Kareo EMR

Independent healthcare practices operate in a complex and ever-changing environment where they face challenges such as declining reimbursements, strict regulations, and administrative burdens. Kareo EMR (now part of Tebra) is a cloud-based platform designed specifically to support the workflows of independent practices and help them overcome these challenges.

Trusted by over 42,000 practices in the United States, this electronic medical records (EMR) platform streamlines daily operations, optimizes workflow efficiency, and supports patient-centered care.

In this guide, we will explore some actionable strategies to streamline administrative tasks, enhance patient care, and improve financial performance using Kareo EMR software.

Key Insights
  • Kareo EMR reduces administrative work by automating billing tasks, claim submissions, and patient deposits in one place
  • The platform supports real-time lab results and medication tracking to speed up diagnosis and treatment for patients
  • Kareo allows patients to book appointments online, reducing phone calls and improving scheduling efficiency for your staff
  • The software offers advanced security measures to protect sensitive patient information and reduce the risk of breaches
  • Kareo's patient experience solutions help independent practices streamline communication, enhance care coordination, and improve overall patient satisfaction

Key Challenges For Independent Healthcare Practices

Independent healthcare practices face multiple challenges that impact their efficiency, financial stability, and patient care. Here’s a look at some of the most pressing issues:

Key Challenges For Independent Healthcare Practices

  • Physician Burnout: According to the Physicians Foundation 2023 Report, 47% of physicians are working at full capacity, while 33% feel overextended and overworked
  • Healthcare Workforce Shortages: The healthcare industry is projected to face a shortage of about 100,000 healthcare workers by 2028, which could strain independent practices
  • Declining Reimbursement: An article by McKinsey and Company highlights that Medicaid and Medicare enrollment grew from 43% in 2019 to 45% in 2023, which has led to a shifting payer mix and constrained reimbursement growth
  • Regulatory Uncertainty: According to Deloitte’s 2025 US Healthcare Outlook report, 44% of healthcare executives believe changing regulations and policies could affect practice operations and financial planning
  • Rising Data Breaches: In 2024, the number of breached healthcare records reached an all-time high, increasing by 9.4% from the previous year to 184,111,469 records, equivalent to 53% of the U.S. population

5 Strategies To Enhance Workflow Efficiency With Kareo

Kareo, now known as Tebra, offers a range of tools designed to improve workflow efficiency and help independent practices manage daily operations more effectively. Below are some ways this software can help them address common challenges and enhance overall practice performance:

5 Strategies To Enhance Workflow Efficiency With Kareo

Reduce Administrative Work With Robotic Process Automation

Kareo uses robotic process automation (RPA) to reduce repetitive billing tasks and streamline revenue cycle management. It helps maintain a smooth data flow to increase first-pass claim rates and reduce reimbursement delays. Practices can also use rules-based processing to automatically apply insurance payments and patient deposits, ensuring accurate statements and up-to-date accounts receivable.

Additionally, the software offers automated clinical note creation that allows practices to migrate notes from the previous software into this EHR. It also processes 835 file uploads instantly, translating payment data into the billing system without manual entry. With Kareo, independent practices can achieve workflow optimization by reducing administrative burdens and allowing staff to focus on patient care.

Grow Your Practice With A Strong Online Presence

A strong digital presence helps independent practices attract new patients and build trust. Kareo provides a suite of tools to enhance visibility, streamline website management, and strengthen patient relationships. It allows users to:

  • Create a modern, SEO-optimized website to rank higher in search results 
  • Run targeted Google ad campaigns to attract local patients 
  • Collect and manage patient reviews to boost credibility and retention 
  • Share engaging content through blogs and social media to increase visibility 

For example, when DeNova, a behavioral health practice, first started its operations, it struggled to attract and retain patients. By using Kareo's marketing tools, the practice significantly enhanced its online presence and reached the right patient groups. In just 6 months, DeNova:

  • Received over 102 new reviews
  • Increased website traffic 8,000+ visits
  • Achieved 24 #1 rankings on Google

This demonstrates how improving online visibility can drive patient engagement and growth for independent medical practices.

Enhance Patient Experience With Digital Tools

Kareo streamlines patient interactions with online scheduling, reminders, and secure messaging tools. It allows patients to book appointments online anytime using a personalized scheduling URL, which helps to reduce phone calls and eases the burden on limited staff. Practices can easily customize availability, appointment durations, and office hours to manage scheduling more efficiently.

Moreover, this time-saving healthcare software supports automated appointment reminders to help cut no-shows by 30–50%, ensuring a steady schedule and fewer last-minute cancellations. Kareo also offers a HIPAA-compliant two-way text messaging feature that allows practices to send appointment confirmations, follow-ups, and bulk care reminders.

Optimize Clinical Efficiency With An Integrated EHR System

A fully integrated EHR system allows independent practices to ensure efficient patient care management and improved medical workflows. Kareo connects essential clinical workflows into a centralized dashboard to reduce administrative workload and improve care outcomes.

The platform includes electronic prescribing with medication history tracking and automatic alerts for drug interactions and allergies. Users can quickly send lab orders to over 700 labs and receive real-time results directly in patient charts for faster diagnosis and treatment. Kareo also offers HIPAA-compliant telehealth, digital intake forms, and a secure patient portal to streamline care coordination, all while simplifying EMR usage and improving efficiency across the board.

Protect Patient Data With Advanced Security Measures

Kareo helps independent practices safeguard patient data with industry-leading security frameworks and third-party audits. The platform ensures compliance with HIPAA, HITRUST, and NIST standards, and maintains AICPA Trust Criteria certifications to verify security, confidentiality, and availability controls.

Practices can also rely on Kareo’s cloud infrastructure to securely store and manage data, minimizing risks of unauthorized access. This robust security framework ensures sensitive patient data and the practice’s financial information remains protected.

Ready To Optimize Your Practice With Kareo?

Trusted by over 100,000 providers, Kareo empowers independent practices to optimize workflows and enhance patient care. Now part of Tebra, the platform combines the strengths of both Kareo and PatientPop, offering even more tools to help practices optimize operations, grow their patient base, and improve the overall patient experience.

You can consider exploring the strategies discussed above to make the most of these powerful tools and enhance your practice’s performance. To learn more about Kareo, visit Software Finder for expert insights and detailed comparisons.