Overview
SimplePractice has built a massive following among therapists and counselors, and for good reason. The platform is beautifully designed, easy to learn, and provides excellent telehealth, billing, and client engagement tools in a single package. For psychiatrists who primarily provide psychotherapy with occasional medication management, SimplePractice can work well, particularly if telehealth is a significant part of the practice. However, psychiatrists whose practice centers on medication management will find notable gaps. EPCS is not natively supported, which means you will need an external e-prescribing solution for controlled substances. The medication management features are basic compared to psychiatry-specific platforms, and the system was not designed with the prescriber workflow as a primary consideration. Rating scales can be administered through custom forms, but the integration is not as seamless as platforms built specifically for measurement-based care in psychiatry. SimplePractice is a strong platform that works well for a subset of psychiatric practices, but prescribing-heavy practices should carefully evaluate whether the medication management limitations will create daily friction.
EPCS Workflow
SimplePractice does not offer native EPCS capability, which is a significant limitation for psychiatrists who regularly prescribe controlled substances. Providers who need to prescribe Schedule II through V medications electronically will need to use a separate e-prescribing platform alongside SimplePractice, which creates workflow fragmentation and requires maintaining patient information in multiple systems. For psychiatrists whose practice involves substantial controlled substance prescribing, this gap may be a dealbreaker that outweighs SimplePractice's strengths in other areas.
Note Flexibility
SimplePractice offers a flexible note-taking system with a library of templates that can be customized to fit different practice styles. The template builder allows providers to create structured forms with various field types, including text fields, dropdowns, checkboxes, and signature fields. The community has created numerous shared templates, including some designed for psychiatric visits. The note-taking experience is smooth and visually clean, and the system handles both brief notes and longer narrative documentation well. For therapy-focused documentation, the platform excels, though the lack of psychiatric-specific structured fields for medication management means that prescribers may need to build custom templates to capture all relevant clinical data.
Telepsychiatry
Telehealth is one of SimplePractice's standout features, with a reliable, high-quality video platform built directly into the system. The video experience is smooth for both providers and clients, with easy join links, no software downloads required, and consistent connectivity. The platform includes a virtual waiting room, session timer, and integrated documentation. For psychiatrists who conduct a significant portion of their practice via telehealth, SimplePractice's video capabilities are among the best available in the behavioral health EMR space.
Medication Management
Medication management in SimplePractice is basic compared to psychiatry-specific platforms. The system does not include a comprehensive medication database, drug interaction checking, or integrated e-prescribing with pharmacy network connectivity. Providers can document medications in chart notes, but there is no structured medication list that tracks prescribing history, dosage changes, or treatment trials over time in the way that dedicated psychiatric EMRs provide. For psychiatrists whose primary work is psychotherapy with occasional medication reviews, this limitation may be acceptable, but for medication management-focused practices, the gaps are significant.
Billing
SimplePractice handles billing competently, with integrated claim submission, insurance verification, and payment processing. The system supports standard psychiatric billing codes and handles telehealth modifiers. The billing workflow is straightforward and well-designed, with clear status tracking for submitted claims. The platform also offers a client billing portal for copay collection and superbill generation. While the billing features are solid for standard psychiatric billing, practices with complex billing needs, such as high-volume split billing, may find the capabilities somewhat limited.
Additional Features
SimplePractice's client portal is excellent, with features for online scheduling, intake paperwork, secure messaging, and appointment reminders. The platform has a large and active user community that shares templates, tips, and best practices. The mobile app provides good on-the-go access to scheduling and basic clinical information. The platform integrates with various third-party tools for specialized needs, though the reliance on integrations rather than native features for psychiatric workflows introduces complexity.