The Best Family Medicine EHR Software and Buyer's Guide for 2025
Mike Garcia
Nov 05, 2025
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Mike Garcia
Also known as ‘general practice,’ family practice is considered too widespread to need focused specialty-specific software. Be that as it may, a family practice can benefit from the features of the specialty-specific software and the focus it brings to the day-to-day running of a practice. It is also assistive in the non-clinical side of the practice. Administrative and financial functions of a complete electronic medical records software, with secure messaging capabilities for referrals, can only expedite a family practice’s efficiency.
To have a good understanding of how a software works, it is advisable to learn about the different features and functionalities of the software. Before choosing a Family Medicine EMR software, we should check if the software has the following key features:
SOAP Notes & Templates – Because family medicine covers such a large area of medicine the Electronic Medical Records Software incorporates hundreds of specialty templates to choose from. These make taking notes during consultations discreet yet accurate and quick. They also contain some general templates such as:
ICD/CPT Coding - With such a vast array of potential conditions, family practice-specific Electronic Medical Records Software (EMR) provide more assistance on ICD-9 and CPT coding & billing for common and unusual encounters.
Workflow Management - If you work in a Family Medicine practice, you need to deal with recording and storing large volumes of data. The EHR software should be able to manage, document and maintain all the family medicine related workflows. This helps the physicians in having a better understanding of the condition of the patient and helps them in taking the right decisions at the right times.
History – Because family practices usually treat the entire family, and for most of their lives, they are responsible for their entire medical history. EMR software makes documentation storage easier, it can also be used to establish a family history of diseases, genetic predisposition etc.
Equipment Integration – In order to get automatic results from diagnostic equipment, family practice EMR software should be integrated with the equipment. This also allows for all patient data, of varying ailments, to be stored on one platform.
Referral Integration – Most cases are often referred to specialists from family practices. Instead of printing the file and then physically sending it to the referred doctor the Electronic Health Records Software (EHR) should have secure messaging capabilities through which all patient data can be sent discreetly.
Lab Interface – Family practices get multiple varying complaints in a single working day. Family practice Electronic Medical Records Software (EHR) should allow the charting of multiple discipline complaints simultaneously. Similarly, the lab interface should be able to integrate with a broad range of medical tests.Patient Portal – Family practices are known for nurturing long-term doctor/patient relationships. One of the ways to enhance it is through the EHR software patient portal. This allows greater interaction between doctor and patient. Patients can send in questions, or check their medical history, their recent prescriptions, and even set up appointments through their patient portal.
Real-time Dashboard - The Top Family Medicine EMR software must feature a real-time dashboard which will help physicians to clearly view patient charts, profiles, billing processes, scheduling etc. all at one place. The dashboard also saves the time that is taken in opening multiple tabs.There are countless family medicine EHR software vendors that provide the software you need. To narrow the selection down to those that fill your requirements as a specialty as well as a medical practice you need to keep a few things in mind.
Certification – It makes sense to make sure the software you’re going to purchase is certified. For family practice, the certification you should be looking out for is by the ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Body (“ONC-ATCB”). They are responsible for making sure your vendor meets Meaningful Use objectives and is HIPAA compliant.
Size – Some vendors cater better to large practices while some are best suited to smaller ones. EMR software is designed keeping a certain number of users, scalability, and support required in mind. When selecting a vendor to keep in mind the size of your practice.
System Design – The choice, essentially, is between the installation of the software in your on-site computer server, or cloud-based software that is available anywhere via the Internet. Which system a practice goes for depends on their personal choice and comfort level. Some doctors feel more comfortable having the system on their computer server because they feel this is more compliant with HIPAA requirements, while others need to have access to their database wherever they are. You’ll need to shortlist vendors who fulfill your needs in this department.
Electronic Medical 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, EMR Software or EHR Software must accommodate the unique style and documentation requirements. Examples of such specialty-specific features include the ability to annotate on images or 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 EHR 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 EMR 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 EMR Software.
Aside from ensuring tangible financial incentives and profitability, practices converting to EMR / EHR 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 EMR 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.
EHR 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 EHR 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 an EHR 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 is suitable. Most potential EMR 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 doesn’t 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.
At a recent health care conference Andy Slavitt, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services declared that Meaningful Use was over, and would be replaced by the end of this year with something better. But a deeper look into the claims revealed that meaningful use would very much still be 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.
As the CMS has officially renamed Meaningful Use to "Promoting Interoperability" as of 2018, its important to understand its updated principles. Effective interoperability of healthcare data will ensure that electronic health information is shared properly between healthcare and public health partners in the right format and at the right time. Starting in 2022, the CMS requires all eligible healthcare services to implement upgraded versions of EHR software that utilise this updated definition.
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 multispecialty 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 EHR market, reflecting the ongoing evolution and consolidation within the industry.
Widespread Interoperability
Electronic Medical Records don't offer patients the ability to access their own records across multiple healthcare organizations due to the lack of data-sharing standards set between different practices. This causes significant problems for patients who receive care for multiple different centers. The issue also makes diagnosis of patients harder for physicians and healthcare providers. Due to this, EMR/EHR providers are updating their software to include interoperability and integration features to allow data to be shared between these different organizations.
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