Epic vs athenahealth: an objective comparison

For much of their existence, EHR vendors Epic and athenahealth have operated in distinct segments of the healthcare market. Epic has traditionally catered to large healthcare organizations, while athenahealth has focused on ambulatory care practices.

However, recent shifts in the EHR landscape suggest these two vendors are increasingly competing for similar market segments.

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Market share dynamics

Epic holds a commanding lead in the acute care hospital EHR market, covering 37.7% of hospitals and over half of the inpatient beds in the U.S.

In contrast, athenahealth's presence in the acute care market remains limited. While specific recent figures are scarce, athenahealth continues to be a significant player in the ambulatory care space.

Deployment and scalability

athenahealth offers a cloud-based platform with a unique cost structure based on a percentage of collections. This model appeals to providers seeking scalability without the burden of significant infrastructure investments.

Epic, traditionally known for its server-based deployments, has introduced more scalable solutions like Utility and Sonnet to cater to smaller practices. However, the need for substantial hardware infrastructure can still pose challenges for organizations looking to scale rapidly.

Pricing considerations

While exact pricing details are proprietary, anecdotal evidence suggests that Epic's solutions involve higher upfront and maintenance costs compared to athenahealth's offerings.

athenahealth's web-based deployment reduces infrastructure expenses, and its collections-based fee structure can be more predictable for smaller practices.

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Customer satisfaction

In 2024, athenahealth received top rankings in four categories in the Best in KLAS: Software and Services report, including Overall Independent Physician Practice Suite, Ambulatory EHR for Independent Practices with 11–75 physicians, Practice Management for Independent Practices with 11–75 physicians, and Small Practice Ambulatory EHR/PM (<11 Physicians).

Epic also continues to receive high marks for customer satisfaction. In a 2023 KLAS Research performance report, Epic received an overall performance score of 88.7 out of 100, with 55% of clients reporting high satisfaction.

Interoperability

Both Epic and athenahealth have made significant strides in EHR interoperability. A KLAS report highlights that both vendors lead in enabling seamless health data exchange across different systems.

In 2023, Epic received the highest interoperability score among enterprise EHR vendors, while athenahealth ranked second among ambulatory EHR vendors.

Advanced Epic users reported the most health information exchange (HIE) connections, and Epic outperformed other vendors with connections to in-home patient monitoring technology. athenahealth customers noted the ease of connecting to its EHR due to a single interface, facilitating seamless data exchange.

Conclusion

The choice between Epic and athenahealth hinges on the specific needs of a healthcare organization. Epic's comprehensive solutions and strong presence in acute care make it suitable for large hospitals and health systems. athenahealth's cloud-based platform and cost-effective model are attractive to smaller practices and those prioritizing scalability and ease of deployment.

As both vendors continue to evolve and expand their offerings, organizations must carefully assess their requirements to select the EHR system that best aligns with their operational goals and patient care objectives.