Why I Chose Practice Better EHR as a Functional Medicine Nurse Practitioner

Brigitte Sager
Sep 9, 2023
5 min read

Updated: Nov 1

Before I started my own functional medicine consulting practice as a nurse practitioner, I spent over a decade in corporate healthcare — first as a critical care float nurse and later as a primary care provider. During that time, I experienced the full transition from paper charting to electronic health records (EHRs), including years working with EPIC, one of the most widely used systems in the world.

functional medicine nurse practitioner using Practice Better EHR

While I appreciated many aspects of EPIC, it’s far too complex and expensive for most independent nurse practitioners or functional medicine nurses starting their own practice. When I launched my private practice, I needed an EHR that was powerful, affordable, and designed to support a functional medicine nursing model — not just a standard primary care workflow.

Finding the Right EHR for Functional Nursing Practice

When I began exploring options, I spent several months researching and testing different systems. Ultimately, I chose Practice Better, and it has been one of the best decisions I’ve made for my business.

Many of my functional medicine RN and NP students ask why I chose this platform, so I wanted to share my experience and a few lessons that might help you choose your own.

And over time, I’ve watched many of my Holistic Nursing Entrepreneur Program (HNEP) students go through the same evaluation process I did — comparing EHR systems, demoing platforms, and weighing the pros and cons for their new functional nursing practices. Nearly all of them end up choosing Practice Better after doing their research. They consistently cite the same reasons I do: affordability, automation, and a design that truly supports the way functional medicine nurses work. Seeing so many nurses in my programs reach the same conclusion has only reinforced my confidence that this platform is an excellent fit for independent, holistic, and functional nursing practices.

Why Functional Medicine Nurses Need the Right Tools

In today’s healthcare landscape, nurses in functional medicine roles are redefining what patient care looks like. We’re delivering personalized, holistic care that addresses the root causes of illness — and that means our technology has to support our philosophy, not get in the way of it.

While Practice Better may not be perfect for every nurse or nurse practitioner, I’ve found it offers exactly what most of us need to start and grow a functional nursing practice with confidence.

1. Enhanced Efficiency and Organization

One of the biggest advantages of Practice Better for functional nursing is how efficiently it consolidates everything: patient records, scheduling, payments, messaging, and video visits.

When I worked in the hospital system, I needed multiple apps to do what this one platform does seamlessly. Now, I can:

Set up my availability and appointment types
Collect payments automatically
Send reminder messages and intake forms
Conduct secure telehealth visits — all in one place

Everything from intake to follow-up is automated. Patients schedule, pay, and receive their documents without me lifting a finger. As a functional nurse entrepreneur, that kind of automation is priceless.

2. Customization for Functional Nursing Workflows

Practice Better’s customization features are another major plus. I’ve built my own intake forms, visit note templates, and legal documents, and everything is stored securely in each patient’s chart.

During visits, I can easily update prebuilt templates, sign notes, and move on — no redundant documentation. The mobile app means I can securely access patient data anytime, anywhere, which is invaluable when I’m working remotely or teaching.

3. Comprehensive, Holistic Patient Profiles

In functional medicine and nurse coaching, we need to see the whole person — not just lab results. Practice Better allows me to track each patient’s health history, lifestyle factors, dietary preferences, supplements, and more.

Because it’s fully customizable, I can tailor the EHR to match my unique approach to root-cause nursing care, ensuring every assessment and plan reflects the principles of functional medicine.

4. HIPAA-Compliant and Secure

For nurses starting independent practices, HIPAA compliance can feel intimidating. Practice Better makes it simple. Its built-in encryption and secure communication tools ensure that patient information stays private and compliant — giving both you and your clients peace of mind.

5. Seamless Patient Communication (with Healthy Boundaries)

The secure messaging and telehealth features are two of my favorite aspects of Practice Better. They make patient communication easy and professional.

That said, clear boundaries are essential. I always teach my functional nursing students to define office hours and expectations early. In my own practice, I set up an auto-reply that clarifies messaging is for clarifying questions only — new concerns require a follow-up visit. This helps preserve your time and professionalism while maintaining excellent patient support.

6. Templates and Data Insights

Every nurse has a unique approach to care, and Practice Better supports that individuality. You can use their prebuilt templates or create your own.

It also includes data analytics tools that track patient progress and outcomes — perfect for refining your protocols, measuring impact, and continuously improving your functional nursing interventions.

7. Integrations that Simplify Functional Nursing Practice

This is where Practice Better truly shines. The platform integrates with many tools we use in functional medicine, including:

Fullscript for supplement protocols
Evexia for lab integrations
That Clean Life for nutrition and meal planning
Zoom for telehealth visits (if you prefer it over the built-in video platform)

These integrations save me hours every week and allow me to offer a comprehensive, functional approach without juggling multiple systems.

8. Educational Courses and Group Programs

One of the most exciting features for functional nurse entrepreneurs is the ability to build courses, memberships, and group programs directly within the platform.

I’m currently developing self-paced patient education courses and group visits — all automated inside Practice Better. This expands how I can serve patients while creating new income streams for my practice.

9. A Note on Prescriptions

One limitation worth noting is that Practice Better doesn’t include e-prescribing. That’s not a major issue for my practice since I focus on root-cause lifestyle and nutrition interventions, but it’s something to be aware of if you plan to prescribe frequently.

10. Affordable and Accessible for Nurses

For nurses just starting out, affordability matters. I began on the free Sprout Plan, which let me test features before committing. Their paid tiers remain reasonable, especially considering the time saved through automation and integrations.

Their YouTube tutorials and onboarding guides are excellent — you can set up your entire practice without needing outside tech help.

Final Thoughts: Empowering Functional Nursing Practice

There’s so much more to this platform than I could fit here, but hopefully this gives you a clear picture of why I chose Practice Better as my EHR.

It’s not just about managing records — it’s about empowering nurses to practice functional medicine confidently, efficiently, and independently. For nurses building holistic or functional practices, it’s an invaluable tool that helps you spend less time on admin and more time doing what you love: helping patients heal.