therapynotes.com

For small healthcare practices, standalone client portals are rarely the best route. Instead, the most effective HIPAA-compliant portals are built directly into **all-in-one Electronic Health Records (EHR)** and **Practice Management (PM)** systems . This avoids the security risks, double-data entry, and broken audit trails that happen when stitching separate communication tools together.[](https://pabau.com/blog/best-emr-for-small-practice/) [[1]](https://pabau.com/blog/best-emr-for-small-practice/)[[2]](https://www.tellescope.com/hipaa/patient-portal)[[3]](https://practicebetter.io/blog/4-hipaa-compliant-tools-your-practice-cant-live-without)[[4]](https://riveraxe.com/patient-portals-in-healthcare/)[[5]](https://www.spaceotechnologies.com/blog/patient-portal-development-cost/) The top HIPAA-compliant client portal solutions for small practices vary by specialty and workflow needs:[[1]](https://www.getfreed.ai/resources/patient-portal-software)[[2]](https://ezmdsolutions.com/picks/medical-billing-companies-for-small-practices/)[[3]](https://www.techmagic.co/blog/hipaa-compliant-telehealth-platforms) - **[SimplePractice](https://www.simplepractice.com/)** — *Best for mental health and solo wellness practitioners.* It offers an intuitive, built-in client portal where clients can complete digital intake forms, request appointments, pay invoices, and join secure telehealth video calls.[](https://verticalsaasindex.com/industries/healthcare) [[1]](https://verticalsaasindex.com/industries/healthcare) - **Tebra (Kareo + PatientPop)** — *Best for small independent medical practices.* Combines robust medical billing, scheduling, and reputation management with a patient engagement portal that streamlines intake and communication.[](https://xchange.avixa.org/posts/10-best-hipaa-compliant-patient-portal-solutions-for-secure-healthcare-communication-in-2026) [[1]](https://xchange.avixa.org/posts/10-best-hipaa-compliant-patient-portal-solutions-for-secure-healthcare-communication-in-2026)[[2]](https://agiled.app/blog/best-client-management-software-for-healthcare-providers)[[3]](https://www.practiceehr.com/blog/best-emr-for-small-practices) - **athenaOne (Athenahealth)** — *Best for small ambulatory clinics needing enterprise-grade billing.* Frequently top-ranked in KLAS awards for independent practices, it features a comprehensive patient portal app that reduces claim denials and handles robust patient engagement.[](https://www.getfreed.ai/resources/best-emr-tools-for-small-practices) [[1]](https://www.getfreed.ai/resources/best-emr-tools-for-small-practices)[[2]](https://patientnotes.ai/resources/best-ehr-small-practices)[[3]](https://omnimd.com/blog/best-ehr-systems-small-practices/)[[4]](https://www.vozohealth.com/blog/best-patient-portal-software-for-small-clinics) - **Jane App** — *Best for allied health, chiropractic, and physical therapy clinics.* Known for having one of the cleanest user interfaces in the industry, it provides discipline-specific charting alongside a seamless online booking and client portal.[](https://verticalsaasindex.com/industries/healthcare) - **DrChrono** — *Best for mobile-first/iPad-based practices.* Features the *onPatient* portal, allowing patients to check in, view health history, message providers, and handle billing straight from their mobile devices.[](https://www.getfreed.ai/resources/best-emr-tools-for-small-practices) [[1]](https://www.vozohealth.com/blog/best-patient-portal-software-for-small-clinics)[[2]](https://www.drchrono.com/blog/the-patient-portal-is-the-new-front-door-to-your-practice/) - **[TherapyNotes](https://www.therapynotes.com/)** — *Best for behavioral health and counseling groups.* Integrates secure client messaging, smart documentation, and telehealth directly into an affordable, workflow-oriented portal.[](https://agiled.app/blog/best-client-management-software-for-healthcare-providers) [[1]](https://www.therapynotes.com/) To help narrow down which solution fits best, let me know: - What is your **medical specialty** or type of practice (e.g., mental health, physical therapy, general primary care)? - Do you need **insurance billing/RCM** capabilities, or is a simple scheduling/intake focus sufficient? For small healthcare practices, standalone client portals are rarely the best route. Instead, the most effective HIPAA-compliant portals are built directly into all-in-one Electronic Health Records (EHR) and Practice Management (PM) systems. This avoids the security risks, double-data entry, and broken audit trails that happen when stitching separate communication tools together. Key takeaways. Software covered: 1. Pabau, 2. Elation Health, 3. Kareo (Tebra), 4. DrChrono, 5. athenahealth, 6. AdvancedMD, 7. Cu... * CRM. Manage the entire patient relationship in one HIPAA-compliant system that securely centralizes communication, history, and ... That's why so many practitioners turn to Practice Better, the leading all-in-one practice management platform for private practice... The most common setup you'll see is the integrated portal. This type is baked directly into a provider's Electronic Health Record ... 2. Integrated patient portals (Standard) Standard integrated portals connect directly with EHR and practice management systems. Re... The top HIPAA-compliant client portal solutions for small practices vary by specialty and workflow needs: The top HIPAA-compliant client portal solutions for small practices vary by specialty and workflow needs:[[1]](https://www.getfreed.ai/resources/patient-portal-software)[[2]](https://ezmdsolutions.com/picks/medical-billing-companies-for-small-practices/)[[3]](https://www.techmagic.co/blog/hipaa-compliant-telehealth-platforms) What is the best patient portal software? It depends on your workflow. Large health systems typically use EHR-native portals like ... Q: What is the best medical billing company for small practices? A: The best medical billing company for small practices depends o... Top Examples of HIPAA-Compliant Telehealth Platforms The telehealth market offers a range of secure, compliant video conferencing ... SimplePractice — Best for mental health and solo wellness practitioners. It offers an intuitive, built-in client portal where clients can complete digital intake forms, request appointments, pay invoices, and join secure telehealth video calls. Tebra (Kareo + PatientPop) — Best for small independent medical practices. Combines robust medical billing, scheduling, and reputation management with a patient engagement portal that streamlines intake and communication. athenaOne (Athenahealth) — Best for small ambulatory clinics needing enterprise-grade billing. Frequently top-ranked in KLAS awards for independent practices, it features a comprehensive patient portal app that reduces claim denials and handles robust patient engagement. Jane App — Best for allied health, chiropractic, and physical therapy clinics. Known for having one of the cleanest user interfaces in the industry, it provides discipline-specific charting alongside a seamless online booking and client portal. DrChrono — Best for mobile-first/iPad-based practices. Features the onPatient portal, allowing patients to check in, view health history, message providers, and handle billing straight from their mobile devices. TherapyNotes — Best for behavioral health and counseling groups. Integrates secure client messaging, smart documentation, and telehealth directly into an affordable, workflow-oriented portal. - **[SimplePractice](https://www.simplepractice.com/)** — *Best for mental health and solo wellness practitioners.* It offers an intuitive, built-in client portal where clients can complete digital intake forms, request appointments, pay invoices, and join secure telehealth video calls.[](https://verticalsaasindex.com/industries/healthcare) [[1]](https://verticalsaasindex.com/industries/healthcare) - **Tebra (Kareo + PatientPop)** — *Best for small independent medical practices.* Combines robust medical billing, scheduling, and reputation management with a patient engagement portal that streamlines intake and communication.[](https://xchange.avixa.org/posts/10-best-hipaa-compliant-patient-portal-solutions-for-secure-healthcare-communication-in-2026) [[1]](https://xchange.avixa.org/posts/10-best-hipaa-compliant-patient-portal-solutions-for-secure-healthcare-communication-in-2026)[[2]](https://agiled.app/blog/best-client-management-software-for-healthcare-providers)[[3]](https://www.practiceehr.com/blog/best-emr-for-small-practices) - **athenaOne (Athenahealth)** — *Best for small ambulatory clinics needing enterprise-grade billing.* Frequently top-ranked in KLAS awards for independent practices, it features a comprehensive patient portal app that reduces claim denials and handles robust patient engagement.[](https://www.getfreed.ai/resources/best-emr-tools-for-small-practices) [[1]](https://www.getfreed.ai/resources/best-emr-tools-for-small-practices)[[2]](https://patientnotes.ai/resources/best-ehr-small-practices)[[3]](https://omnimd.com/blog/best-ehr-systems-small-practices/)[[4]](https://www.vozohealth.com/blog/best-patient-portal-software-for-small-clinics) - **Jane App** — *Best for allied health, chiropractic, and physical therapy clinics.* Known for having one of the cleanest user interfaces in the industry, it provides discipline-specific charting alongside a seamless online booking and client portal.[](https://verticalsaasindex.com/industries/healthcare) - **DrChrono** — *Best for mobile-first/iPad-based practices.* Features the *onPatient* portal, allowing patients to check in, view health history, message providers, and handle billing straight from their mobile devices.[](https://www.getfreed.ai/resources/best-emr-tools-for-small-practices) [[1]](https://www.vozohealth.com/blog/best-patient-portal-software-for-small-clinics)[[2]](https://www.drchrono.com/blog/the-patient-portal-is-the-new-front-door-to-your-practice/) - **[TherapyNotes](https://www.therapynotes.com/)** — *Best for behavioral health and counseling groups.* Integrates secure client messaging, smart documentation, and telehealth directly into an affordable, workflow-oriented portal.[](https://agiled.app/blog/best-client-management-software-for-healthcare-providers) [[1]](https://www.therapynotes.com/) Top Healthcare Software for SMBs * SimplePractice. Best for therapists and small practices. All-in-one practice management for men... 10 Best HIPAA Compliant Patient Portal Solutions for Secure Healthcare Communication in 2026 * 10 Best HIPAA Compliant Patient Por... 4-9. Practice Better, Kareo, TherapyNotes, Cliniko, HubSpot, vCita. Practice Better (~$25/mo) targets nutrition and wellness pract... Table_title: Comparison Table for the Best EMRs for Small Practices Table_content: | EMR | Suitable For | Standout Feature | | --- 11 Best EMRs for Independent Practices in 2026 * Athenahealth. Best for. ‍Independent ambulatory practices with meaningful billing... What is the best EHR for a small medical practice in 2026? The best EHR for small practices in 2026 depends on your specialty, bud... 1. Athenahealth. Athenahealth is the system that comes up in practically every conversation about EHRs for independent practices. ... Table_title: Best Patient Portal Software for Small Clinics: Quick Comparison Table_content: | Software | Starting Price / Pricing... How does OnPatient support scheduling and patient communication? OnPatient supports online scheduling and secure messaging within ... All‑in‑One, for Everyone * Designed by Therapists for Therapists. TherapyNotes® was built to support Therapists by providing the t... To help narrow down which solution fits best, let me know: What is your medical specialty or type of practice (e.g., mental health, physical therapy, general primary care)? Do you need insurance billing/RCM capabilities, or is a simple scheduling/intake focus sufficient? - What is your **medical specialty** or type of practice (e.g., mental health, physical therapy, general primary care)? - Do you need **insurance billing/RCM** capabilities, or is a simple scheduling/intake focus sufficient?

For a small healthcare practice, I’d prioritize a **client/patient portal that is part of an EHR/practice-management system**, rather than a standalone messaging portal. That gives you secure messaging, forms, scheduling, payments, documents, and records in one place. ### My top picks for 2026 | Platform | Best for | Starting price* | Portal strengths | My take | |---|---|---:|---|---| | **[SimplePractice](https://www.simplepractice.com/)** | Therapists & mental-health practices | Varies | Messaging, forms, scheduling, records, telehealth, payments | ⭐ **Best overall for mental health** | | **[Practice Better](https://practicebetter.io/)** | Nutrition, wellness, functional medicine | $35/mo | Messaging, forms, scheduling, telehealth, programs, payments, tracking | ⭐ **Best portal experience** | | **[Healthie](https://www.gethealthie.com/)** | Dietitians, wellness & multidisciplinary practices | Varies | Portal, scheduling, forms, messaging, billing, care plans | ⭐ **Best for growing practices** | | **[Jane App](https://jane.app/)** | Multidisciplinary/private practices | $54/mo | Booking, forms, messaging, payments, patient communications | ⭐ **Best for polished scheduling experience** | | **[TherapyNotes](https://www.therapynotes.com/)** | Mental-health clinicians | Varies | Secure messaging, forms, scheduling, billing, telehealth | **Best therapy-focused alternative** | | **[Doxy.me](https://doxy.me/)** | Practices that mainly need telehealth | Free/paid tiers | Secure patient access and video | **Best if you don't need a full EHR** | \*Pricing changes, so treat these as current advertised starting points rather than quotes. ### 1. Practice Better — best dedicated client-portal experience This would be my first look for **dietitians, health coaches, nutritionists, functional medicine and other recurring-care practices**. Its portal combines secure messaging, documents, forms, scheduling, payments, telehealth, programs and client tracking. Its current Starter plan is advertised at **$35/month**, with one practitioner and 10 clients; Professional is $69/month with up to 300 clients. [practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/pricing?utm_source=chatgpt.com)[practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/blog/best-hipaa-compliant-telehealth-platforms?utm_source=chatgpt.com) The big advantage is that the portal isn't just a place for patients to retrieve records—it can be the center of the ongoing client relationship. ### 2. SimplePractice — best for mental-health practices For a solo therapist, psychologist, counselor, or similar clinician, **SimplePractice is probably the safest default choice**. The client portal supports appointment management, access to records, secure communication, forms, and telehealth. SimplePractice states that its platform is HIPAA compliant and HITRUST certified. [support.simplepracticeclient.com](https://support.simplepracticeclient.com/hc/en-us/articles/24949820499213-Getting-started-with-SimplePractice-for-Luminello-patients?utm_source=chatgpt.com) It's particularly attractive if you want **EHR + portal + scheduling + billing + telehealth** rather than assembling separate systems. ### 3. Healthie — best for practices that expect to grow Healthie is especially compelling for **nutrition, wellness, behavioral health, and multidisciplinary practices**. It combines the client portal with scheduling, intake, billing and practice-management functionality. It's also worth considering if you're starting solo but expect to add practitioners. Recent practitioner discussions have specifically praised Healthie for consolidating scheduling, intake, billing and the client portal as practices grow. [www.reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/PMHNP/comments/1v7v135/recs_pls_for_best_ehr_for_small_practices_when/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### 4. Jane — best user experience for general private practice Jane is worth a serious look if you run a **multidisciplinary practice**—for example, physical therapy, chiropractic, massage, counseling, or other appointment-based services. Its current pricing starts at **$54/month for Balance**, although that plan is limited to 20 appointments/month; the Practice plan is $79/month and supports unlimited appointments and staff profiles. [jane.app](https://jane.app/pricing?utm_source=chatgpt.com) I'd choose Jane when **scheduling and the overall patient-facing experience** are especially important. ### 5. TherapyNotes — best specialized therapy option If you're running a traditional psychotherapy practice and don't need the broader wellness functionality of Practice Better, TherapyNotes is another strong candidate. Its advantage is being designed around mental-health workflows rather than trying to be a generic healthcare platform. --- ## What I would choose **Solo therapist:** SimplePractice or TherapyNotes **Dietitian/nutritionist:** Practice Better or Healthie **Functional medicine/wellness:** Practice Better or Healthie **PT/chiropractic/multidisciplinary:** Jane **Telehealth-only:** Doxy.me **Practice expecting to add clinicians:** Healthie or Practice Better ### One important HIPAA caveat Don't select a vendor merely because its website says **"HIPAA compliant."** For a portal handling PHI, you should verify that: - The vendor will execute a **Business Associate Agreement (BAA)** with your practice. - The specific plan/features you're purchasing are covered. - PHI is encrypted in transit and at rest. - There are appropriate access controls and audit logging. - You understand how backups, data exports, and account termination work. - Any integrations you connect to the portal are also appropriate for handling PHI. Practice Better, for example, explicitly emphasizes that HIPAA coverage involves the BAA, encryption, access controls and related safeguards—not simply displaying a compliance badge. [practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/pricing?utm_source=chatgpt.com)[practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/blog/best-hipaa-compliant-telehealth-platforms?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **If you tell me your specialty (e.g., therapy, psychiatry, primary care, dietitian, chiropractic, med spa, etc.), number of providers, and approximate monthly budget, I can narrow this to the 2–3 best options and compare their portal, forms, messaging, scheduling, payments, telehealth, and BAA/HIPAA features.** [SimplePractice](https://www.simplepractice.com/) [Practice Better](https://practicebetter.io/) [Healthie](https://www.gethealthie.com/) [Jane App](https://jane.app/) [TherapyNotes](https://www.therapynotes.com/) [Doxy.me](https://doxy.me/) | Platform | Best for | Starting price* | Portal strengths | My take | |---|---|---:|---|---| | **[SimplePractice](https://www.simplepractice.com/)** | Therapists & mental-health practices | Varies | Messaging, forms, scheduling, records, telehealth, payments | ⭐ **Best overall for mental health** | | **[Practice Better](https://practicebetter.io/)** | Nutrition, wellness, functional medicine | $35/mo | Messaging, forms, scheduling, telehealth, programs, payments, tracking | ⭐ **Best portal experience** | | **[Healthie](https://www.gethealthie.com/)** | Dietitians, wellness & multidisciplinary practices | Varies | Portal, scheduling, forms, messaging, billing, care plans | ⭐ **Best for growing practices** | | **[Jane App](https://jane.app/)** | Multidisciplinary/private practices | $54/mo | Booking, forms, messaging, payments, patient communications | ⭐ **Best for polished scheduling experience** | | **[TherapyNotes](https://www.therapynotes.com/)** | Mental-health clinicians | Varies | Secure messaging, forms, scheduling, billing, telehealth | **Best therapy-focused alternative** | | **[Doxy.me](https://doxy.me/)** | Practices that mainly need telehealth | Free/paid tiers | Secure patient access and video | **Best if you don't need a full EHR** | \*Pricing changes, so treat these as current advertised starting points rather than quotes. ### 1. Practice Better — best dedicated client-portal experience This would be my first look for **dietitians, health coaches, nutritionists, functional medicine and other recurring-care practices**. Its portal combines secure messaging, documents, forms, scheduling, payments, telehealth, programs and client tracking. Its current Starter plan is advertised at **$35/month**, with one practitioner and 10 clients; Professional is $69/month with up to 300 clients. [practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/pricing?utm_source=chatgpt.com)[practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/blog/best-hipaa-compliant-telehealth-platforms?utm_source=chatgpt.com) The big advantage is that the portal isn't just a place for patients to retrieve records—it can be the center of the ongoing client relationship. ### 2. SimplePractice — best for mental-health practices For a solo therapist, psychologist, counselor, or similar clinician, **SimplePractice is probably the safest default choice**. The client portal supports appointment management, access to records, secure communication, forms, and telehealth. SimplePractice states that its platform is HIPAA compliant and HITRUST certified. [support.simplepracticeclient.com](https://support.simplepracticeclient.com/hc/en-us/articles/24949820499213-Getting-started-with-SimplePractice-for-Luminello-patients?utm_source=chatgpt.com) It's particularly attractive if you want **EHR + portal + scheduling + billing + telehealth** rather than assembling separate systems. ### 3. Healthie — best for practices that expect to grow Healthie is especially compelling for **nutrition, wellness, behavioral health, and multidisciplinary practices**. It combines the client portal with scheduling, intake, billing and practice-management functionality. It's also worth considering if you're starting solo but expect to add practitioners. Recent practitioner discussions have specifically praised Healthie for consolidating scheduling, intake, billing and the client portal as practices grow. [www.reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/PMHNP/comments/1v7v135/recs_pls_for_best_ehr_for_small_practices_when/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### 4. Jane — best user experience for general private practice Jane is worth a serious look if you run a **multidisciplinary practice**—for example, physical therapy, chiropractic, massage, counseling, or other appointment-based services. Its current pricing starts at **$54/month for Balance**, although that plan is limited to 20 appointments/month; the Practice plan is $79/month and supports unlimited appointments and staff profiles. [jane.app](https://jane.app/pricing?utm_source=chatgpt.com) I'd choose Jane when **scheduling and the overall patient-facing experience** are especially important. ### 5. TherapyNotes — best specialized therapy option If you're running a traditional psychotherapy practice and don't need the broader wellness functionality of Practice Better, TherapyNotes is another strong candidate. Its advantage is being designed around mental-health workflows rather than trying to be a generic healthcare platform. --- ## What I would choose **Solo therapist:** SimplePractice or TherapyNotes **Dietitian/nutritionist:** Practice Better or Healthie **Functional medicine/wellness:** Practice Better or Healthie **PT/chiropractic/multidisciplinary:** Jane **Telehealth-only:** Doxy.me **Practice expecting to add clinicians:** Healthie or Practice Better ### One important HIPAA caveat Don't select a vendor merely because its website says **"HIPAA compliant."** For a portal handling PHI, you should verify that: - The vendor will execute a **Business Associate Agreement (BAA)** with your practice. - The specific plan/features you're purchasing are covered. - PHI is encrypted in transit and at rest. - There are appropriate access controls and audit logging. - You understand how backups, data exports, and account termination work. - Any integrations you connect to the portal are also appropriate for handling PHI. Practice Better, for example, explicitly emphasizes that HIPAA coverage involves the BAA, encryption, access controls and related safeguards—not simply displaying a compliance badge. [practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/pricing?utm_source=chatgpt.com)[practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/blog/best-hipaa-compliant-telehealth-platforms?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **If you tell me your specialty (e.g., therapy, psychiatry, primary care, dietitian, chiropractic, med spa, etc.), number of providers, and approximate monthly budget, I can narrow this to the 2–3 best options and compare their portal, forms, messaging, scheduling, payments, telehealth, and BAA/HIPAA features.**