Plastic and reconstructive surgery continue to grow in popularity, driven by rising demand for both facial procedures and non-invasive treatments. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), nearly 1.6 million cosmetic surgeries and over 1 million reconstructive procedures were performed in the U.S. in 2023.
With this growing demand, clinics need reliable electronic medical records (EMR) software designed specifically to meet the unique needs of plastic and reconstructive surgeons. The integration of this advanced technology can help manage the complexities of patient records, billing, and treatment planning more effectively.
In this guide, we will explore the top 5 EHR for plastic surgery practices and discuss the key features and factors to consider when selecting the right system for your clinic.
Features | ModMed | PatientNow | Symplast | Nextech | AdvancedMD |
Image Management | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Appointment Scheduling | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Billing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓
| ✓ |
Integrations | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Patient Education | ✓ | ✗
| ✗
| ✓
| ✓
|
Mobile Support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓
| ✓ |
Customizable Templates | ✓ | ✓
| ✓
| ✓ | ✓
|
Modernizing Medicine’s EMA is an award-winning, specialty-specific EMR solution designed for reconstructive surgery, aesthetic medicine, and cosmetic surgery practices. Developed by board-certified specialists, it features a touch-based interface with tools for billing, patient experience management, documentation, and data analytics.
The platform includes built-in ICD-10 codes for plastic surgery, inventory management, and tools for taking before-and-after photos on an iPad, which are automatically added to patient records. Its adaptive learning engine customizes the system based on your practice’s preferences, such as suture or implant types, to make workflows more efficient.
What We Like About ModMed?
The software streamlines visual documentation for plastic and reconstructive surgeons with tools such as the ‘Interactive Anatomical Atlas’ and an innovative drawing board. The 3D atlas lets surgeons explore body layers and automatically adds ICD-10 codes, while the drawing board allows them to sketch procedures, plan incisions, and document treatments directly on patient photos or models.
What To Consider?
ModMed’s reports can be difficult to run and sort, which may slow down plastic surgery practices when trying to access important data quickly.
How Much Does ModMed Cost?
ModMed offers flexible subscription plans that may vary based on factors such as practice size, feature requirements, and the number of users.
PatientNow offers an all-in-one plastic surgery electronic medical records (EMR) software suitable for practices of all sizes. The software allows practices to manage electronic prescriptions, labs, CRM, and insurance billing through a unified dashboard. Practitioners can customize treatment plans, optimize revenue, and reduce scheduling gaps by efficiently allocating resources for each aesthetic procedure.
The software helps manage insurance coverage on a per-procedure basis to prevent gaps in coverage and protect both patients and the practice. It also integrates lab work, providing users easy access to lab results and test requisitions for more informed treatment planning.
What We Like About PatientNow?
PatientNow software eliminates fragmented systems and inefficiencies in plastic surgery clinics. It integrates EMR, prescriptions, insurance, labs, and drug detection tools into single platform to streamline practice operations and enhance treatment planning.
What To Consider?
While PatientNow is packed with useful features for plastic surgery practices, some users report slow customer support response times, which may delay issue resolution and impact practice efficiency.
How Much Does PatientNow Cost?
PatientNow offers a clinical software package for medium to large plastic surgery and dermatology practices, with customizable pricing options based on practice needs.
Symplast is a modern EHR solution designed specifically for the aesthetic industry. Trusted by over 4,400 users across the US, the software provides a fully cloud-based platform. It streamlines administrative and clinical workflows, from patient acquisition to post-treatment care. Its centralized suite of tools is designed to enhance patient satisfaction and improve operational efficiency.
Symplast includes comprehensive multimedia management capabilities, securely storing all patient images in a cloud-based repository. The system helps practices grow by tracking leads and using in-app promotions or gift cards that can be sent directly to patients. As a mobile-first cloud platform developed by plastic surgeons, Symplast continuously adapts to meet the evolving needs of aesthetic and plastic surgery practices.
What We Like About Symplast?
Symplast helps users enhance patient engagement and build stronger connections throughout the aesthetic journey. It allows them to send custom welcome videos through the patient app, making patients feel more comfortable from the start. Additionally, the platform includes photo tagging, consent forms, and social media marketing tools that further support long-term patient relationships.
What To Consider?
Some Symplast users report challenges with frequent software updates, which may reset previous customizations and disrupt workflow continuity.
How Much Does Symplast Cost?
Pricing varies depending on the size and requirements of your plastic surgery practice.
Nextech offers a customizable, cloud-based EHR solution for plastic surgery practices. It streamlines patient care, improves efficiency, and boosts revenue with features like integrated photo management, automated marketing, and billing tools. The platform also integrates seamlessly with existing software and includes automation tools and telemedicine services.
Surgeons can dictate data and commands using a HIPAA-compliant speech-to-text feature. The platform also includes time-saving tools like smart stamping, which pre-populates forms to improve chart accuracy. With strong data security and award-winning support, Nextech is one of the best EHR systems for plastic surgery that ensures optimized workflows and enhanced patient care.
What We Like About Nextech?
Nextech stands out for its scalability and comprehensive features, which adapt to the evolving needs of growing practices. For example, it has successfully supported Utah Facial Plastics from a small team of three to over 60, proving its ability to enhance efficiency and streamline operations throughout a practice's growth.
What To Consider?
Some Nextech users report challenges, such as limited training during the onboarding phase. This could result in additional time and effort to customize the software and fully incorporate it into your practice workflows.
How Much Does Nextech Cost?
Nextech provides flexible pricing that can be customized based on the size of the practice and the specific features selected.
AdvancedMD offers a comprehensive EMR software designed specifically for independent and small plastic surgery clinics. It streamlines administrative and clinical workflows with features like automated patient reminders, billing tools, customizable charting, and integrated telemedicine. The software also includes templates for common plastic surgery procedures, lab and imaging integrations, and e-prescribing tools.
AdvancedMD offers a customizable dashboard and patient cards that display the most important patient information at a glance. Additionally, the system features advanced PACS for image management, allowing providers to view, annotate, and link imaging scans. It also includes a patient education library for sharing pre-and-post-op instructions.
What We Like About AdvancedMD?
AdvancedMD uses AI to alert plastic surgeons about medication risks, upcoming procedures, and recommended care. This helps streamline patient management, reduce errors, and ensure providers have essential information at their fingertips to deliver better, more proactive care.
What To Consider?
When evaluating AdvancedMD, consider that it lacks marketing and referral data tracking within its analytics feature. This may limit insights into patient acquisition and referrals, potentially requiring additional tools or manual tracking for a comprehensive understanding of practice growth.
How Much Does AdvancedMD Cost?
AdvancedMD offers three customizable pricing options for its users:
- Build a Bundle
- Software Pricing
- RCM Pricing
Now that you have explored the top software options, it is important to focus on the specific features that address the unique needs of your practice. Below, we will break down the key functionalities of these systems to help you choose the best plastic surgery EMR software for your clinic:
Image Management
Plastic surgeons require specialized software that allows them to manage and compare before-and-after images of their patients. This is crucial for planning surgeries and demonstrating potential results.
Procedure-Specific Documentation
Plastic surgery involves a wide range of procedures, each with its own specific considerations. Therefore, plastic surgeons need software that supports documenting critical procedure-specific details, such as implant types, sizes, and locations. Common templates for procedures like rhinoplasty, liposuction, breast augmentation, facelifts, and abdominoplasty can streamline documentation.
Marketing And Patient Acquisition
Unlike many other types of medical practices, plastic surgery is often elective and not covered by insurance. This means plastic surgeons need to actively market their services and attract new patients, requiring customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities in their software.
Aesthetic Outcome Assessment
Plastic surgeons need software that can help assess the aesthetic outcome of their surgeries. This may include 3D visualization tools and morphing software to show expected results.
Patient Education Tools
The right EMR for your plastic surgery practice should help patients clearly understand their procedures. Tools like visual aids, animations, and interactive features make it easier to explain risks and outcomes. This improved understanding encourages patients to follow pre-and-post-op instructions, leading to better results and higher conversion rates from consultations to surgeries.
Billing And Insurance Coding
Some plastic surgery procedures are cosmetic and not covered by insurance, while others are medically necessary and reimbursable. The right software must be able to handle this complexity by applying appropriate CPT and ICD-10 codes for accurate claims submission.
Here’s a list of key factors to ensure the system aligns with your practice’s unique needs and supports long-term growth:
- Integration And Interoperability: Choose an EMR that integrates with imaging systems, lab tools, billing, and workflow management for seamless data sharing
- Usability: Prioritize a user-friendly interface that simplifies managing complex surgical workflows and frees up time for patient consultations
- Customization: Look for a software that customizes templates for procedure details, imaging, and aesthetic outcome tracking
- Compliance And Security: Ensure the software complies with HIPAA and has strong security measures to protect patient data
- Support And Training: Select a provider with excellent support and training resources for smooth onboarding and long-term use
As the demand for both plastic and reconstructive surgery grows, EMRs have become indispensable in delivering a modern standard of patient care within these practices. These tools can improve patient outcomes, ensure compliance, and streamline complex workflows, all while enhancing the overall efficiency of the practice.
Aesthetic clinics should invest in an EMR system that seamlessly integrates with their existing operations and addresses the unique needs of their workflows.
Ready to explore more options? Browse through our curated list of plastic surgery EMR systems to find the best fit for your practice's needs.