AdvancedMD is built for medical. Your BH agency needs an EHR built for BH.
AdvancedMD is a capable generic EHR/PM. It also treats behavioral-health workflows as a configurable variation of medical billing — group notes, IOP attendance, treatment-plan-to-authorization tying, MUI reporting, EVV — all bolted on, often through add-ons or third-party integrations.
AgenciesForge is BH-native. Group notes, authorizations, EVV, MUI, and state-specific certification are first-class — not add-ons.
Where AdvancedMD bolts on, AgenciesForge is built
| Capability | AdvancedMD | AgenciesForge |
|---|---|---|
| BH charting (SOAP/BIRP/DAP/GIRP) | Configurable templates | Native · 4 formats · AI dictation |
| Group note (multi-patient master + auto-split) | Manual per-patient duplication | Native · one master, auto-split per patient |
| Authorization tracking + claim-gate enforcement | Tracking yes; enforcement manual | Claim engine refuses if exhausted/expired |
| IOP / PHP attendance + billing | Configurable workflow | Native · attendance grid → claim batch |
| Residential bed-day billing | Not designed for it | Native |
| Treatment plan ↔ note coherence | Free-text | AI checks notes reference active TP goals |
| EVV (multi-aggregator) | Add-on / integration | Built in · Sandata/HHAeX/state-direct |
| DD/IDD workflow (MUI, GER, ISP, T-Log) | Not designed for it | Native · 7 state DD authorities |
| Stedi clearinghouse (managed) | Their clearinghouse (per-claim fees) | Bundled · no per-claim fee |
| 15-point AI claim pre-submit audit | None | Catches denials before wire fees |
| AI denial appeal drafting | None | Payer-specific letter templates |
| AI session-note drafting from voice | Add-on (3rd party) | AI Forge · 23 AI tools · included |
| State-specific BH certification workflow | None | 51-state guided certification |
| WENO ePrescribing (EPCS + PDMP) | Integrated | Integrated · included |
| Pricing | $429-$729 per provider per month | Capacity-tiered · unlimited providers |
What AdvancedMD does that we don't (yet)
Mature generic medical specialties:If your agency runs primary care, urgent care, or a non-BH medical specialty alongside BH, AdvancedMD's general-medical workflows are deeper. We're built for BH, HHC, and DD/IDD — not multi-specialty medical groups.
Patient-pay revenue cycle: AdvancedMD has years of investment in patient-pay statement workflows, payment plans, collections handoffs. Our patient-pay flow is solid for typical BH copay/coinsurance but lighter on complex self-pay collections.
iPad-first clinical UX:AdvancedMD's native iPad app is one of the better tablet experiences in the industry. We're browser-first (works on iPad Safari well, but no dedicated app).
How BH agencies typically migrate
- Export patient + insurance + authorization + provider CSVs from AdvancedMD.
- Import into AgenciesForge → Patients → CSV import. ~10 minutes for a typical mid-size agency.
- Run scheduling parallel for 30 days while clinicians learn the AgenciesForge chart and AI Forge dictation.
- Cut billing on the next pay-period boundary. Stedi takes over; legacy AdvancedMD claims finish out there.
- Downgrade AdvancedMD to read-only retention or cancel at contract renewal. Most agencies save $3-6k/mo on the swap.
Common questions
Why isn't AdvancedMD enough for a BH agency?
AdvancedMD is a strong generic EHR/PM with BH templates available — but BH workflows (treatment plans tied to authorizations, group-note splitting, IOP/PHP attendance, residential bed-day billing, MUI reporting for DD, EVV for community services) are bolted on, not native. Agencies end up paying for AdvancedMD plus a separate BH tool (Therap, EVV vendor, etc.) and reconciling between them.
How does AgenciesForge handle group notes?
Native. Create a group session, attach 4-12 patients, write one master narrative, the system auto-splits into per-patient progress notes with the unique elements you flag (individual goals worked on, attendance, behavior). Stedi claim submission handles the per-patient billing automatically — IOP and group-therapy programs save hours per week here.
What about authorization tracking?
Built in. Each patient carries auth records with units, date range, allowed CPT codes. The scheduling layer warns clinicians before they schedule a session that would exceed authorized units. The claim engine refuses to submit if an auth is exhausted or expired — preventing the most common denial reason in BH (services beyond authorization).
How does pricing compare?
AdvancedMD is per-provider-per-month — typically $429-729 PPPM depending on feature set, plus clearinghouse fees, plus add-ons. At 10 providers you're at $4,290-$7,290/mo. AgenciesForge is capacity-tiered: $199/$499/$1,099 by active patient count, includes Stedi clearinghouse, includes AI tooling, includes telehealth + fax + WENO. Most mid-market BH agencies save $3-6k/mo on the swap.
Can we keep our AdvancedMD scheduling during transition?
Yes. Most agencies run AdvancedMD scheduling in parallel for ~30 days while clinicians learn the AgenciesForge chart. We import patient roster, payer info, and historical authorizations on day one. Cut over on a billing-cycle boundary so claim reconciliation stays clean.
See your AdvancedMD workflow in AgenciesForge
Book a 30-minute walkthrough. Bring a redacted IOP group session, your top three denial reasons, and your current per-provider AdvancedMD bill. We'll show you the auto-split group note, the AI audit catching denials, and the math on the swap. If the value isn't obvious in 30 minutes, we'll say so.