Did you know that the global direct primary care (DPC) market is projected to grow from about $59.5 billion in 2024 to $92.9 billion by the year 2034?
This growth will be driven in the US by the recent One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which allows HSA funds to be used for DPC memberships beginning in 2026.
It’s easy to look at those numbers and see nothing but potential. The opportunities are there, but it’s important to also see the competition on the horizon. As more people demand individual attention from DPC, more physicians will enter the marketplace.
So what will separate the DPC clinics that thrive from the ones that fail? We believe the success stories will be told by companies that have achieved maximum process efficiency without wasting valuable hours on redundant or time-consuming tasks.
This places an incredibly high priority on choosing the right Electronic Health Record (EHR)/Electronic Medical Record (EMR) software to manage your practice.
With that in mind, here is a look at 6 of the leading solutions in the marketplace, and the pros and cons of each.
For Direct Primary Care practices, an EHR is more than a digital charting system. It acts as the operational backbone of the business, touching nearly every aspect of patient care and practice management. Choosing the wrong solution can actually stunt your growth.
“I was using PowerToPractice when I initially opened my practice, but quickly found that it had limitations and did not have integrated billing features,” said Red Hill Medical + Wellness’ Dr. Kristann Heinz, MD, RD.
“I could not easily navigate through the EHR during an office visit and had to put in place a separate billing function, which was adding additional administrative burdens and time.”
On the other hand, the best EHRs for Direct Primary Care are a competitive advantage. With the right tool in place, you’re now free to see more patients comfortably, deliver better experiences, and grow without increasing staff or costs. Over time, the right system can be the difference between a practice that just survives and one that successfully scales.
Here is a comparison of six commonly discussed EHR and EMR platforms used by DPC practices today. Each serves a different type of clinic, but not all are well-suited to the DPC model.
1. Cerbo
Cerbo tops this list because it was truly built with the needs of physicians in this sector in mind.
It's designed specifically to support membership-based, cash-pay practices, including Direct Primary Care. It allows its customers to operate without insurance billing or claims workflows while managing memberships, communication, and care delivery in one system.
Strengths:
Cerbo’s most popular features include:
In fact, Cerbo was recently recognized as the best in its class by winning The Battle of the EHRs, which is a competition organized by My DPC Story.
Cerbo placed first in the following categories:
It’s widely praised for the hours it saves its clients with next-level charting.
“Cerbo is smooth in a way that you don't even think about it, which is exactly what I need,” said Uplift Concierge’s Amanda Hoelscher, Nurse Practitioner - APRN, AGNP.
“I don't want to think about it. I don't want to be like, ‘Oh, well, I got a fax in this system, and now I need to download it and then upload it.’ I love that I am focused on patient care and nothing else.”
Limitations:
Because of its robust feature set, there can be a bit of a learning curve, and implementation may take a bit of time.
Also, because it was purpose-built for the DPC sector, it’s not a good solution if you rely heavily on insurance billing.
2. Practice Fusion
Practice Fusion from Veradigm is a cloud-based EHR that combines patient record-keeping with billing. They are currently targeting smaller and independent practises.
Strengths:
Those who use this solution like that it’s one of them more cost-effective on the market, and many like that they can try it risk-free for a brief trial.
Limitations:
The platform has been criticized for being extremely limited, with a lack of reporting features.
3. Elation Health:
Elation Health is an EHR with AI capabilities that targets practises of all kinds, which includes newly established clinics, as well as those trying to scale.
They position themselves as a solution for both direct care clinics and direct primary care practices.
Strengths:
Clinicians who praise this platform enjoy the interface, as well as its automations for enrollment, billing, and payments.
Weaknesses:
Some users on Reddit have found it lacking when it comes to customization, particularly for a busy practice that is trying to scale
4. DrChrono
Dr. Chrono by EverHealth is positioned as an all-in-one EHR solution that helps busy physicians focus on medicine instead of administrative tasks.
It offers a wide variety of products within its platform, including electronic health records, practice management, medical billing, and a patient portal.
Strengths:
The platform was designed as iPad-first and mobile-centric. This is a big hit among DPC‘s who don’t want to feel tethered to their laptops or their offices.
Limitations:
The user reviews online seem fairly divided over Dr. Kronos’s use case in the DPC sector.
A number of users have reported wait times between three and five days for customer service responses. This is obviously a problem for small and lean DPCs that need prompt resolution; otherwise, issues could cost them customers.
Others have struggled with problems in the financial reporting tools.
5. CharmHealth
CharmHealth is an AI-powered EHR system with medical billing and a patient portal.
They are focused on their AI-enhanced solutions to simplify day-to-day tasks for their customers.
Strengths:
CharmHealth users have listed the fact that it is a cost-effective and user-friendly solution as the key selling points.
Limitations:
A few frustrated users have reported problems with billing integrations. At the same time, others have said they have difficulty tracking their lab results, which can be a time waster. Like DrChrono, some users have publicly complained about long wait times when dealing with customer care.
6. athenahealth
athenahealth positions itself as an AI-native solution that helps simplify complex problems for customers across a wide variety of sectors.
Benefits:
Their pleased users report enjoying the AI-powered tools and that they have reduced documentation time.
Others enjoy that it’s a cloud-based solution, allowing them access anywhere.
Limitations:
One of the chief drawbacks that users report is that the system often uses a percentage-of-billing model. This is less ideal for DPCs who are running a membership model and not generating much traditional billing.
The interface has also been described as clunky by some users.
When evaluating an EHR for direct primary care, it’s helpful to look beyond surface-level features and focus on features that really suit the DPC business model.
"I can't stress enough how important it is to choose the right system from day one,” said Paula Tomczyk, Clinic Manager of Cara Direct Care. “This is a long-term investment, and the system you pick will directly impact your practice's efficiency.”
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the dealbreakers for a DPC’s EHR.
Must-Have Capabilities for DPC Practices
Membership Management
If you have a membership model, this is your #1 must-have. Native support for recurring subscriptions, family plans, and flexible pricing is essential. If your would-be tool doesn’t support this, you should move on immediately.
Patient Communication Tools
Secure (and HIPAA-compliant) messaging, online forms, and portal access reduce friction and improve patient engagement.
Workflow Automation
Automated intake, renewals, reminders, and follow-ups save time while reducing administrative overhead.
Customer Support
We feel this one is often overlooked. Where will their support team be when you need something fixed or explained?
“I have worked with a wide variety of EHRs and have always been frustrated by the lack of functionality and the customer support quality,” said Sunflower DPC’s Dr. Shauna Guthrie, MD, MPH, FAAFP.
Customizable Charting
DPC physicians often practice differently from insurance-based peers. Charting should adapt to the clinician, not the other way around.
Scalability Without Complexity
The best DPC EHR should support growth (more patients, providers, or services) without a disruptive system overhaul when you outgrow the solution’s limits.
We provide a do-it-all EHR, practice management, and patient portal solution that helps you slash the time spent on administrative tasks, streamlining all workflows and allowing you to scale with ease.
“While it takes a while to customize Cerbo to fit your practice, it is well worth the investment and ultimately saves time and money. The best part is that this translates into successful patient outcomes while minimizing the burden of charting, educating, and day-to-day administrative tasks on the practice team.”
— Dr. Kristann Heinz, MD, RD, Red Hill Medical + Wellness, Pennsylvania.
