Apple products, from the iPhone to the iPad and Apple TV, have long been the favorite of mobile professionals.
DrChrono made a conscious decision to focus on these devices as the primary platform for its electronic medical record (EMR) application.
DrChrono—also called an electronic health record (EHR) app—begins at $199 per provider per month for its EMR and practice management components).
The company's web-based user interface (UI) tends to work better for office staff sitting at a desk.
In patient rooms, they integrate the Apple TV device to project images or video to facilitate discussion between providers and patients.
Honest, Objective Reviews
Daxdi.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering Labs-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services.
Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.
DrChrono is the only EMR app in our review roundup that offers a full and open application programming interface (API) for integrating external apps with the information stored in its system.
The company offers direct integration with Box for exchanging large files such as video or multiple images.
For the exchange of medical records, it supports the Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture (CCDA), which uses Extensible Markup Language (XML) and Extensible HTML (XHTML) to render medical documents.
All EMR apps certified to meet Stage 2 of the federal government's Meaningful Use program must support CCDA.
Under Meaningful Use, the government provides incentives for adoption of EMRs and issues guidelines on their use.
We gave DrChrono a rating of 4 out of 5, which puts it right behind our Editors' Choice , which offers a comprehensive feature set and new data inputting technologies.
About the only flaw we could find in DrChrono is its Apple device dependence, which is limiting for some users but a big plus for others.
Pricing
DrChrono provides free access to students, plus it has a freemium model that lets small offices start with basic EHR functionality at no cost.
After that, the company offers four pricing tiers, starting at $199 per provider per month for basic EMR and practice management functionality.
The next tier up costs $279 and adds additional functionality to the EMR system.
It also enables more communications in the form of text and phone reminders (150 each) and incoming or outgoing faxes (400 of them).
The highest-priced tier costs $499 and adds medical billing software to the other levels as well as increased communications.
DrChrono offers a revenue cycle management (RCM) option called Apollo-plus, starting at 6 percent of claims submitted and payments received.
RCM pricing goes down with increased volume.
Health Care Provider
It's obvious that DrChrono has a decidedly Apple bias when it comes to devices.
This preference could be a plus or a minus depending on your disposition toward Apple products.
It could also be a detriment if you are tablet averse.
If you are an Apple fan, then you will love working with this product as it takes full advantage of the Apple design philosophy. Though DrChrono does work from within a browser, it lacks access to all functions in that format versus using the iPad.
When entering information with an Apple device, you can use Siri for dictation (voice-to-text) or an Apple pen on the iPad.
You input video and photos directly into the chart by using the iPad.
These functions are very similar to our top pick, WRS Health, which also enables multiple data input with a variety of devices.
WRS Health, however, allows these data inputs applications from any browser while DrChrono is Apple-dependent for many of these optional functions.
You can access the International Classification of Diseases diagnosis coding systems ICD-9 and ICD-10 with an easy search function.
Additionally, you'll find a function that enables input of ICD-9 codes and a conversion button to ICD-10.
For those providers who still have ICD-9 hardwired, this easy conversion function facilitates faster coding.
DrChrono offers options for Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes, should those be required.
WRS Health and DrChrono are very similar in their integration of billing codes into the charting so that, as the practitioner chats, financial coding is happening in the background automatically.
The provider documentation allows for a Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan (SOAP) note in addition to recording the History & Physical (H&P), which enables the provider to specify documentation for specific diagnoses at recurring visits.
Also, the notes have a Preview function, which lets providers visualize their documentation in "paper" format.
This tool lets the provider visualize the document in "real" format rather than just skipping from one menu item to the next.
For many providers, it is much easier to review a chart for completeness when visualized in "paper" format rather than scrolling on screens.
and also let the practitioner visualize their notes in "paper" format on the screen.
Only WRS Health has this function in addition to the Problem-Plan-Intervention format.
DrChrono uses a Tasks list to allow the quick creation and tracking of patient-related tasks.
The web user interface (UI) includes a Plus button at the top of every page in the menu bar, which lets a provider create a new task from any screen.
Another icon on the menu bar takes you to an Incoming Messages screen to quickly access any incoming communications or to create a new message.
This would include items such as lab results, prescription requests, or any direct messaging.
The OnPatient app of DrChrono allows patient interaction with the chart, including scheduling, payments, reviewing results, and messaging the practitioner.
This is a separate app accessible via a downloaded app on either an Android or iOS device.
Practice Manager
Simplifying the process of tracking patient information is one of the primary goals of DrChrono.
The first step of any patient interaction is setting up an appointment.
DrChrono makes full use of the iPad from the camera to the Apple Pencil to Siri for patient interaction.
Patients or staff members can complete check-in through a dedicated app for that purpose in a browser or on the iPad.
Practices can generate reports that cover the most frequently prescribed medicine per practitioner or the most frequently used diagnosis per practitioner.
The app also includes productivity rankings.
DrChrono integrates the billing app with the clinical chart, which lets reports be pulled that determine reasons for failed claims or patients who have not made payments.
This allows for rapid drill-down for specialists.
A separate Meaningful Use reporting section helps practice managers quickly assess how they are doing based on the evaluation criteria for that government program.
DrChrono includes a macro capability for automating common entry items.
Macros come from available information such as the patient name, date, time, and office location.
These macros make entering repetitive information on the much faster.
The Form Builder tool lets you modify existing forms or create your own.
This feature presents the shape of an iPad and offers a list of field types from which to pick and place.
It also lets you copy and paste specific entries by using a field clipboard.
Apple Influences DrChrono Design
Apple has made a significant impact upon the tech world, collecting a loyal following.
It is this consumer focus that drives DrChrono's product design.
Like Apple, DrChrono's apps are streamlined, efficient, and straightforward.
Like WRS Health, DrChrono allows dictation of individual notes directly into the chart, and Apple pen functionality lets the practitioner draw pictures into the chart as well.
Unlike WRS Health, these capabilities are dependent on , so some software functionality is lost in a browser setting or outside of the Apple environment.
Another feature unique to DrChrono is an open platform for programming, which lets developers create apps for use by users and patients.
Similar to Practice Fusion, which had previously offered its EMR software to users without cost prior to June 2018, DrChrono has a Freemium option for students and small practices to help practitioners get involved in the EMR without incurring substantial startup costs.
A Heavily Customized EHR Solution
DrChrono is a comprehensive, cutting-edge EHR solution with many options for data input and patient involvement in the EHR.
You can customize the EHR platform for individual practices, and the software is well-organized and easy-to-navigate.
The billing component is integrated into the clinical chart, allowing coding to occur in real time with less error and higher rates of compensation.
It is functionally organized to allow for visual management of a large amount of data, with enough stop gaps built in to ensure charting is done with minimal error and maximum accuracy; it also includes frequent cues to increase reimbursement and ensure compliance with documentation standards.
It has many levels to accommodate practices of various sizes and specialties, too.
It is, however, primarily an Apple product.
While some function is maintained in browser format, it performs at its peak on an Apple platform.
Pros
Portable, functional iPad usage when coupled with Apple TV.
Organized, efficient format.
Integrated clinical chart and billing.
The Bottom Line
DrChrono provides a well-designed user interface specifically tailored to Apple products.
While this electronic health record (EHR) app does function well in a browser-only mode, it works best when you take advantage of the synergy between the different Apple devices.
Apple products, from the iPhone to the iPad and Apple TV, have long been the favorite of mobile professionals.
DrChrono made a conscious decision to focus on these devices as the primary platform for its electronic medical record (EMR) application.
DrChrono—also called an electronic health record (EHR) app—begins at $199 per provider per month for its EMR and practice management components).
The company's web-based user interface (UI) tends to work better for office staff sitting at a desk.
In patient rooms, they integrate the Apple TV device to project images or video to facilitate discussion between providers and patients.
Honest, Objective Reviews
Daxdi.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering Labs-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services.
Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.
DrChrono is the only EMR app in our review roundup that offers a full and open application programming interface (API) for integrating external apps with the information stored in its system.
The company offers direct integration with Box for exchanging large files such as video or multiple images.
For the exchange of medical records, it supports the Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture (CCDA), which uses Extensible Markup Language (XML) and Extensible HTML (XHTML) to render medical documents.
All EMR apps certified to meet Stage 2 of the federal government's Meaningful Use program must support CCDA.
Under Meaningful Use, the government provides incentives for adoption of EMRs and issues guidelines on their use.
We gave DrChrono a rating of 4 out of 5, which puts it right behind our Editors' Choice , which offers a comprehensive feature set and new data inputting technologies.
About the only flaw we could find in DrChrono is its Apple device dependence, which is limiting for some users but a big plus for others.
Pricing
DrChrono provides free access to students, plus it has a freemium model that lets small offices start with basic EHR functionality at no cost.
After that, the company offers four pricing tiers, starting at $199 per provider per month for basic EMR and practice management functionality.
The next tier up costs $279 and adds additional functionality to the EMR system.
It also enables more communications in the form of text and phone reminders (150 each) and incoming or outgoing faxes (400 of them).
The highest-priced tier costs $499 and adds medical billing software to the other levels as well as increased communications.
DrChrono offers a revenue cycle management (RCM) option called Apollo-plus, starting at 6 percent of claims submitted and payments received.
RCM pricing goes down with increased volume.
Health Care Provider
It's obvious that DrChrono has a decidedly Apple bias when it comes to devices.
This preference could be a plus or a minus depending on your disposition toward Apple products.
It could also be a detriment if you are tablet averse.
If you are an Apple fan, then you will love working with this product as it takes full advantage of the Apple design philosophy. Though DrChrono does work from within a browser, it lacks access to all functions in that format versus using the iPad.
When entering information with an Apple device, you can use Siri for dictation (voice-to-text) or an Apple pen on the iPad.
You input video and photos directly into the chart by using the iPad.
These functions are very similar to our top pick, WRS Health, which also enables multiple data input with a variety of devices.
WRS Health, however, allows these data inputs applications from any browser while DrChrono is Apple-dependent for many of these optional functions.
You can access the International Classification of Diseases diagnosis coding systems ICD-9 and ICD-10 with an easy search function.
Additionally, you'll find a function that enables input of ICD-9 codes and a conversion button to ICD-10.
For those providers who still have ICD-9 hardwired, this easy conversion function facilitates faster coding.
DrChrono offers options for Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes, should those be required.
WRS Health and DrChrono are very similar in their integration of billing codes into the charting so that, as the practitioner chats, financial coding is happening in the background automatically.
The provider documentation allows for a Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan (SOAP) note in addition to recording the History & Physical (H&P), which enables the provider to specify documentation for specific diagnoses at recurring visits.
Also, the notes have a Preview function, which lets providers visualize their documentation in "paper" format.
This tool lets the provider visualize the document in "real" format rather than just skipping from one menu item to the next.
For many providers, it is much easier to review a chart for completeness when visualized in "paper" format rather than scrolling on screens.
and also let the practitioner visualize their notes in "paper" format on the screen.
Only WRS Health has this function in addition to the Problem-Plan-Intervention format.
DrChrono uses a Tasks list to allow the quick creation and tracking of patient-related tasks.
The web user interface (UI) includes a Plus button at the top of every page in the menu bar, which lets a provider create a new task from any screen.
Another icon on the menu bar takes you to an Incoming Messages screen to quickly access any incoming communications or to create a new message.
This would include items such as lab results, prescription requests, or any direct messaging.
The OnPatient app of DrChrono allows patient interaction with the chart, including scheduling, payments, reviewing results, and messaging the practitioner.
This is a separate app accessible via a downloaded app on either an Android or iOS device.
Practice Manager
Simplifying the process of tracking patient information is one of the primary goals of DrChrono.
The first step of any patient interaction is setting up an appointment.
DrChrono makes full use of the iPad from the camera to the Apple Pencil to Siri for patient interaction.
Patients or staff members can complete check-in through a dedicated app for that purpose in a browser or on the iPad.
Practices can generate reports that cover the most frequently prescribed medicine per practitioner or the most frequently used diagnosis per practitioner.
The app also includes productivity rankings.
DrChrono integrates the billing app with the clinical chart, which lets reports be pulled that determine reasons for failed claims or patients who have not made payments.
This allows for rapid drill-down for specialists.
A separate Meaningful Use reporting section helps practice managers quickly assess how they are doing based on the evaluation criteria for that government program.
DrChrono includes a macro capability for automating common entry items.
Macros come from available information such as the patient name, date, time, and office location.
These macros make entering repetitive information on the much faster.
The Form Builder tool lets you modify existing forms or create your own.
This feature presents the shape of an iPad and offers a list of field types from which to pick and place.
It also lets you copy and paste specific entries by using a field clipboard.
Apple Influences DrChrono Design
Apple has made a significant impact upon the tech world, collecting a loyal following.
It is this consumer focus that drives DrChrono's product design.
Like Apple, DrChrono's apps are streamlined, efficient, and straightforward.
Like WRS Health, DrChrono allows dictation of individual notes directly into the chart, and Apple pen functionality lets the practitioner draw pictures into the chart as well.
Unlike WRS Health, these capabilities are dependent on , so some software functionality is lost in a browser setting or outside of the Apple environment.
Another feature unique to DrChrono is an open platform for programming, which lets developers create apps for use by users and patients.
Similar to Practice Fusion, which had previously offered its EMR software to users without cost prior to June 2018, DrChrono has a Freemium option for students and small practices to help practitioners get involved in the EMR without incurring substantial startup costs.
A Heavily Customized EHR Solution
DrChrono is a comprehensive, cutting-edge EHR solution with many options for data input and patient involvement in the EHR.
You can customize the EHR platform for individual practices, and the software is well-organized and easy-to-navigate.
The billing component is integrated into the clinical chart, allowing coding to occur in real time with less error and higher rates of compensation.
It is functionally organized to allow for visual management of a large amount of data, with enough stop gaps built in to ensure charting is done with minimal error and maximum accuracy; it also includes frequent cues to increase reimbursement and ensure compliance with documentation standards.
It has many levels to accommodate practices of various sizes and specialties, too.
It is, however, primarily an Apple product.
While some function is maintained in browser format, it performs at its peak on an Apple platform.
Pros
Portable, functional iPad usage when coupled with Apple TV.
Organized, efficient format.
Integrated clinical chart and billing.
The Bottom Line
DrChrono provides a well-designed user interface specifically tailored to Apple products.
While this electronic health record (EHR) app does function well in a browser-only mode, it works best when you take advantage of the synergy between the different Apple devices.
