Alternatives to Accurx: How To Not Break The Bank

Alternatives to Accurx: How To Not Break The Bank

We all know that digital communication tools are vital for a busy GP practice. GPs need a solution that integrates with EMIS or SystmOne (TPP) and allows quick access to patient messaging, batch messaging, triage, and self-booking. Accurx has done a tremendous job of fulfilling these needs—some say they even created the market—but it now tends to break the bank. Plus, its product isn’t perfect for everyone.

Most “Accurx alternatives” lists tend to be flooded with options that don’t meet these fundamental needs or flaunt American-based solutions that fail to tick the EMIS and TPP boxes. If you’re replacing Accurx, you absolutely need:

• Sending simple SMS or emails to patients—with all activity saved back to the record. Ideally, you’d also want:
  • Questionnaires included in messages (and customisable)
  • Attachments included in messages
  • Self-booking links in messages
  • Template messages for quick, consistent communication
• Batch messaging by SMS or email, with the ability to include questionnaire and booking links
• Triage functionality—be it comprehensive medical device triage (e.g., eConsult) or simpler web forms (like Accurx’s Patient Triage)
• Integration with EMIS and TPP across England’s main primary care record systems

On this basis, here’s our roster of the main contenders offering a true alternative to Accurx:

1. Hero Health
2. Patchs
3. Anima

Of course, there are other tools out there, but many lack the comprehensive functionality across messaging, booking, and triage. Some deserve an honorable mention (Rapid Health, Klinik, eConsult, AskFirst, AskMyGP, Footfall, Engage, iPlato) for strong triage or messaging specifics, even if they don’t match the full breadth of Accurx. Watch this space for an expanded list in the future!

So, which solution should you choose? Let’s break it down.

Top Alternatives to Accurx

Why is Accurx so beloved? Well, the company received heavy venture capital investment over the last few years and became vital to practices during the COVID pandemic. Accurx rapidly expanded, thanks to:

• Simple patient messaging via their green toolbar, layered over EMIS or TPP
• The ability to send ‘Floreys’ (questionnaires)
• Secure attachments sent from a patient’s record
• Video calls (especially needed at the start of COVID)

However, these capabilities, once free, now come at a steep cost. In 2022, Accurx introduced more aggressive pricing, and with new self-booking and triage offerings, prices have soared even higher—causing many ICBs and individual practices to look for more affordable solutions. Practices also report minor gripes around self-booking limitations (e.g., not showing appointments far in advance) and cross-organizational working that isn’t as smooth as they’d like.

The First Contender: Hero Health—Affordable, Customisable, and Comprehensive

You’re on a Hero blog, so of course we think we’re the best. Seriously, though, Hero Health might be your strongest Accurx alternative when you combine product depth and price. And for the record, we’re family-owned—no meddling venture capitalists here, which means we can keep our cost at 45p per patient, per annum (roughly 35% cheaper than Accurx).

Hero’s Core Functionality Includes:

• Easy patient messaging via an EMIS or TPP toolbar and in your browser—fully integrated
• Advanced messaging—customisable questionnaires, customisable templates, attachments, two-way messaging, and self-booking links
• Batch messaging by email and SMS—send self-booking links by email, something Accurx doesn’t currently support
• Patient triage—configurable and integrated

Additionally, Hero stands out for:

• Cross-organisational self-booking links
• Cross-organisational triage—patients can be directed from a hub site to a practice, or vice versa
• Direct online booking with advanced patient signposting

We like to think that Accurx has occasionally taken inspiration from us (looking at you, self-booking links), and that’s okay—we’ve borrowed ideas, too! But if you want top notch messaging, triage, and self-booking plus a 35% saving, Hero Health is hard to beat.

Other Options: Fine, But Why Are You Still Reading?

Patchs: AI-Driven with Mixed Integration Feedback

Patchs meets basic practice needs—messaging, batch messaging, triage, and self-booking. Co-designed with GPs, Patchs uses AI to automate some administrative tasks, with selling points like:

• AI-assisted triage—prioritise urgent cases and reduce admin burden
• Patient-friendly interface—familiar chat-based user experience
• Bulk messaging and self-booking—standard features many practices appreciate
• Competitive price—Patchs can be offered as low as 9p per patient in some deals, making it cheaper than Accurx (which is often 70p+)

Downsides? We’ve heard about patchy integration with EMIS and SystmOne, plus some GPs find the AI element clunky or occasionally unreliable. Patchs was acquired by Advanced, so if you’re wondering about their future direction, take a peek at products like Docman and Adastra.

Bottom Line: Patchs is good for budget-conscious practices, though integration concerns have prompted mixed feedback so far.

Anima: Comprehensive but Expensive

Another VC-funded company, Anima is known for its robust functionality, particularly for triage and data extraction from GP Connect. Key features include:

• Triage, appointment self-booking, and messaging from one place
• Integration with EMIS and SystmOne—though performance can vary
• Cross-organisational scheduling via GP Connect
• Additional modules for document management and custom workflows (at extra cost)

What might hold you back?

• Unclear if custom questionnaires can be created
• Costs can exceed 60p per patient—pricey for some practices
• Steep learning curve for patients, who sometimes find the triage process too detailed
• Not registered as a medical device, unlike eConsult or Klinik
• Support can feel “stretched” according to user feedback

Bottom Line: If budget isn’t your prime objective, Anima has interesting features. But for many practices, the cost and complexity outweigh the benefits.

Conclusion

At the risk of sounding biased: choose Hero. It’s priced at 45p per patient, fully integrates with EMIS and SystmOne, has triage, questionnaire-building, batch messaging, cross-organisational scheduling—and will save you time (and money). What’s not to love? If you need more details before jumping ship, we’ve broken down Accurx’s pricing in detail, so you can weigh every penny. But if you’re ready for an Accurx alternative that saves you from budget-breaking headaches, Hero awaits.