What “Best in KLAS” Really Means for Primary Care — And Why Clinical‑First Technology Is Winning
For too long, primary care physicians have been asked to bend their workflows around technology that was never truly built for the exam room. The fact that Elation Health has been named Best in KLAS for Small Practice Ambulatory EHR/PM (1–10 physicians) for the second year in a row is about more than an award—it’s a signal that this era is ending, and a new standard for primary care technology is taking hold.
This recognition sits at the intersection of three powerful forces: the rise of clinician experience as a core quality metric, the emergence of AI that is embedded directly into clinical workflows rather than bolted on as an afterthought, and primary care’s growing need for unified, longitudinal tools that respect relationships rather than focusing solely on individual encounters. Understanding what Best in KLAS actually represents helps clarify what this shift should mean for any practice evaluating technology in 2026 and beyond.
Reading Between the Lines of “Best in KLAS”
KLAS exists for a simple purpose: amplify the voice of clinicians and healthcare leaders so their lived experience with health IT can inform better decisions across the industry.
Unlike awards driven by marketing, Best in KLAS rankings are based entirely on customer feedback and satisfaction collected through thousands of in-depth conversations each year with payer and provider organizations.The annual Best in KLAS report specifically recognizes software and services “that excel in helping healthcare organizations accomplish the Quadruple Aim” and improve patient care.
For small primary care practices, this matters because:
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Sample size is against you. Smaller groups often get overshadowed by large system priorities when it comes to roadmap decisions and support. A Best in KLAS win in Small Practice Ambulatory EHR/PM means these voices are not only heard but prioritized.
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The evaluation lens is practical. KLAS surfaces whether a vendor’s technology actually works in daily clinic life—implementation, training, responsiveness, and whether promises match reality—not just what’s in a brochure.
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The signal is longitudinal. Awards are based on performance over the prior year, so repeat recognition reflects consistency, not a single release cycle.
Being named Best in KLAS again in 2026 is therefore not just a milestone for Elation—it’s a validation that clinical-first, relationship-centered design is no longer a niche preference. It’s what clinicians reward when they’re asked to rate their tools honestly.
Why EHRs Must Serve Relationships, Not Just Records
Primary care is the only part of the healthcare system explicitly designed to know patients over years and decades, yet much of the EHR market has historically evolved around billing requirements, compliance needs, and episodic encounters. Elation’s view is that technology should strengthen, not strain, the physician–patient relationship. That shows up in how the platform is designed..
A “clinical-first, AI-native EHR that saves you time” puts the exam room, not the back office, at the center of product decisions. Being purpose-built for primary care as a fully integrated EHR and billing solution reflects a focus on longitudinal, relationship-based care rather than transactional documentation. Core workflows—from charting and orders to referrals and telehealth—are structured to help clinicians spend more time in conversation and less on clicks.
When KLAS participants describe having “one cohesive portal” that brings all relevant clinical information into a single view, they are pointing to a deeper shift toward technology that respects continuity, context, and the realities of high-performing primary care.
AI Belongs Inside the Clinical Workflow, Not on the Periphery
In 2026, “AI in healthcare” is everywhere—but where it lives matters. Toggling between disjointed tools or copying and pasting from a separate AI assistant into the chart only creates new friction.
A clinical-first approach to AI embeds intelligence directly into the EHR, treating it as part of the clinical fabric rather than an add-on. Within Elation’s platform, AI is native to the unified EHR and billing system, allowing tools like the Note Assist AI scribe to support everyday documentation in ways that reduce after-hours charting and cognitive load rather than simply generating more text.
When clinicians evaluate solutions through KLAS, they implicitly ask: Does this technology give me back time, or does it demand more of it? AI that is woven into the clinical narrative, instead of layered awkwardly on top, is what moves EHRs from “necessary burden” to “trusted partner.”
Unified Platforms Are No Longer a Luxury for Small Practices
Independent and small-group primary care practices have historically been forced to assemble patchworks of systems, using one tool for the EHR, another for practice management, another for billing, and still more for telehealth and patient engagement.
This fragmentation leads to duplicative data entry, inconsistent patient information, missed revenue opportunities, increased denials, and a significant training burden for staff. With Elation, on a single platform, practices can manage clinical documentation, orders, and longitudinal records within an award-winning EHR, run billing workflows from eligibility through payment posting with Elation Billing, and support patient engagement through portals and telehealth experiences designed for ongoing relationships rather than one-off visits.
For small practices, a unified, clinical-first platform isn’t about “bells and whistles.” It’s about survival and sustainability in an environment where margins are thin, staffing is tight, and burnout is a daily risk.
What Small Primary Care Practices Should Demand From Their EHR in Raising the Bar for Primary Care Technology
KLAS has been clear about its mission: improve healthcare by elevating real-world voices from the front lines. Best in KLAS winners are simply those vendors whose customers say, year after year, “this technology helps us deliver on that mission.”
For primary care, Elation’s repeat Best in KLAS recognition signals a broader movement away from billing-centric, one-size-fits-all systems and toward clinical-first, AI-native, unified platforms that honor the complexity and humanity of frontline care.
For independent and multi-site primary care organizations alike, the takeaway is simple:
You can—and should—expect technology that fits the realities of practicing medicine, designs with you, and gives you more space for the relationships that define great care.