Best Chronic Care Management (CCM) Software Buyer's Guide 2025
Kimberly Mullen
Nov 25, 2025
213
Kimberly Mullen
The Chronic Care Management (CCM) Software integrates with and improves the efficiency of the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) software by adding features and functionalities that upkeep the Chronic Care Management service. This also enhances the existing features in the EMR systems. By incorporating CCM software system services with your EMR/PM software, you will be able to:
The purpose of the software is to save the time that you spend in manually recording and managing the chronic conditions of patients. CCM software provides better care for the patients, automated data documentation, customized treatment while making sure that your precious time never gets wasted.
The criterion mentioned below must be taken into account before qualifying a patient for CCM.
Before adopting choosing CCM software services for your practice, make sure if the software has the following main features:
Overall Coordination – A Chronic Care Management software should have team-based care and coordination among the providers.
Alerts & Consent – The software must contain initial forms and documents that aware the patients that they qualify for chronic care program and have the consent to receive treatment.
Plan Maker - An extensive plan maker for each qualifying patient with an ability to modify care plans throughout the treatment.
Risk Profile Assignment – A good Chronic Care Management Software should able to assign level. A risk level must be assigned to all patients to adjust treatment based on the level of the risk.
Claims & Billing - A CCM software must have an efficient billing process which evaluates utilized logs, patient plans, and reports and gives billing at the end of each month.
HIPAA Compliance - A top Chronic Care Management software must meet certain HIPAA regulations which ensure patient privacy. The data should be fully encrypted and the software must have antivirus protection.
CCM Dashboard - A real-time dashboard loaded with efficient features like maintaining Chronic Care Management minutes and tasks is a must for a good Chronic Care Management software.
Electronic Health Records Software or commonly referred to as EHR Software represents the electronic method of storing medical records for patients. Using specially designed software, physicians and other medical professionals can store anything ranging from patient demographics to extensive clinical information about patients, such as medical history, social history, lab reports and more.
Since all medical providers (MDs, DOs, PAs, NPs, LCSW, OT, etc.) work in a distinct manner based on their background and medical specialty, EHR Software or EMR Software must accommodate the unique style and documentation requirements. Examples of such specialty-specific features include the ability to annotate images or the capability to store before/after photos for Pain Management specialists and Dermatology specialists respectively. Similarly, other specialties such as Pediatrics, Oncology, Podiatry, Ophthalmology, Neurology, Nephrology, Dialysis Centers, Rheumatology and Chiropractic Care require their unique set of specialty-specific features to simplify adoption.
Since the introduction of the HITECH Act, healthcare IT has undergone a massive transition starting from the widely recognized Meaningful Use program to what is now known as MACRA, the Medicare EMR Incentive Program. The Meaningful Use program has transformed and now formed part of the four components of the new Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), which itself is a fundamental part of MACRA.
For some medical practices, the transition from paper-based records to EMR Software (Electronic Medical Records Software) has not been a simple one. Regardless, realizing that the benefits of utilizing ONC Certified EHR Software far outweigh the hassle and challenges associated with it - ensuring a viable future, most practices today have successfully transformed their clinical and administrative operations to EHR Software.
Aside from ensuring tangible financial incentives and profitability, practices converting to EHR / EMR Software have seen the following benefits:
Just like a medical specialty, EHR Software requirements also depend on the size of the medical practice. From solo provider clinics to large multi-provider, multi-specialty clinics, every practice has unique inherent challenges that must be addressed by the EMR Software vendor.
A small doctor’s office not only has a limited number of staff members but their EHR Software budgets are also extremely low compared to a large enterprise such as a hospital. Due to these budgetary constraints, many providers simply choose to employ Free EMR Software or choose an affordable EHR Software vendor with a low fixed monthly fee. Cloud-based access is one such important requirement so that these providers can access patient charts even from home when needed.
These practices usually consist of 5 to 10 medical providers often belonging to the same medical specialty. Their requirements are more stringent, while their budget is also considerably large. Aside from specialty-focused requirements (EHR Software by Specialty), these practices also require unique features such as interoperability dedicated customer support, multi-device support as well as extensive reporting functionality to keep an eye on the overall performance of the practice.
Larger group practices generally comprise more fifteen or often twenty medical providers. These practices usually provide medical services that fall under various medical specialties (Orthopedics, Pain Management, Surgery, Chiropractic Medicine, Family Medicine, etc.). Therefore, these practices require support for multiple users to access the system simultaneously, as well as for the Scheduling software to accommodate multiple locations, providers and resources such as Dialysis Chairs, procedure room allocation, etc. These practices also keep replacing or adding staff members and need a scalable solution.
EMR software companies such as Epic, Cerner, AllScripts, NextGen, Athenahealth, IMS by Meditab, eClinicalWorks, Meditech, McKesson, MEDHOST, etc. usually target and provide solutions for larger corporations like Hospitals, ACOs, PCMH, IPAs, CINs (Clinically Integrated Networks), Public Health Departments, etc.
These customers have the most elaborate list of requirements, which are usually documented in the form of an RFI or RFP to assess and shortlist vendors that can meet them. The requirements consist of features like inventory management modules, interface with local labs (LIS), machines and diagnostic equipment along with drug dispensing (pharmacy management software) and electronic medication administration records (EMAR), etc.
These entities also require the EMR software also need to integrate with multiple other software and medical devices.
Since the introduction of Meaningful Use, most healthcare practices simply have little or no choice but to convert their practice operations to EMR software. However, most providers today select the EHR software of their choice that best suits their specific needs and must perform an extensive search to evaluate all available options before they find one that's suitable. Most potential EHR Software buyers in the market today have the following in common:
Although #3 is ideal, every provider and practice workflows are unique and therefore what works for one provider may not suit the other. “One size fits all” simply does not apply in the world of healthcare IT. Software experts and industry specialists are an ideal source of information, advice and ultimately ensuring that the right decision is made.
EMR software includes several types of software based on specific applications or functionalities:
Small doctor offices benefit the most from cloud-based EMR software technology since minimum to no upfront cost or maintenance is required and accessing the EHR Software is possible from any location given the availability of internet access. This type of EMR software is also device dependent in most cases and can be accessed using devices such as Smartphones (Android & iOS), iPhones, iPads, laptops, and desktop computers. The move to the public cloud for healthcare is vital in the current changing landscape. For practices that do not adopt new cloud services, the old inferior feature-set coupled with the higher prices will hinder the business dramatically. This gulf between the old software and the new cloud-based software will only grow more exponentially as time goes on.
Apple dominates the digital device and computer market in the US today, so it is no surprise that many providers are specifically looking for their EMR Software vendor to support the Mac operating system (Mac EMR Software). Not all Vendors today work on a Mac device, so looking for a vendor with native support for Mac devices is essential to ensure that the software performs on existing hardware at the practice and does not require more investment in computer systems.
This is the most significant requirement for most software buyers today as the software must comply with the standards and guidelines set by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC). Online repository details all software vendors and details related to their respective compliance with the measures set by the ONC (Click here). Software that complies with these standards have undergone rigorous testing and confirmed at a benchmark level defined by the federal body. The software testing done during this exercise checks all areas of the EMR Software system from Patient Portal access to the way the EMR Software communicates with other programs and entities like labs, Pharmacies (via e-Rx), hospitals, HIEs, etc.
With competition rising in healthcare IT, EMR software providing integrated Practice Management software as part of their overall software package easily outperforms rivals with standalone EHR Software including those that may offer a specialty-specific EMR software. EHR Software companies with integrated Practice Management solutions often provide extensive reporting capabilities to track practice performance and manage business operations better.
Medical practice has several needs of software systems to streamline operations across the board. One such important area is billing for services rendered and communications with insurance companies. Medical Billing Software, therefore, works best when integrated with the Electronic Health Records software. All clinical documentation seamlessly conforms to the required standard and forms a financial document that can be electronically sent to payers (insurance carriers) to verify and process at their end. This simplifies the operations and ensures all parties are on the same page when it comes to the financial health of the enterprise. Medical billing software helps practices and medical billing managers generate claims, patient statements, verify patient eligibility and more. This software is ideal for practices who want to handle billing in-house and can integrate with EMRs.
An EMR Software must ensure the security and safety of patient records while ensuring privacy and HIPAA compliance for patient/doctor communication (Patient Portal). This is a paramount concern for physicians and HIPAA compliance should be guaranteed at all times by the EHR Vendor. Most Vendors today (Epic, Cerner, Athenahealth, AdvancedMD, PrognoCIS, Modernizing Medicine, eClincalWorks etc.) are aware of the importance of HIPAA compliance and have taken steps to ensure the safety of patient records security in every section of the EHR Software using advanced tools like data encryption technologies to enhance the security of the EMR software.
One of the decisions your practice will have to make is whether you want just EMR software or one with integrated Practice Management for billing and scheduling. There are advantages to having both together but there have been cases where some practices only go for one if they had unique requirements that a vendor could not fulfill or they had already paid a hefty amount for PM software and were not looking to replace it yet.
Doctors are not IT professionals, and though some might be tech-savvy, it would be egregious to expect them all to be experts on the EHR software. Ease of use is essential to make the transition from paper to electronic smooth, as well as day to day practice to go along without a hitch. If the software is too complicated and hard to understand, it is a waste of precious time and needlessly aggravating. Some vendors offer free training while others don't; make sure you ask for training if your practice needs it.
Not all specialties are created equal, so why must their software be generic? Basic EMR software works well and good for general practice and most specialties, but doctors have complained about specialty specific not being available in the market. The specialty software have inbuilt recording systems that make specialty practices functioned efficiently. Only a few vendors provide specialty-specific software, so there aren't many to choose from. But the more vendors are cottoning on to the demand and there should be more options in the near future.
Support is a major issue most practices have with their current vendors. A good support team can make small glitches to major roadblocks easy to maneuver while a bad one will just make things worse. Some vendors provide support as part of the plan you are already paying for, while others charge extra for support. Scout the market, read reviews or just ask point-blank if there will be a special support team assigned to each practitioner and whether you will be charged for the service.
Smartphones have changed the dynamics of mobile usage. Handheld devices are easy to carry around and can be used for any number of uses. Most people are ditching the cumbersome PC for a handheld device. Doctors mostly use iPads or Tablets in the examination room to take down patient symptoms, check the history and note down the prescription, so it is imperative that the vendor has a mobile application that's synced with all the mobile devices being used in the practice.
There are varying price lists out there; some offer free services, while others charge an arm and a leg for specialty services. Either way, there will be hidden costs that you might get to know about later. Fix your budget and talk to vendors you interview about hidden costs within the contract and whether services such as training and support are free.
Like anything else, the EMR software industry is also subject to constant changes. From new technology to legalities and governing bodies, everything is constantly changing. Here are some of the changes I think it would do well for you to keep track of.
At a previously held health care conference Andy Slavitt, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services had declared that Meaningful Use was over, and would be replaced by the end of that year with something better. But a deeper look into the claims revealed that meaningful use was very much still there, only much improved.
The new measures aim to make the reporting and benchmark for reaching the required reports much easier and laxer than under Meaningful Use, along with other changes.
A previously conducted study had revealed how only 25% of the physicians had shown interest in the web-based EHR software systems and only 50% had adopted it as an initial model that was to ultimately transit to cloud-based software. But it has been established now, how the cloud-based EMR software cuts down the costs of having and maintaining all the hardware and client servers. It can be hosted on any device which has a web browser. That's why more and more healthcare software vendors are switching to cloud-based EHR software.
In 2025, the demand for EMR software solutions for healthcare practices has continued to rise, with market growth estimated at around 6-7% year-over-year as healthcare providers increasingly prioritize digital transformation and interoperability. This increase is largely driven by the adoption of advanced technologies like AI and cloud computing within these systems, which enhance clinical workflows and patient care. Epic Systems has expanded its dominance, now capturing over 35% of the market, particularly among large multi-specialty organizations. Meanwhile, Oracle Health (formerly Cerner) has faced challenges, especially in retaining smaller hospitals, contributing to a slight decline in its market share. Together, major players like Epic, Oracle Health, Meditech and Allscripts account for a significant portion of the current EHR market.
EMR software is quickly widening their range of practice types in order to become more accessible to healthcare services. The amount of people who lack the time and knowledge, who are in health IT, is increasing each year. This makes optimizing these software solutions more difficult as they must now cater to different needs. Douglas W. Bowerman, MD, predicts we will see a “continued trend towards accessibility” in EHRs, both in terms of how we access them – on mobile, for instance – and who can access the software.
In recent years, advancements in AI and machine learning have dramatically changed the healthcare industry. As these technologies continue to evolve, they are likely to have a significant impact on the future of EHR (Electronic Health Record) and EMR software. By leveraging AI and machine learning algorithms, EMR systems can become more intuitive and efficient, streamlining clinical workflows and improving patient outcomes. The application of AI and machine learning will also enable EHR systems to provide more personalized and proactive care, by analyzing patient data and identifying potential health issues early on. Additionally, these technologies have the potential to revolutionize clinical research and drug development by providing access to vast amounts of patient data and insights.
EMR software designed for chronic care management (CCM) has incorporated features to support the continuous care of patients with chronic conditions. Care plan management tools allow providers to create and monitor personalized care plans, setting goals and tracking progress. Integration with remote patient monitoring devices enables the collection of real-time health data, such as blood glucose levels and blood pressure, facilitating timely interventions.
Collaborative platforms within the EMR promote interdisciplinary communication among healthcare teams, ensuring coordinated care. Patient portals provide educational resources and self-management tools, empowering patients to take an active role in their health. Analytics capabilities assist in identifying population health trends and evaluating the effectiveness of CCM programs.
Chronic Care Management EHRs are utilizing AI to provide proactive patient care. Predictive analytics identify patients at risk of disease exacerbation, enabling timely interventions. AI-driven virtual assistants engage patients in self-management, offering personalized health tips and medication reminders. These features enhance patient engagement and contribute to better chronic disease management.
