Healthcare & Medical · head to head
Athenahealth vs Cerner PowerWorks
Athenahealth
Healthcare & Medical
Cloud-based medical practice management
- From
- $140/month
- Rated
- -
Cerner PowerWorks
Healthcare & Medical
Revenue cycle management and financial solutions from Cerner
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- They diverge on capability: Athenahealth covers Electronic Health Records, Cerner PowerWorks covers Medical Coding.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Athenahealth and Cerner PowerWorks actually diverge.
| Attribute | Athenahealth | Cerner PowerWorks |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $140/month | On request |
| Pricing model | Unknown | quote |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, Desktop |
| Founded | 1997 | 1979 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Healthcare & Medical).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Athenahealth
- Electronic Health Records
- Medical Billing
- Patient Engagement
- Telehealth
- Analytics
- Labs
- Pharmacies
- Health Information Exchanges
Only in Cerner PowerWorks
- Medical Coding
- Charge Capture
- Claims Management
- Accounts Receivable
- Financial Analytics
- Billing Integration
- Insurance Plans
- Lab Systems
Both cover
- Clearinghouses
- HIPAA
- SOC2
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Athenahealth
- Patient Care
- Medical Records
- Practice Management
- Telehealth
Cerner PowerWorks
- Patient Care
- Medical Records
- Practice Management
- Telehealth
Both are used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Athenahealth
- High implementation costs ranging up to $50,000+ for enterprise deployments
- Pricing tiers not transparently listed, requiring custom quotes
Cerner PowerWorks
Nothing recorded yet. See the Cerner PowerWorks review.
Pricing, plan by plan
Athenahealth
$140/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Athenahealth review.
Cerner PowerWorks
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Cerner PowerWorks review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Athenahealth if
- You need electronic health records.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want medical billing.
Choose Cerner PowerWorks if
- You need medical coding.
- You work on Web, Desktop.
- You also want charge capture.
Questions people ask
- Is Athenahealth or Cerner PowerWorks better?
- Neither clearly leads. Athenahealth starts at $140/month and Cerner PowerWorks at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Athenahealth or Cerner PowerWorks?
- Athenahealth starts at $140/month and Cerner PowerWorks at On request.
- Does Athenahealth or Cerner PowerWorks run on more platforms?
- Athenahealth runs on Web, iOS, Android. Cerner PowerWorks runs on Web, Desktop.
- What is Athenahealth best used for?
- Athenahealth is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth.
- What can Athenahealth do that Cerner PowerWorks cannot?
- Athenahealth covers Electronic Health Records, Medical Billing, Patient Engagement, Telehealth. Cerner PowerWorks covers Medical Coding, Charge Capture, Claims Management, Accounts Receivable. Both handle Clearinghouses, HIPAA, SOC2, Cloud deployment.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Athenahealth: What platforms does Athenahealth serve?
Athenahealth's athenaOne serves small to medium-sized physician practices and hospitals with integrated clinical, financial, and operational workflows.
SourceAthenahealth: What is the pricing model for athenaOne?
Athenahealth uses customized pricing with percent-based or encounter-based models. Starting price reported at $140/month with implementation costs ranging from $5,000-$20,000 for small businesses.
SourceAthenahealth: Does Athenahealth include revenue cycle management?
Yes, athenaOne includes network-driven claims scrubbing with 95%+ first-pass rates, denial management, and A/R optimization.
SourceAthenahealth: What patient engagement features does Athenahealth offer?
Athenahealth provides athenaCommunicator for patient portals, automated appointment reminders, online scheduling, telehealth integration, digital intake, and broadcast messaging.
SourceAthenahealth: How many pre-built integrations does Athenahealth have?
Athenahealth's marketplace includes over 250 pre-integrated third-party apps, allowing practices to extend functionality without custom development.
Source