TheraNest is a popular software choice for addiction treatment providers who are shopping for an all-in-one EHR to streamline clinical, administrative and billing workflows. 

Theranest consistently receives high ratings for its functionality in solo and small group practice settings, but can it keep pace with the demands of larger group practices and outpatient programs?

Some larger addiction treatment group practices choose TheraNest without considering if it is truly capable of meeting their needs. Others begin small practices in the behavioral health space and then quickly outgrow TheraNest - much to their disappointment.

Today, let’s examine why TheraNest may not be the best choice for group practices and outpatient programs and look at what alternatives are available.

What is TheraNest?

TheraNest - also known as Therapy Brands - is an all-in-one EMR designed for mental health professionals, counselors, LMFTs, social workers, addiction treatment, ABA therapists, occupational therapists, and more. The company began in 2013 and has undergone a series of mergers and acquisitions since then. It’s associated with a number of other EHRs designed for various other settings. 

TheraNest offers many typical amenities found in other EMRs: telehealth, revenue cycle management, ePrescribing, billing and payments. Specifically, it offers a mental health billing service, HIPAA compliant video conferencing, assisted claims, group telehealth, a client portal, as well as scheduling and reminders. It is often compared to SimpleNotes, another popular EMR used by many addiction treatment providers.

TheraNest starts at $39 a month for up to 30 active clients and goes up to $91 a month for up to 90 active clients. However, many of the features TheraNest advertises are actually not included in the base price. Instead, access to Wiley Practice Planners, the client portal feature, and telehealth support come at an extra price. For example, if you want access to the telehealth function, you’ll need to add an extra $12 per provider to your monthly cost. Wiley Practice Planner access runs an extra $25 a month per therapist. Clearly, these extra fees can add up quickly. 

What Makes TheraNest a Bad Choice for Inpatient, Residential, and Outpatient Addiction/Mental Health Treatment Programs?

TheraNest is a good software choice for solo practice and small group practices operating in the behavioral health space, but it’s a bad choice for larger outfits for several reasons. 

TheraNest Cannot Process UB-04 Claim Forms 

Perhaps most importantly, TheraNest does not have the option to complete or submit UB-04 claim forms. TheraNest was built to handle CMS-1500 forms and there is ample information available at their help desk regarding how to use these but TheraNest does not support UB-04 claim forms at all. In many cases, outpatient programs rely on UB-04 claim forms, so this omission from TheraNest’s scope of use is a deal breaker for many providers.

TheraNest Has No Mobile or Desktop App 

While most EMRs are accessible from any device, TheraNest is only available on a proper computer. This means that clinicians cannot access the software in any setting other than their office. This is a huge handicap in any practice - solo, group and beyond. 

TheraNest is Not BUILT for Collaboration 

Theranest was designed with the solo practitioner in mind. As such, patient records are meant to be edited, accessed and reviewed by a single clinician. Teams working together on a treatment plan will find that their ability to collaborate and share information via TheraNest is not what it needs to be in an outpatient program.

Why is Behave Health a Better Choice for Addiction Treatment Group Practices and Outpatient Programs?

If the above cons have crossed TheraNest off your list, or if you’ve already implemented TheraNest and are just now reckoning with its limitations, there are other options available that may be better suited to your needs. 

Behave Health is an all-in-one software solution for behavioral health providers that was built with group practice and outpatient programs specifically in mind. Behave Health can manage every aspect of your business, from clinical to billing to administrative.

Here’s what makes Behave Health a great choice for group practice and outpatient programs:

• Clinicians to choose between CMS-1500 claim forms and UB-04 claim forms

• Access the full software solution from any device, any time, any where 

• Patient records designed for team-based treatment plans

Want to Learn More About the Behave Health Universe? We’re Here to Help.

Behave Health is committed to making it easier - and more profitable - to operate evidence-based, results-focused addiction treatment centers.

Our all-in-one app puts clinical, administration, staff, admissions, alumni, residents, treatment plans, billing, insurance authorizations and more - all at your fingertips.

Get your free trial started today and see why more addiction treatment centers prefer Behave Health.

PS. Just getting started with behavioral health? Need help with certification, too? Behave Health can also help direct you to the right resources for help with Licensing or Accreditation by either The Joint Commission or CARF. Mention to your product specialist that you’re interested in this service after you start your free trial!