You need a system that can keep up with your practice—without creating new problems. In this post, we’re taking a closer look at Epic, Athenahealth, and Elation, using real feedback from users and insights from the field. We’ll compare how each one performs for mid-sized practices, especially when it comes to ease of use, specialty features, and room to grow. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here—it really comes down to your team, your budget, and what matters most to your practice.

Quick Overview of Each EHR

• Epic: A powerhouse for large-scale operations, Epic powers over 3,600 U.S. hospitals and offers modular tools for specialties. It’s built for complex data sharing but shines in integrated health systems.
• Athenahealth (athenaOne): Cloud-based and practice-focused, it’s designed for ambulatory care with strong revenue cycle tools. Popular among small to mid-sized groups for its all-in-one approach.
• Elation: A clinician-first platform emphasizing simplicity, it’s ideal for independent or smaller groups but adaptable for growth. It prioritizes patient relationships over heavy admin.

Key Comparison: How They Fit Growing Specialty Practices

Here’s a side-by-side look at core factors for practices expanding from 5-50 providers. We drew from user reviews and vendor specs to keep it grounded.

Pros and Cons for Growing Practices

• Epic Pros: Unmatched depth for specialties; secure, scalable for multi-location growth. Cons: Complex and expensive—best if you’re nearing enterprise size.
• Athenahealth Pros: Balances cost and features; automates billing to free up cash flow. Cons: Less depth for ultra-specialized workflows.
• Elation Pros: Saves time on notes (up to 2 hours/day via AI); clinician-focused for better patient time. Cons: Billing add-ons can add up; not ideal for heavy specialty customization.

Which One Is Right for Your Practice?

For growing specialty practices (10-30 providers), Athenahealth often hits the sweet spot—affordable scaling, solid RCM, and cloud flexibility without Epic’s complexity. If you’re smaller and value simplicity, Elation keeps things light and patient-centered. Epic? Save it for when you’re integrating with big networks.

Beyond the Big Three: Explore Smarter Options

While those options work for some, many practices are finding a better fit with newer, more innovative platforms like Athelas. Built with AI at its core, our EHR is designed to cut down documentation time, boost revenue, and scale easily for specialty care—without all the clutter. Practices using Athelas often see smoother workflows, less admin stress, and happier teams, so you can stay focused on what really matters: growing your practice.

Ready to compare and upgrade? Book a demo tailored to your practice.