*The pricing has been sourced from third-party websites and is subject to change
Selecting the right electronic health record (EHR) can shape everything from daily workflows to long-term growth.
CharmHealth and Epic stand on opposite ends of the spectrum: one is built for lean, flexible practices; the other is tailored for complex, enterprise-level systems. As of 2025, nearly 9 in 10 U.S. office-based physicians (88%) use an EHR system, with 78% using certified EHRs.
This guide explores how CharmHealth Vs Epic stacks up, taking into account both platforms’ features, pricing, and user experience.
Head-On Comparison
CharmHealth EHR is a cloud-based practice management platform designed for small to medium-sized clinics. These include family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, and integrative care practices. It offers e-prescribing to over 70,000 pharmacies alongside lab and device integrations. Further, its ‘use-and-pay' model lets practices start with a free tier (up to 50 encounters/month) and scale to encounter-based or provider subscription plans with zero hardware costs.
Epic software is a cloud-based electronic medical record (EMR). It is a healthcare software built to serve large hospitals, integrated health systems, and specialized care settings. It delivers a unified patient record through interconnected modules like ‘EpicCare Ambulatory’, ‘OpTime’, ‘Beacon’, and ‘Radiant’. The platform emphasizes interoperability via ‘Care Everywhere’, ‘Community Connect’, and FHIR-based APIs. It offers patient self-arrival tools, as well as the patient-facing ‘MyChart’ portal, which supports bill payments, telehealth, and appointment management.
CharmHealth Vs Epic: At A Glance
Features
CharmHealth
Epic
AI Capabilities
✓
✓
Appointment Scheduling
✓
✓
Inventory Management
✓
✓
Patient Engagement Tools
✓
✓
Medical Billing
✓
✓
Invoicing
✓
✗
Interoperability
✓
✓
HIPAA Compliance
✓
✓
Customizable Templates
✓
✗
SOAP Notes
✓
✗
Pros And Cons
Epic EMR
CharmHealth
Pros:
Frequent updates improve charting
Familiar email-style messaging
Custom smart phrases save time
Cons:
Restricted smart phrase customization
Patient search could be faster
Pros:
Custom templates, macros, role controls
Analytics access enables real-time awareness
Includes templates for visit types
Cons:
No option to refill patient orders
Multi-invoice payments process slower
Side-By-Side Feature Comparison
AI Integrations
CharmHealth: Offers an AI-powered scribe that transcribes patient-provider conversations in real-time and generates structured chart notes. Known as ‘Charm AI Scribe’, it supports SOAP and other encounter types, with options to edit, embed notes into templates, and suggest diagnosis codes. Admins can manage user roles, view transcripts, and enable auto-deletion for added privacy. It streamlines documentation while maintaining flexibility and clinical accuracy.
Epic: Integrates artificial intelligence (AI) throughout the care cycle to support clinicians before, during, and after visits. It offers note and inpatient summarization, ambient voice documentation, AI-generated discharge notes, and smart ordering. Tools like AI text assistants refine documentation, while automated coding, risk adjustment, and prior authorization suggestions reduce administrative load. These features help streamline clinical workflows and improve decision-making across specialties.
Winner: Epic takes the lead for its AI-driven features that extend across clinical documentation, operations, analytics, and patient engagement.
Appointment Scheduling
CharmHealth: Designed for multi-location practices, CharmHealth's scheduling system offers color-coded calendar views (day, week, month) that reflect provider availability across time zones. Non-working hours appear grayed out, and appointment slots can be resized or double-booked when necessary. The platform enables patients to request appointments through the portal, complete pre-visit forms, and receive automated email reminders. Physicians get secure message notifications, and mobile access allows providers to check schedules remotely, helping reduce no-shows and easing administrative workflows.
Epic: Scheduling through Epic is built to handle the complexities of large healthcare organizations. It supports centralized booking, specialty-specific workflows, and intelligent decision support that considers clinical needs, provider attributes, and patient preferences. Patients can self-schedule appointments (whether they use ‘MyChart’ or not) and even coordinate multi-step visits like imaging and follow-ups. This integration streamlines scheduling across departments while improving access and convenience for both patients and staff.
Winner: It’s a tie. Both platforms offer flexible, multi-location scheduling and features that reduce no-shows and streamline workflows.
Medical Billing
CharmHealth: The billing module by CharmHealth includes tools for generating invoices, tracking payments, and managing claims with ease. It allows a dedicated billing team to handle financial workflows, freeing providers to focus on care. Invoices can be created for consultations and procedures, with support for partial payments, advance receipts, and superbill/CMS 1500 generation. Payment tracking includes the ability to void receipts and monitor balances through detailed A/R and patient reports. Claims can be submitted in batches and tracked by status, with aging reports to monitor outstanding claims over time.
Epic: Epic’s billing capabilities are designed for large-scale financial operations, integrating closely with clinical workflows to manage charges, claims, and reimbursements. The system supports automated charge capture, real-time eligibility checks, and claims submission. It also includes tools for tracking denials, managing patient balances, and generating detailed financial reports. Revenue cycle tools like prior authorization support, coding suggestions, and payment plan setup help streamline complex billing scenarios across departments. With centralized access and specialty-specific tools, Epic ensures billing remains efficient and compliant in high-volume environments.
Winner: Epic is the clear winner due to its comprehensive revenue cycle management tools and deeper integration capabilities.
Inventory Management
CharmHealth: The inventory module in CharmHealth is built for ambulatory practices that stock and dispense items like supplements, OTC drugs, and lab kits. It links directly to prescriptions, enabling front-desk staff to convert recommended items into sales invoices with minimal waiting time. Users can bulk import inventory via CSV, set automated reorder thresholds, and generate instant sales receipts. Reports track current stock, expirations, inactive items, and reorder needs. Real-time updates allow multiple users to manage inventory simultaneously, ensuring accurate stock visibility across the practice.
Epic: Inventory and supply management in Epic is driven by integrated interfaces that connect with external materials systems. These interfaces automate supply syncing, track usage during procedures, and manage surgical cart logistics across departments like surgery and radiology. Medication stock is handled through Willow Inventory, which updates both internal and external inventory locations in real-time. This setup supports large-scale coordination of supplies across hospital networks, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in high-volume environments.
Winner: CharmHealth wins this round for its real-time inventory tools.
Patient Engagement Tools
CharmHealth: The primary patient engagement tool in CharmHealth is its HIPAA-compliant patient portal, which facilitates secure and convenient communication between patients and providers. Through the portal, patients can request appointments, complete pre-visit forms, access visit summaries, and monitor wellness goals. Additional features include secure messaging, refill requests, lab result access, and the ability to share documents with the care team.
Epic: Patient engagement through Epic centers around a suite of digital tools, primarily delivered through ‘MyChart’. Patients can schedule appointments, check in online, receive price estimates, and pay bills, all without needing to call the clinic. Remote care features include ‘MyChart Care Companion’ for guided at-home monitoring and ‘Remote Patient Monitoring’ for real-time clinical data sharing. ‘Share Everywhere’ allows patients to grant temporary access to their records, supporting care continuity across providers. In hospitals, ‘MyChart Bedside’ gives inpatients real-time access to their care plans.
Winner: Epic wins this round for its advanced tools, remote monitoring, and one-time record sharing.
Pricing Comparison
CharmHealth offers a usage-based model starting at $25/month, with a free version available for low-volume practices. While it doesn’t include a free trial, users can scale features as needed.
Epic, on the other hand, starts at $1,200 for self-hosted setups and can reach $500,000 for large hospitals and health systems. It doesn’t offer a free trial but provides demos through its sales team.
Disclaimer: The pricing has been sourced from third-party websites and is subject to change.
What Users Have To Say
CharmHealth is praised for the fact that its features can be added as needed, allowing users to pay only for what they use as part of its “use-and-pay” model. However, some users have expressed concerns about the platform’s inability to create tables or flowsheets, such as tracking DXA trends over time. Regardless, CharmHealth continues to enhance practice efficiency through the calendar, which offers ease in locating patients and daily appointments.
Epic is renowned for the fact that it integrates effectively with various authentication platforms. However, some users have reported that viewing scanned media is challenging due to automatic closure when compared with charted data. Regardless, the platform continues to enhance practice efficiency through modules like ‘EpicCare’, which allows easy navigation between patients, labs, and procedures.
Making The Right Choice For Your Practice
If your practice prioritizes ease of use, affordability, and modular growth, CharmHealth is a practical choice. For enterprise-level systems managing high patient volumes and complex workflows, Epic offers unmatched depth and system-wide coordination.
Choosing amongst the two ultimately depends on the scale, complexity, and needs of your practice.
