The Therapy Practice Playbook

Software selection for therapy practices

Compare EHR workflows, total costs and software fit before choosing a platform.Practical guidance for mental and behavioral health teams navigating scheduling, intake, documentation, billing, growth and front-office workload—with responsible ways to use AI. See how CallSphere works.

All Software selection 15 AI reception & communication 21 Scheduling & access 18 Intake & onboarding 15 Billing & documentation 13 Practice operations & migration 23

15 articles in Software selection

Two separate paths show session material becoming a clinician-reviewed note draft and an administrative inquiry becoming an appointment or task, with staff handling unresolved work.

Workflow · reduced motion

Software selection

AI EHR or AI note taker: which problem are you buying for?

Understand the difference between AI note tools and an AI-powered EHR, then choose based on documentation and administrative workflow needs.

Six AI receptionist demo checks cover answer sources, ambiguous dates, actual records, failure responses, identity boundaries and the precise staff handoff mechanism.

Workflow · reduced motion

Software selection

Questions that reveal what an AI receptionist actually does

Use practical AI receptionist demo questions to verify answers, bookings, identity checks, callback requests, failures, and staff responsibilities.

A testable RFP requirement moves from a fictional trigger to a permitted action and expected record, with staff responsibility and dependency evidence feeding the mandatory-fit decision.

Workflow · reduced motion

Software selection

A practical software RFP for a behavioral health practice

Create a behavioral health software RFP with testable requirements, evidence requests, staff responsibilities, and a practical evaluation process.

Parallel cash-pay and insurance paths show charge review, payment requests and balance outcomes alongside information collection, staff-reviewed claims and payer-response review.

Workflow · reduced motion

Software selection

Cash-pay and insurance practices need different EHR buying tests

Compare EHR buying priorities for cash-pay and insurance therapy practices using distinct payment workflows, staff tasks, and vendor demo tests.

A proposed EHR exit timeline links written terms, cancellation notice, export delivery, practice validation and the end of access, emphasizing an agreed validation window.

Workflow · reduced motion

Software selection

EHR contract questions to ask before signing

Ask practical EHR contract questions about exports, service scope, cancellation, support, data handling, and transition responsibilities before signing.

An EHR trial sequence starts with synthetic records, checks appointment and intake states, introduces a conflict, tests staff permissions and finishes with a readable sample export.

Workflow · reduced motion

Software selection

What to test during a therapy EHR trial

Use a synthetic EHR trial plan to verify scheduling, intake, permissions, exports, and failure handling without contacting real clients.

Four evidence states distinguish a feature included in the plan, an add-on, an integration dependency and an unverified claim. A separate workflow test is still needed.

Workflow · reduced motion

Software selection

Included, add-on, integration, or unverified: decode EHR feature lists

Decode EHR feature lists with four evidence states: included, add-on, integration, and unverified. Compare costs and dependencies accurately.

Workflow · reduced motion

Software selection

How to calculate the full EHR cost for a group therapy practice

Build an EHR cost worksheet for a group therapy practice covering seats, add-ons, usage, migration, support, and clearly labeled assumptions.

A decision branches from whether the existing EHR meets core needs to testing an add-on or evaluating a replacement. Both paths require proof of handoffs and a staff exception owner.

Workflow · reduced motion

Software selection

Integrated EHR or a separate AI receptionist: a buying framework

Decide whether to replace your EHR or add an AI receptionist by checking integration depth, staff ownership, duplicate entry, and switching effort.

A keep-or-change review connects to booking rules, rooms and equipment, cancellation recovery, intake and charting, and routine phone inquiries when considering a Jane alternative.

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Software selection

When should a mental health practice consider a Jane alternative?

Assess Jane alternatives for mental health practices by checking booking, waitlists, multidisciplinary needs, AI tools, and migration tradeoffs.

Six EHR demo checks cover booking, intake, appointment changes, staff follow-up, documentation and billing, and access and export. Unverified mandatory requirements remain open.

Workflow · reduced motion

Software selection

A mental health EHR demo scorecard for practice owners

Evaluate mental health EHR demos with a weighted workflow scorecard, synthetic test cases, and clear evidence for staff responsibilities.

An inquiry branches into staff approval or a permitted booking action. Both lead to inspecting the real appointment state and verifying the intake or exception handoff.

Workflow · reduced motion

Software selection

Evaluating a SimplePractice alternative for front-office workflows

Evaluate a SimplePractice alternative using current feature sources, front-office demo tests, switching costs, and honest CallSphere Health limits.

One fictional request is tested with SimplePractice, Jane and TherapyNotes. Evidence from each converges on comparing record states, staff work and dated plan dependencies.

Workflow · reduced motion

Software selection

SimplePractice, Jane, and TherapyNotes: compare workflows before prices

Compare SimplePractice, Jane, and TherapyNotes using current official sources, booking models, team needs, and AI workflow questions.

A practice owner defines shared pending work that routes to scheduling and billing roles. Scheduling uses separate clinician availability, while each clinician retains clinical review responsibility.

Workflow · reduced motion

Software selection

Choosing EHR software before adding a second therapist

Choose an EHR before adding a second therapist by testing role access, calendar ownership, client assignment, billing, and staff handoffs.

Three distinct automation categories show a known appointment triggering a reminder, session input producing a draft for clinical review, and a caller receiving administrative help or a staff route.

Workflow · reduced motion

Software selection

Evaluating a TherapyNotes alternative for front-desk work

Evaluate a TherapyNotes alternative for front-desk work without overlooking its documented scheduling, reminders, billing, and AI documentation tools.