practice management software?
We’re assuming because you’re here you already know a bit about practice management software, so we’ll just provide a brief overview. Essentially, practice management software is a technology that has been developed to help healthcare businesses streamline different administrative and clinical processes. It can be difficult to summarize this type of system, as each platform offers varied tools. Nevertheless, most practice management systems assist with documentation, billing, scheduling, note-taking, intake processes, and client engagement.
The best solutions are cloud-based, allowing you to utilize the platform without implementing any new hardware and storing your data on remote servers. These systems protect your ePHI through a range of different safeguards, including encryption and physical security. Practice management systems offer innovative and simple methods of managing all areas of business, which usually results in saving both money and time. The technology is continuously updating and improving, ensuring your business stays ahead of the game at all times.
Introduction to ICANnotes
ICANotes is a robust practice management software that has been in the game since 1999. With a focus on behavioral health practices, ICANotes offers solutions that help these businesses elevate their efficiency, organization, and compliance. The platform is integrated with a telehealth program, facilitating the ability for practices to offer virtual care for patients in need. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth has become increasingly important and ICANotes caters to this need very well. In addition to these features, other tools integrated into the ICANotes platform include:
- Appointment scheduling and automated reminders
- Secure patient portal
- Billing
- E-prescriptions
- Charting
- Document management
- Secure messaging
The entire platform is HIPAA compliant and ICANotes has a range of different safeguards in place to protect ePHI. Additionally, the platform offers free training and has customer support available, ensuring the implementation process for new users is as seamless as possible.
Importantly, ICANotes also offers a free trial, allowing prospective users to have a feel for the platform before they fully commit. The actual pricing for the system is dependent on a few factors. For a full-time prescribing clinician, ICANotes costs $155.30/month and $105.30/month for a part-time prescribing clinician. The price is slightly reduced for non-prescribing users and non-clinical users. For group practices with four or more clinicians, ICANotes offers a discount. To get an exact quote about how much their platform will be for your business, it is a good idea to get in touch with them directly.
Although there are definitely some benefits associated with the ICANotes system, there are also certain disadvantages.
Firstly, optional add-ons all come at a cost, which can end up making the system significantly more expensive than the quoted prices. For example, full-time ePrescribing is an additional $58/month, and telehealth features are an additional $10/month. The patient portal, appointment reminders, credit card processing and clearinghouse integrations also come at additional costs. While the features that are offered by the platform are robust, having to pay more to gain access to each of these makes it significantly less appealing.
Other drawbacks include:
- Users report that the system can be slow and is prone to stalling.
- The customization capabilities can take quite a bit of time for users to use. Although customization is typically a good thing, optimizing these features can definitely be time-consuming.
- ICANotes is tailored for behavioral health practitioners, meaning it is a little less flexible than other practice management systems.
For these reasons, we understand why you may want to check out some of the alternatives. Luckily, there are lots available!
5 best alternatives to ICANotes
Carepatron
Carepatron is a cloud-based practice management software that offers solutions designed to elevate administrative processes and improve clinical outcomes. The system is entirely HIPAA-compliant, ensuring you and your patients are protected at all times. As opposed to ICANotes, Carepatron’s platform has been developed for practitioners working in many different fields, including:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Nursing
- Physical Therapy
- General Practice
- Counseling
- Chiropractic
Here are some of the areas in that Carepatron excels in:
Telehealth at no additional cost
While ICANotes have telehealth features, they can only be accessed at an additional cost. In comparison, Carepatron’s telehealth is integrated into its wider platform, ensuring all users have access. Offering this feature helps promote greater accessibility of remote care which, as we already mentioned, is especially important in the aftermath of COVID-19.
Clinical notes
Carepatron has some fantastic customization capabilities, but these have been designed so they don’t in any way restrict users. In addition to documentation assistance, Carepatron has a range of different clinical note templates, helping practitioners save significant amounts of time.
Automated appointment reminders
Carepatron’s reminder software is also integrated into the platform. These reminders help reduce no-shows, optimize workflow, and ensure the schedule is as effective as possible.
Voice-to-text software
Carepatron is additionally integrated with voice-to-text software, which also helps practitioners save time on their documentation. Keeping accurate and effective clinical notes is a very important aspect of working in healthcare but it also takes a lot of time. With voice-to-text transcription, practitioners can streamline their documentation process without compromising the quality of their notes - what’s not to love?
We don’t have time to get into all of Carepatron’s benefits right now, but some of their other features include:
- Appointment scheduling and workflow management
- Medical billing and coding assistance
- A secure patient portal
- Online payments
- Mobile app
- Clinical documentation tools
Pricing
Carepatron has 3 tiers of pricing, helping your business achieve its goals without breaking the bank:
- Starter: Free Plan
- Professional: $12 per user/month
- Organization: $19 per user/month
What are you waiting for? Get started now for free
Simple Practice
Simple Practice is another HIPAA-compliant practice management system designed to help practitioners elevate their care delivery. Simple Practice has been in the game for a long time and has helped revolutionize the way technology is used in the healthcare industry. Using cloud-based software, Simple Practice is integrated with the following features:
- Telehealth
- Client portal
- Insurance assistance
- Medical billing
- Appointment scheduling
- Clinical documentation
- Customer support
Simple Practice pros
Mobile app
With a mobile app, Simple Practice values the importance of accessing healthcare remotely. Patients and practitioners can both access essential information from their mobile devices and can complete tasks (including scheduling appointments, making online payments, and checking upcoming bookings) with a few simple clicks.
Website builder
Simple Practice is integrated with a website builder, helping healthcare businesses integrate their EHR and their websites. Having a functional and intuitive website is one of the best ways to attract clients to your business, and Simple Practice has developed a way to make this process easy and effective.
Simple Practice cons
Customer support
Simple Practice’s customer support team isn’t fantastic. When a problem arises for a healthcare business, it is absolutely essential that this is resolved as soon as possible, which is unfortunately not an area that Simple Practice excels in.
Software
Because Simple Practice has been around for such a long time, some of the technology they use can be a bit clunky. As software continues to develop and improve, it’s vital that practice management systems update their own technology appropriately.
Pricing
Simple Practice has three pricing plans:
- Starter: $29/month
- Essential: $69/month
- Plus: $99/month
Pabau
Pabau offers practice management solutions specifically tailored to physiotherapists, cosmetic surgeons, medi-aesthetics, wellness therapists, general practitioners, and vaccine clinics. Some of the features integrated into Pabau’s platform include:
- Marketing tools, helping you expand your clientele
- Client portal
- Patient management
- Appointment scheduling and booking management
- Reporting and analytics
These tools are especially effective for increasing your patient outreach and ensuring you are prioritizing client needs.
Pabau pros
Free version
Pabau offers a free version of its platform. This allows healthcare practitioners to access essential practice management tools without breaking the bank. If they want to upgrade to a paid version, this process is easy, and they have the additional advantage of growing accustomed to the platform without having to pay for it.
Pabau cons
Limited scope
Although Pabau has effective solutions for the healthcare fields we listed above, these don’t cover a very broad range of specialties. Unfortunately, this means that Pabau’s platform may not be well suited for other practitioners, and they’d be better off having a look at other alternatives.
Complicated setup
Users report that the implementation process for Pabau can be quite complicated. It involves a lot of customization and a platform that is just generally hard to navigate.
Pricing
Pabau offers a free version of its system and has additional pricing plans that are scaled depending on how many clinicians are included. Get in touch with the platform directly to receive a quote.
Cliniko
Cliniko’s practice management software is well suited to a wide range of different healthcare fields. With practice management tools and robust telehealth features, Cliniko can help you achieve growth all while saving time and resources. Features included in Cliniko’s system are:
- Appointment booking and scheduling
- Health records management
- Analytics
- Finance management
- Customizable treatment notes
- Patient forms
- Automated appointment reminders
Cliniko pros
Appointment scheduling software
Cliniko’s booking system offers robust tools. In addition to automated appointment reminders, the system allows you to schedule recurring appointments, offer multiple business locations, generate a waitlist, and register new clients. These tools help make the workflow at your practice seamless, fitting in as many patients as possible all while saving significant amounts of time.
Free trial
Cliniko also offers a 30-day free trial, ensuring that new users can get an insight into the platform before making any long-term commitments.
Cliniko cons
Integration
Cliniko’s integration capabilities are somewhat limited. Although the platform offers integration, users report having multiple systems in use at the same time is very difficult to manage.
Pricing
- 1 practitioner for $49/mo
- 2-5 practitioners for $99/mo
- 6-8 practitioners for $149/mo
- 9-12 practitioners for $199/mo
- 13-25 practitioners for $299/mo
Kareo
Finally, Kareo is a popular practice management system that is used by a pretty large number of healthcare practitioners. The platform has been pivotal in introducing practice management technology into the healthcare industry and the features they offer are robust. These include:
- Telehealth
- Clinical documentation
- Online payments
- Billing assistance
- Analytics
- Patient engagement
Kareo pros
Mobile app
Kareo is integrated with a mobile app, allowing both practitioners and patients to access important information when they are on the go. Mobile apps facilitate better telehealth experiences, while also elevating communication and transparent care delivery.
Intuitive platform
Kareo has designed an intuitive platform, making it easy for new users to learn the system quickly.
Kareo cons
Tailored for bigger businesses
Kareo’s platform is best suited for bigger group practices and healthcare businesses. Although this is fine, it most likely means it won’t effectively elevate the processes of solo practitioners or start-ups.
Pricing
To get a quote, contact the platform directly.
What should you be looking for in a practice management system?
Now that we’ve gone over five of the best alternatives to ICANotes, let’s have a quick look at some of the features you should always be on the lookout for:
HIPAA compliance
Compliance is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of using any vendor that manages your ePHI. Practice management systems should have extensive physical and electronic safeguards in place, and they should also be willing to enter into a BAA with your business.
Interoperability
The reality is that most healthcare businesses have multiple systems on the go (this is especially the case for billing services). You want to ensure that the practice management software you select can integrate effectively with these other systems and won’t slow your processes down.
Patient engagement
As value-based care is becoming increasingly predominant in the healthcare industry, selecting a practice management system that values patient needs is especially important. Look for software that is integrated with a patient portal, online payments, and scheduling features. All of these tools help increase the transparency of the care process and ensure patient needs are being met.
Affordability
This may sound obvious, but you want to be getting bang for your buck. Sometimes the most expensive practice management systems aren’t actually the best. There are plenty of affordable solutions out there that offer features that are just as robust.
Final thoughts
Although ICANotes definitely has some benefits, we don’t think it’s the perfect practice management software. And when you’re working in the healthcare industry, perfection is what you want to be striving for. When you are conducting research into the available options, don’t be afraid to get in touch with the platform directly and see how they can meet your business needs. Practice management systems have a lot to offer the healthcare industry, and you want to ensure you’re getting the most out of them.
We hope this guide has pointed you in the direction of some of the best alternatives to ICANotes, and that you feel more prepared to go out there and find the perfect fit. Good luck!
Further Reading
- Best Cliniko alternatives (features and pricing)
- Best Theranest alternatives (features and pricing)
- Best Counsol alternatives (features and pricing)
- Best Therapy Notes alternatives (features and pricing)
- Best Nookal alternatives (features and pricing)
- Best My Clients Plus alternatives (features and pricing)
