Top 10 Aria Oncology Alternatives

EHR systems are mandatory in oncology to improve work, to establish order in the treatment process, and to guarantee the high quality of treatment. Aria Oncology by Varian Medical Systems is favored in oncology clinics for its integration with radiation therapy software. However, its specific features may not be ideal for every practice due to certain limitations.

Here are ten different options of EHR that are equal to or superior to Aria Oncology EHR in addressing oncology practices’ needs. 

OncoEMR 

OncoEMR is an all-in-one EHR software intended strictly for oncology practices.  

Features and Functionality

• The one-specific considerations such as the management of the regimen, dosing schedule, and tumor staging. 
• Complemented with interpretation of clinical decision support systems for improving treatment plans. 
• Whole patient records and reporting tools that will improve coordination and distribution of patient care. 

Comparison with Aria Oncology  

When it comes to oncology practices with fewer employees, it is hardly possible to have a clearer and more comprehensible interface than OncoEMR has.  

Although OncoEMR is designed to be integrated with radiation therapy tools, Aria has more extensive features in the area, but OncoEMR aims to create a complete oncology solution without the extra layer of radiotherapy management. This does not mean, that practices, that do not need sophisticated radiation oncology integration might consider OncoEMR to be a better option that fits both, their need and budgets. 

CureMD  

CureMD Oncology is fully customizable and developed with the needs of thoughtful oncology practices in mind.  

Top Features 

• Treatment planning and protocols which include chemotherapy, the type, dosage and frequency can be personalized ad templates for cancer staging. 
• Integration with other ancillary service providers such as labs and pharmacies in the healthcare organizations. 

Comparison with Aria Oncology

CureMD Oncology offers a plethora of options for oncology medical practices and the individual options, including chemotherapy protocols and reporting features, may be set up according to the preferences of the user. It turn does not have as strong radiation therapy integration as Aria as it lacks the different layers of software, yet it is more flexible and easy to navigate. It is relatively interesting for the small practices in particular that the program offers an overall view of the oncology care without the radiation. 

iKnowMed EHR

iKnowMed EHR is an innovative product of McKesson that can help you better manage your oncology practice. 

Top Features

• Comprehensive drug management and treatment regimen tracking is feasible in ways that no other pharmacological tool can achieve. 
• Enhanced oncology care as a roadmap for improved efficiency for care delivery in oncology. 
• Good epidemiology and other clinical and research tools to help assess the efficacy of treatment. 

Comparison with Aria Oncology

iKnowMed EHR has a brilliant solution in the field of practice management which can be advantageous for the bigger oncology network as this requires more management and facility.. Aria possesses many more functionalities than iKnowMed, but its major advantage is definitely radiation oncology. For practices that are more involved in chemotherapy and patient care than in radiation therapy, a robust alternative is available in iKnowMed, preserving equally robust practice management strengths. 

Epic EMR 

Epic EMR is commonly implemented in many healthcare specialties inclusive of oncology. Epic has all integrated oncology modules for patient handling and is well known for its scalability and its customization possibilities. 

Oncology features within Epic EMR

• Clients can have their own templates for chemotherapy and oncology treatment. 
• Integrated care pathways as well as the clinical trial management. 

Comparison with Aria Oncology

Currently, Epic EMR shines most when it comes to the ability to customize and its compatibility with large and quite heterogeneous practices in the field of oncology. Unlike Aria, positioned to tightly integrate with radiation oncology and treatment machines, Epic offers greater flexibility in oncology and other fields of medicine. However, Epic is said to be more expensive but perhaps it could be more complicated than Aria which would not meet the needs of small oncology centers. 

NextGen 

This integration of oncology and primary care makes the NextGen EHR platform appealing for practices that contain both types of practices. 

Key Features and Customization Options 

• Chemotherapy assistance and cancer stage information. 
• Integrated tools in primary care management that can also incorporate the oncology functionalities. 

Comparison with Aria Oncology 

NextGen has the ability to link oncology with primary care something that Aria is not focused on. For practices that deal with both primary and oncology care patients, NextGen has an integrated package. However, Aria remains superior in radiation oncology, while NextGen should be used, based on its versatility in covering various medical needs. 

 Centricity EHR 

 Manufactured by GE Healthcare and to which oncology-specific modules were added to enhance cancer care provision. 

Overview of Oncology Features

• Integrated oncology care support, and treatment planning with chemotherapy administration. 
• Compatibility with imaging and diagnostic devices. 

Comparison with Aria Oncology

Centricity EHR has presented a less cluttered and easier-to-operate interface compared to having to navigate through the complex features of Aria. Although, the workflow of oncology patient location is well designed in Centricity, Aria is advanced in radiation therapy integration, which is not present in Centricity. For sites that do not need the radiation-specific functions of Aria, Centricity is a less expensive solution. 

Meditech EHR 

Meditech Expanse Oncology is an enhanced comprehensive EHR solution with powerful data analytics features and reporting for oncology firms. 

Key Benefits 

• Advanced techniques which can help with improved monitoring of the results and the effect on the patients. 
• It also ensures there is a connection with other major health systems in the quest for care. 

Comparison with Aria Oncology EHR

It is clear with regards to Meditech Expanse, case management, data analytics, and reporting are far more superior as compared to Aria. Yet, Aria maintains its competitiveness in radiation oncology that Meditech does not have. It was expected that practices that embrace data analysis and reporting over radiation integration would most likely prefer Meditech. 

Allscripts  

Allscripts Oncology offers all of the tools found in a complete EHR tailored to the oncology specialty. 

Overview of Oncology-related Features 

• Chemotherapy: giving of programmed medications and patient identification. 
• i-CDSS: individualized clinical decision support systems for treatment. 

Comparison with Aria Oncology

Allscripts Oncology has solid components for chemotherapy, as well as for CDI, so it is worth another look in practices with a greater emphasis on chemotherapy and patient tracking. However, Aria remains the go-to solution for radiation oncology because treatment machines need appropriate features. For practices wanting a more generalized EHR with oncology capability, practices should opt for Allscripts. 

Greenway Intergy EHR

Greenway Intergy currently provides a cloud EHR system with customizations regarding oncology physicians. 

Key Features

• Modules designed specifically within the domain of oncology, which include countries and options with regard to various chemotherapy and treatment schedules. 
• Architecture to make the cloud more easily accessible and scalable. 

Comparison with Aria Oncology

While Intergy is available both locally and via a web connection, Greenway is designed to be cloud-based and thus can be accessed from almost anywhere at a much lower cost to the practice than large EMR solutions are to large multi-specialty practices, many smaller practices or those that are remote-friendly might find Greenway to be a much better choice. Greenway, on the other hand, has a much more advanced set of tools for radiation therapy but, unlike Aria – it is not a completely cloud-based platform. For practices that do not focus so heavily on radiation oncology tools and place a greater deal of importance on flexibility and cloud integration, Greenway Intergy offers a great deal of competition.