Best EHR for Orthopedic Surgery Practices: Faxes, Charges and a Switching Checklist 2026

October 28, 2026

Athelas Air is an AI-native EHR, practice management, and billing system for cash-pay and insurance-based outpatient practices, including orthopedic surgery. An EHR is also called an EMR.

Which EHR links documentation, procedure orders, and charges without manual re-entry for an orthopedic surgery practice?

The right choice depends on how much manual data entry occurs between the note and the claim. For insurance-based orthopedic groups replacing ModMed or an EHR-plus-outsourced-billing setup, Athelas Air is worth evaluating. Incoming faxes can be linked to patient charts, and Smart Charge Capture adds documentation, orders, and codes from a single procedure snippet. EHR, practice management, and billing are available through one platform with per-provider pricing.

In our conversations with orthopedic practices, claims, denials, authorizations, and eligibility were the most frequently discussed topics, appearing in 36% of analyzed calls. Documentation time was discussed in 21% of calls, followed by fragmented technology stacks in 16%. These figures reflect call observations, not a representative survey or the percentage of unique customers.

How do incoming faxes, referrals, and outside results reach the chart?

Air has built-in faxing, allowing practices to receive, process, send, and track faxes without relying on a separate fax portal. Key capabilities include:

Patient matching: Incoming faxes can be attached to the appropriate patient chart and tagged.
Fax splitting: A fax containing documents for multiple patients can be split into separate patient documents.
Follow-up tasks: Staff can attach a task to a fax to ensure it receives attention.
Resending failed faxes: Failed outbound faxes can be resent from the same screen.
Referral leads: When a referral fax arrives, Air can extract available details, such as the patient's name, date of birth, and phone number, and create a Lead Tracker lead linked to the original fax.
Care team communication: After a patient's care team is configured, signed notes can be sent by fax, email, or both.

Surgical groups often fax hospital encounter records to billing teams. When faxed documents are linked to the patient chart, billing staff can work from the same record instead of manually re-entering information from paper documents.

One practical question: can you keep your existing fax number when you move? Raise it early in your migration plan so your current fax provider and the new vendor can assess number porting.

What should an orthopedic EHR do for templates, orders, and charge capture?

An orthopedic EHR should allow providers to document a procedure once and carry the associated orders and codes into the billing workflow. Use this template to evaluate each capability during a vendor demo.

Smart Charge Capture

What it does: An administrator builds a procedure snippet containing documentation, CPT/HCPCS codes, ICD-10 codes, modifiers, and orders. Providers can say the snippet's name while Ambient AI records the visit or type it into the note to add the associated content.

Best for: Injections, aspirations, and other repeatable in-office procedures.

Limit: An administrator must build each snippet in advance, so allow time for setup and testing.

Result: The associated charge is included in the note when the provider signs it.

Ambient AI

What it does: Records the visit in the background and drafts the clinical note, including while the provider navigates between pages.

Best for: High-volume clinic days.

Limit: Providers must review and sign every note.

Result: Less time spent completing documentation after clinic.

Scheduling and online booking

What it does: Scheduling templates let practices configure a provider's week once and apply the template across multiple providers and dates. Online scheduling allows patients to book through a practice link after two-factor phone verification. Patients can also enter insurance details, including photos of their insurance cards.

Best for: Reducing phone calls and back-and-forth when scheduling new-patient and follow-up visits.

Limit: Patients can book only the slots made available through the practice's scheduling templates and rules.

Result: Online booking follows the clinic's scheduling rules.

Eligibility checks

What it does: Runs eligibility checks before appointments for most payers and displays Active, Inactive, or Inconclusive statuses, along with copay, deductible, and coinsurance guidance.

Best for: Identifying potential coverage issues before surgery consultations.

Limit: An eligibility check does not establish whether a payer requires prior authorization.

Result: Fewer unexpected coverage issues at the front desk.

Orthopedic buyers often ask about body-part-specific templates, payer-specific templates, workers' compensation workflows, and API access. Test these capabilities against your actual visit types, cases, and connected systems during a demo.

Should you keep separate EHR and billing systems or move to one platform?

Consider consolidating onto one platform if staff spend significant time reconciling data between systems. Air combines EHR, practice management, billing, Ambient AI, Athelas Assistant, clearinghouse, and patient portal capabilities under one contract with per-provider pricing. Athelas RCM, the managed billing service, is scoped separately.

Confirm which modules are included in the quoted per-provider price, whether implementation or usage-based fees apply, and whether any features require separate fees. Do not assume every module is included at no additional cost without confirming the commercial terms.

Keep separate systems if a best-of-breed imaging or ASC tool is central to your surgical workflow. Ask each vendor how charges, authorizations, and fax documents pass between systems, and who is responsible for resolving discrepancies.

How do orthopedic EHR options compare?

Vendor details as of October 27, 2026, based on each vendor's own pages.

Vendor	What its own pages describe	Pricing on page	Typical fit
Athelas Air	EHR, practice management, and billing with Ambient AI, built-in faxing, and Smart Charge Capture	Per provider; pricing available with a demo.	Tends to suit insurance-based orthopedic groups wanting one platform
ModMed	Orthopedics EHR, PM, and RCM suite with AI assistants, including ModMed Scribe	Not disclosed	Tends to suit groups wanting a specialty suite from one vendor
NextGen	Ambient Assist SOAP notes placed in the chart pending review; automated charge creation and contract audit	All-inclusive core package marketed; no price shown on website.	Tends to suit practices of all sizes, including enterprise
Nextech	SRSPro orthopedic EHR with subspecialty templates, dictation, voice commands, and PACS	Not disclosed	Tends to suit groups prioritizing subspecialty templates and imaging
eClinicalWorks	V12 AI-enabled EHR; Sunoh.ai scribe is a separate product; RCM marketed with a 98%+ first-pass claim rate	No prices listed	Tends to suit multispecialty organizations

Vendor capabilities, package inclusions, and pricing can change. Confirm current terms directly with each vendor.

What should you check when switching from ModMed or an outsourced billing stack?

Use this checklist in every demo:

Charge path: Show one procedure from note to claim without retyping the same information.
Fax path: Show an incoming referral fax landing in the correct patient chart.
Outstanding claims: Explain how existing accounts receivable will be worked down and when new claims will start processing through the new system.
Authorizations: Confirm how authorizations are tracked against the relevant procedures and codes.
Fax number and limits: Ask whether your existing fax number can be ported and confirm outbound fax limits.
Integrations and API: List the external tools your practice must connect and confirm which integrations and API capabilities are supported.
Pricing: Request a per-provider quote that specifies included modules, implementation costs, any usage-based fees, and specialty-specific setup requirements.

Migrations to Athelas Air may take 30–60 days, depending on practice complexity. Confirm whether the estimate covers data migration alone or the full implementation and go-live process. Plan the transition around clinic schedules, billing operations, and staff training.

In 10% of analyzed calls with orthopedic practices, switching systems was raised as a concern because of the anticipated disruption. [Before publication, confirm the sample size, analysis period, and coding methodology.] Ask whether the implementation can be staged to minimize disruption.

Which EHR migrations does Athelas Air support, and what data can move?

Athelas Air supports migrations from the systems below. The table summarizes documented migration capabilities. The final scope depends on the source system, available exports, and the practice's workflows. Confirm the availability of required data elements before committing to a migration plan.

Supported EHR migration overview

Supported EHR	High-level data overview
A2C (also known as Fusion/Ensora)	Patient demographics and contacts; guarantor details; insurance; cases and diagnoses; appointments; clinical documents via vendor export. Documented for physical therapy practices.
AdvancedMD (AMD)	Patient demographics and contacts; insurance and workers' compensation; cases and available authorizations; appointments; vitals, allergies, medications, clinical notes, and attachments.
Athena (AthenaOne)	Patient demographics, contacts, and guarantor details; insurance and available authorizations; appointments; medications, allergies, and vitals; clinical documents and attachments from an EHI export.
AthenaPractice (Centricity)	Patient demographics, contacts, and guarantor details; insurance; cases and available referrals or authorizations; appointments; problem list, medication history, and allergies; clinical notes and attachments.
ChiroTouch	Patient demographics and contacts; insurance and available policyholder or guarantor details; cases, diagnoses, and available authorizations; appointments; clinical notes and attachments via vendor export.
Clinicient	Patient demographics and contacts; insurance and guarantor details; cases, diagnoses, plan of care, and available authorizations; appointments; clinical notes and attachments.
eClinicalWorks (ECW)	Patient demographics, contacts, and guarantor details; insurance; cases and available authorizations; appointments; vitals, allergies, medications, and problem list; clinical notes and attachments via vendor export.
Empower	Patient demographics and contacts; episodes, diagnoses, and available authorizations; appointments; clinical documents and attachments.
Harris CareTracker	Migration supported. Contact the team to confirm which data can be transferred.
HelloNote	Patient demographics, contacts, and guarantor details; insurance and authorizations; cases; clinical note PDFs and attachments.
Heno	Patient demographics and contacts; insurance and available authorizations; cases and diagnoses; appointments; clinical notes and attachments.
Kareo/Tebra	Migration supported. Contact the team to confirm which data can be transferred.
ModMed	Patient demographics, contacts, and guarantor details; insurance; liability cases and authorizations; appointments and referring providers; current allergies, medications, and problem list.
NetHealth	Patient demographics and contacts; insurance; cases, diagnoses, and available authorizations; appointments; clinical notes and attachments via vendor export.
Prompt	Patient demographics, contacts, and guarantor details; insurance; cases, diagnoses, and available authorizations; appointments; clinical notes and attachments.
Raintree	Patient demographics and contacts; insurance and workers' compensation; cases, diagnoses, and available authorizations; appointments; clinical notes and attachments via vendor export.
SimplePractice	Migration supported. Contact the team to confirm which data can be transferred.
SPRY	Migration supported. Contact the team to confirm which data can be transferred.
TheraOffice	Patient demographics, contacts, and guarantor details; insurance; cases, diagnoses, and available authorizations; appointments; clinical notes and attachments via vendor export.
TherapySource	Patient demographics, contacts, and guarantor details; insurance; problem list, cases, and available authorizations; appointments; clinical notes and attachments.
WebPT	Patient demographics, contacts, and guarantor details; insurance; cases, diagnoses, and available authorizations; appointments; clinical note PDFs and patient or case documents.

Don't see your EHR or a data type you need? Discuss your current system, historical records, and workflow requirements with the team to assess additional migration options.

What results have orthopedic practices seen with Athelas?

These figures come from published Athelas case studies available as of 2026. Each set of results represents an individual practice and should not be interpreted as a guarantee of future performance.

Dr. Arthur J. Ting: The orthopedics case study describes the use of Athelas Air, Athelas RCM, Ambient AI, and Commure Agents. Reported results include 80% year-over-year revenue growth, an 80% first-pass claim rate, a 92% total collection rate, and 15 minutes saved per patient appointment. Read the Dr. Ting case study.
Raleigh Orthopaedic: The practice, which has more than 140 providers, uses Athelas Air, Athelas RCM, and Ambient AI. Reported results include an 81.5% week-over-week reduction in pending site-related work items, a 15.3% increase in weekly revenue posted, and 81.1% accuracy in AI-powered authorization-denial review. Read the Raleigh Orthopaedic case study.
Ortho Plus: Using Athelas RCM, the practice reported $368,000 in additional patient revenue collected, $56,000 recovered from 951 previously denied claims, a 1.9% denial and rejection rate, and a 91% first-pass rate. Read the Ortho Plus case study.

Who is Athelas Air less suited to?

Air does not obtain prior authorizations on your behalf; it tracks them once you have them. It also does not replace dedicated ASC inventory management or PACS tools. If those capabilities are central to your surgical workflow, evaluate the integration paths during your demo.

Ready to test Athelas Air on your workflow?

Bring one procedure, one referral fax, and one claim to a demo. Ask the team to show how each moves through the system, where manual entry is eliminated, and what your practice needs to configure before go-live.

Request a demo of Athelas Air to discuss your workflow, migration scope, and pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Which EHR and billing companies should an orthopedic surgery group shortlist?

Shortlist Athelas Air if you want EHR, practice management, and billing under one per-provider pricing model. Compare it with the vendors in the table above based on charge capture, fax handling, integrations, migration scope, and total cost. Test each system with one real procedure from documentation through claim creation.

Which EHR can handle incoming faxes and referrals inside the patient chart?

Athelas Air has built-in faxing that links incoming faxes to patient charts, splits combined faxes into patient-specific documents, and creates a Lead Tracker lead from a referral fax. Signed notes can also be sent to the care team by fax or email. Test the workflow using a referral from one of your busiest sources.

Which EHR links documentation, procedure orders, and charges without re-entry?

Athelas Air's Smart Charge Capture lets an administrator configure a procedure snippet containing documentation, CPT/HCPCS codes, ICD-10 codes, modifiers, and orders. Providers can invoke the snippet while Ambient AI records the visit or enter it manually. Providers still review and sign the resulting note.

Should we keep separate EHR and billing systems or use one platform?

A unified platform can reduce reconciliation work when clinical documentation, charges, authorizations, and faxes share the same record. Athelas Air combines EHR, practice management, and billing under one contract with per-provider pricing. Separate tools may still be appropriate when specialized imaging or ASC systems are essential to your workflow.

Can online scheduling preserve our clinic's scheduling rules?

Yes. Athelas Air's online scheduling allows patients to book through a practice link after verification. Bookable slots come from your scheduling templates, so confirm that the templates support your provider schedules, appointment types, and booking restrictions.

How long does a switch take?

Migrations to Athelas Air may take 30–60 days, depending on practice complexity. Ask whether the estimate includes data migration, configuration, testing, staff training, and go-live. Confirm the timeline for your specific source system and data requirements.