athenahealth vs CentralReach

Founded in 1997 in San Diego and now headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, athenahealth provides a cloud-based platform that integrates electronic health records, revenue cycle management, practice operations, and patient engagement tools. Their athenaOne suite combines AI-powered features like ambient documentation, predictive analytics, and automated billing workflows to help providers reduce administrative burden and improve clinical efficiency. The platform also supports telehealth, mobile access, open API integrations, and participation in a national provider network, making it highly adaptable for practices of various sizes and specialties. Athenahealth’s percentage-based pricing model aligns with practice revenue, and their Success Community gives users input into product evolution. While users value its automation and flexibility, some report challenges with implementation, usability, and contract clarity. Still, athenahealth’s broad capabilities and ongoing innovation make it a strong contender for modern, data-driven healthcare delivery.

CentralReach is a healthcare software company founded in 2012 and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They specialize in serving organizations that provide applied behavior analysis (ABA), autism therapy, and developmental disability services. Their platform offers a unified solution that combines clinical data collection, scheduling, billing, payroll, telehealth, and ongoing staff training, all designed to meet the complex needs of therapy-focused practices. One of their standout features is their customization capabilities, allowing users to build tailored clinical programs and data forms. They also offer CR Institute, a built-in learning management system that supports CEUs and certification prep for RBTs and BCBAs. CentralReach’s tools are built to accommodate a wide range of service settings, including in-home, school-based, and clinic care. While customer feedback is largely positive about the platform’s functionality and impact, some users report a steep learning curve and inconsistent support responsiveness. They maintain a BBB profile, have been featured on the Inc. 5000 list, and continue to grow within their niche. For organizations exploring practice management solutions in the ABA and therapy space, CentralReach presents a compelling, specialized option worth a closer look.