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Software · head to head

Athenahealth vs Meditech

Athenahealth logo

Athenahealth

Software

Cloud-based medical practice management

From
$140/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Meditech logo

Meditech

Software

Healthcare information system for hospitals and health systems

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Athenahealth high implementation costs ranging up to $50,000+ for enterprise deployments; Meditech on-premise deployment model requires significant infrastructure investment and ongoing IT maintenance
  • They diverge on capability: Athenahealth covers Medical Billing, Meditech covers Revenue Cycle.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Athenahealth and Meditech actually diverge.

Attributes where Athenahealth and Meditech differ
AttributeAthenahealthMeditech
Starting price$140/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Desktop
Founded19971969

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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

  • Medical Billing
  • Patient Engagement
  • Telehealth
  • Labs
  • Pharmacies
  • Clearinghouses
  • Health Information Exchanges
  • SOC2

Only in Meditech

  • Revenue Cycle
  • Clinical Documentation
  • Patient Portal
  • HL7
  • FHIR
  • Lab Systems
  • On-premise deployment
  • Desktop support

Both cover

  • Electronic Health Records
  • Analytics
  • HIPAA
  • HITRUST
  • 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

Meditech

  • 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

Meditech

  • On-premise deployment model requires significant infrastructure investment and ongoing IT maintenance
  • Complex implementation and customization process that can take months and require extensive staff training
  • User interface noted as outdated compared to modern cloud-native EHR competitors

Pricing, plan by plan

Athenahealth

$140/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Athenahealth review.

Meditech

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Meditech review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Athenahealth if

  • You need medical billing.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want patient engagement.
Athenahealth review

Choose Meditech if

  • You need revenue cycle.
  • You work on Web, Desktop.
  • You also want clinical documentation.
Meditech review

Questions people ask

Is Athenahealth or Meditech better?
Neither clearly leads. Athenahealth starts at $140/month and Meditech at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Athenahealth or Meditech?
Athenahealth starts at $140/month and Meditech at On request.
Does Athenahealth or Meditech run on more platforms?
Athenahealth runs on Web, iOS, Android. Meditech 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 Meditech cannot?
Athenahealth covers Medical Billing, Patient Engagement, Telehealth, Labs. Meditech covers Revenue Cycle, Clinical Documentation, Patient Portal, HL7. Both handle Electronic Health Records, Analytics, HIPAA, HITRUST.

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.

Source
Meditech: What are the main clinical features included in Meditech EHR?

Meditech provides comprehensive clinical charting, access to patient vitals, medication history, lab results, diagnostic imaging, virtual care capabilities, and e-prescribing for healthcare professionals.

Source
Athenahealth: 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.

Source
Meditech: Does Meditech support telehealth and virtual appointments?

Yes, Meditech offers Virtual Care and Virtual On Demand Care solutions allowing physicians to conduct video visits and deliver remote health services.

Source
Athenahealth: Does Athenahealth include revenue cycle management?

Yes, athenaOne includes network-driven claims scrubbing with 95%+ first-pass rates, denial management, and A/R optimization.

Source
Meditech: Is Meditech HIPAA compliant?

Yes, Meditech EHR is HIPAA compliant, and both inpatient and ambulatory products are ONC-certified with FHIR-based interoperability standards.

Source
Athenahealth: 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.

Source
Athenahealth: 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
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Related pages

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