Why “Best in KLAS” Matters: A Physician’s Guide to Smarter EMR Decisions

Elation Health has just won Best in KLAS - what does that mean?

Elation is proud to be named “Best in KLAS”, for both the Ambulatory Small Practice EMR category and the EMR-Centric Virtual Care Platform category for 2025. Achieving Best in KLAS for small practice ambulatory EMRs is like being named the EMR valedictorian, as it is the highest standard of recognition in healthcare technology annually. This award validates Elation as a leader in primary care technology. 

Being ranked No. 1 by KLAS is an incredible honor, but many practice owners may not be familiar with KLAS and understand what this recognition means. It’s worth taking a moment to gain a better understanding about how KLAS performs their research to support better health tech decisions and even influence the tech you already use.

Choosing your EMR is exciting! And it also sucks.

Choosing an electronic medical record (EMR) system is one of the best and worst things about being in independent practice. As a previously employed and now private practice physician, I know first-hand how empowering it feels to have the decision-making authority to choose the technology I’ll live in most waking hours of  my week, instead of having to live with whatever someone else chooses for me. Yet despite the heady sense of empowerment, making the decision can also involve incredibly daunting work.  

What is KLAS and How Can It Help?

KLAS is an independent research firm, available to you for free, that does most of that work for you. It helps you compare EMR platforms (and almost any other health tech solution you’d like to buy) to better inform your buying decision, using data collected from active users.

KLAS conducts independent customer research by reaching out to customers actively using a particular product and conducting live interviews and online surveys. They collect both quantitative and qualitative feedback across six specific key performance indicators (KPIs), addressing primary aspects of customer sentiment that matter most to me as a physician and practice leader: 

• Culture – Does the vendor keep promises and align with customer needs?

• Loyalty – Would customers buy again and recommend the vendor?

• Operations – How well does the vendor deliver on implementation, training, and ongoing support?

• Product – Does the product meet customer needs, including usability and functionality?

• Relationship – Is the vendor a true partner and responsive to customer concerns?

• Value – Does the solution deliver a strong return on investment?

The KLAS database contains real, recent user feedback from customers like you in a practice like yours. The reports they generate are not based on company claims or self-reported metrics–they are based on feedback from you and your peers. What better way to inform your buying decision than to review the experiences of your colleagues, mapped to the concerns you care most about?

How KLAS Determines Rankings

There are two to three questions within each of the above KPIs to elicit targeted feedback about each category. Questions about usability, driving tangible outcomes, quality of support, and many other topical areas each receive a numerical rating. The customer is also given the opportunity to provide commentary, which KLAS transcribes verbatim. All scores and commentary are shared anonymously with the vendor being surveyed as well as on the KLAS website, for anyone with an NPI number to see.

The KLAS methodology is a rigorous process designed to provide an unbiased and objective evaluation of technology solutions. Each product is scored on the six KPIs mentioned above, and scores are weighted according to factors like response rates and consistency of performance. KLAS validates all responses for credibility and ensures the exclusion of data sets that do not meet minimum thresholds for feature set or statistical validity. This approach makes KLAS rankings a trusted industry benchmark for comparing health tech solutions, and the annual “Best in KLAS” designation is a coveted award because it is a direct reflection of customer satisfaction. 

Why the Best in KLAS Award Matters to Elation Customers

The Best in KLAS awards give Elation customers a clear message: Your voice matters. It is the engagement by Elation customers who participate in KLAS’s research, and the insights gained from that participation, that have helped drive continuous improvement in Elation’s platform. KLAS regularly performs deep analyses on Elation’s customer feedback and shares those insights with Elation to ensure executives are fully informed and closely tied to the customer experience. Ongoing customer feedback is what informs Elation’s investments every year and what helps shape the future of the product. 

Customer feedback made Elation’s Best in KLAS recognition possible, and we will continue to seek and value those insights to drive improvement in the quality of our product and the customer experience. We remain dedicated to the primary care community and share your passion for the work you do, and the work we do to support you.

Using KLAS Research to Inform Your Tech Decisions

If you want to shape future KLAS awards and Elation feedback, be sure to respond to the KLAS invitation when it lands in your inbox–this is your opportunity to provide your feedback. We are listening. 

And, consider KLAS for other important technology purchasing decisions. KLAS publishes reports on EMRs, practice management systems, telehealth, AI tools, and many other health tech solutions across every segment of the industry. Any healthcare professional with an NPI number can create an account at KLASResearch.com for free and get full access to their robust set of reports, comparison tools, and customer commentary. Checking in with KLAS should be an included step when evaluating any health tech purchase, as it is trusted by physicians, healthcare organizations, chief information officers, and other health tech decision-makers nationwide.

Learn more about KLAS, and check out the news on Elations’ recent KLAS recognition here.