DrChrono has been part of the EHR landscape for years, known for its billing tools and broad use across general medical offices. It’s flexible, cloud-based, and offers mobile access which are strengths that appeal to high-volume, insurance-based clinics.
But for practices that are direct-pay, functional, or integrative, DrChrono’s one-size-fits-all design can feel rigid. Its workflows were built around insurance coding and claims, not specialty care or membership models. As these practices grow, they need an EHR that reflects how they actually operate - one centered on relationships, protocols, and outcomes.
And while DrChrono’s flexibility suits hospitals and general medicine offices, its structure doesn’t scale well for direct-pay or functional models where customization and longitudinal care tracking matter most.
That’s where Cerbo stands out.
DrChrono excels at insurance billing workflows and claim submissions. For practices that depend on CPT coding and reimbursement, it’s an efficient system. But for direct-pay or functional clinics, that same infrastructure often adds unnecessary complexity. Even its billing reports and analytics are tied to reimbursement codes rather than practice-defined metrics, making it cumbersome for independent or cash-based operations.
Cerbo reverses that focus. It’s built from the ground up for direct-pay and membership-based care, where the focus is patient experience, not insurance paperwork. You can automate subscriptions, manage ACH or card payments, and link billing directly to visit types and care plans - no claims required.
DrChrono offers customizable templates and AI note tools like DeepScribe, but these remain geared toward standard SOAP workflows optimized for insurance visits. Providers can use voice dictation and AI assistants to speed up note entry, but these features still rely on pre-set SOAP templates built for conventional medical encounters. Functional and integrative providers need to track labs, protocols, and long-term outcomes that don’t fit into standard SOAP note formats.
Cerbo’s Chart Parts and configurable forms let you build documentation around your care model. You can chart complex cases, embed labs, and trend results over time. For integrative medicine, this means capturing the full story - nutrition, lifestyle, toxins, hormones, and labs in one longitudinal record.
DrChrono’s tools stop at documentation, while Cerbo connects each chart to billing, protocols, and patient access automatically.
While DrChrono supports numerous medical specialties, advanced functional workflows such as IV therapy, hormone protocols, and supplement tracking require custom setups or third-party tools.
Cerbo includes specialty tools out of the box. Functional and integrative practices can build custom protocols. IV and BHRT clinics can manage treatment rooms, track medication inventory with lot and expiry control, and document infusion protocols seamlessly.
Instead of buying multiple modules, you get one unified system that adapts to your practice type. That difference becomes clearer as practices scale: Cerbo’s built-in specialty features remove the need to juggle plug-ins or external vendors.
DrChrono’s OnPatient portal enables scheduling, telehealth, and document sharing, but offers limited customization for treatment plans or ongoing patient monitoring.
Cerbo’s portal turns that experience into an ongoing connection. Patients can view labs, message providers securely, request refills, and see supplement recommendations. This transparency builds trust and saves time for staff who would otherwise manage calls and follow-ups manually.
This emphasis on ongoing connection turns patient communication into a strategic advantage rather than an administrative task.
DrChrono’s pricing is quote-based and varies depending on features such as billing modules, telehealth, and e-prescribing. While flexible, that structure often bundles in insurance tools that direct-pay clinics don’t need.
Cerbo offers transparent, per-provider pricing with scalable options for full-time or part-time use, giving clinics clarity and cost control. View Cerbo’s pricing here.
DrChrono suits insurance-based, high-volume practices that prioritize claims management. But for clinics delivering personalized, relationship-driven care, it leaves too many gaps. Even with its mobile app and AI dictation support, DrChrono’s insurance-centric model limits how far it can flex for independent or specialty providers.
Cerbo bridges those gaps with one connected system combining charting, billing, labs, and patient communication in a way that supports how functional and direct-pay clinics truly operate.
Where DrChrono focuses on billing workflows, Cerbo focuses on clinical outcomes and patient experience. It’s built for providers who want to grow sustainably, document confidently, and deliver care without the friction of outdated systems.
Contact Cerbo today or try the sandbox demo and see why functional, integrative, and direct-pay clinics choose Cerbo to simplify operations and elevate care.
