Item: Kareo EHR
Rating: 5
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We started out with this company in 2020 with the understanding that we would get a trial service for 2 months before signing on with them. The EHR package is pretty solid however if you are transferring over from another EHR be careful to be specific on what you are looking for. We didn't find out until after agreeing to try the product that they charge a fee to migrate your data into their system.

Pros and Cons

User Interface is strong for the less technical folks
Patient/client portal features are very helpful for the client to get registered
Their tutorials are amazing in helping you get started
Provides a success coach to walk you through the process of launching their product

Sales representative needs to know the product. We got tied into a miscommunication on the package (contract vs trial) when we decided to work with them
Tutorials are good but can be overwhelming because there are a lot of features to learn
Charging to migrate client data was a determining factor on whether we wanted to continue with the company. If we knew this upfront it would've allowed us to say "no thanks". And to add the charges are not cheap and they charge a la carte (i.e., demographics, billing, progress notes, forms/intake info)

Return on Investment

We have negative reviews as we were sold a product that left out some key variables. Things we really needed to make the transition.
I don't think KAREO is good for small business (0-10 employees) because their prices for additional or standard features is steep. They charge by the therapist to boot and it is steep!
Again ASK questions; do a test run; ask about the migration of your data and its charges.
You sign with them you will be locked into a 12 month contract with no out clause. If they are costing you the money you have to stay with them.

Alternatives Considered

You don't have them in your lineup but TheraNest and CounSol are two awesome EHR software services for small practices and/or startup businesses. If you are a new owner or have 0-10 employees then give them a try. CounSol provides an excellent success coach to get you started. TheraNest has all the bells and whistles that KAREO has but not the high price tag. And how do they stack up.....They don't too expensive for small practices. You may get another story from mid to large-size practices but they are not well suited for beginning and/or small-size groups. Before signing make sure you clearly know the following (1) contract start date (2) is it trial or free months, (3) migrating data, (4) expected monthly chgs, (5) RCM billing how does it factor in, (6) cancellation process can we get out if KAREO is underperforming. These are just a few questions to ask in addition to your own experiences.

Key Insights

Do you think Kareo EHR delivers good value for the price?

Are you happy with Kareo EHR's feature set?

Yes

Did Kareo EHR live up to sales and marketing promises?

Did implementation of Kareo EHR go as expected?

Would you buy Kareo EHR again?

Likelihood to Recommend

Their product is well suited for what I was able to see. The screen and features are very user-friendly. The challenge for enjoying the product was going from a sales rep (presentation, promises, and perks) to EHR team/success coaches. One thing is promoted upfront but changes once you sign on. When we tried to pull out during the trial period which they later said it was not it was 2 free months they told us we couldn't leave because we signed a contract for 12 months. When we stated false advertisement they pushed back. The customer service rep specifically said, "you are wasting your time because they won't budge on this". So all I can say is if you proceed please make sure they are clear in what they are offering. Write down all of your questions. In fact, if you can record the call do so especially when you decide to commit. We shared with them if they are so bent on locking you into a 12 month when they couldn't confirm the initial conversation it may be in the best interest to record the customer's commitment to prove who said what. Some companies do that. You don't have them listed but TheraNest and CounSol are two excellent EHR products to consider for small businesses.

"All that GLITTERS isn't GOLD!"

Overall Satisfaction with Kareo EHR