Choosing the Best Therapy Notes Software in 2024

What Is Therapy Notes Software and Why Do You Need It?

In recent decades, societal attitudes toward maintaining good mental health have taken huge and welcome steps forward. Medical practitioners in 2024, whether focused on the mind or the body, recognize that mental health is critical to human flourishing.

That attitude was not always as prevalent as it is today. A 2017 article in BCMJ’s MC Medical Journal looks at how attitudes toward the human mind have changed over time, from the horrors of medieval treatments to the emergence of human, scientifically based therapies.

As author Marc Jutras notes, a key point of understanding has emerged: “Against the backdrop of these broad theoretical frameworks, modern approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of psychopathology began to emerge and, along with these, the need to systematically categorize mental illness became apparent.”

That recognition led to the creation in 1952 of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders”, the standard reference work in the mental health field today. Along with the DSM and changing attitudes came a recognition of the importance of documenting patient care.

Why Notes Matter for Delivering Quality Care

The details and subtleties that can be involved in taking therapy notes underscore just how important a role the software can and must play. Four essential reasons to seek out the best possible software:

• Creating a comprehensive and accurate portrait of the patient allows practitioners to focus on understanding and treatment, confident that the software is capturing the details of each case for later reference.
• Providing an overview allows for planning and assessment, which is key in a field where many patients undergo long-term treatment; software must facilitate comprehensive treatment plans that can be adjusted.
• Collaborating with other members of a patient’s care team is easier when working from a clear, comprehensive, and easily shared record; such collaboration is particularly important if a patient changes providers.
• Confidentiality and privacy are paramount in healthcare, and therapy notes constitute a legal record of the doctor/patient relationship, interventions, and outcomes; any software must be HIPAA-compliant and secure.

Sunoh features ambient listening technology that allows providers and their patients to engage in natural-language conversations while the software automatically creates a highly accurate transcript and draft note. Providers can focus on their patients rather than a computer and review their notes for accuracy after the visit.

Sunoh works with leading EHRs; draft notes can be easily imported into the patient’s record. And Sunoh is tightly integrated with eClinicalWorks, offering fast and seamless incorporation of notes into the EHR.

Moreover, Sunoh offers customizable templates and fields, handles a wide range of accents and speaking styles, and can create English-language visit notes from English, Portuguese, and Spanish conversations. Sunoh works best if providers speak clearly and minimize background noise.

Key advantages cited by Sunoh.ai users:

• Saves up to 2 hours per provider per day on documentation
• Offers a highly accurate transcription and summary, with information placed in the proper section of the patient’s note.
• Allows therapists to focus on their patients during their sessions.
• Is particularly easy to implement and use.

Finally, Sunoh’s pricing model is very simple and compares favorably to the options listed above. It starts at $1.25 per visit, and additional monthly charges may apply.

Is Sunoh Secure and HIPAA Compliant?

Sunoh takes privacy and security of patient data very seriously and has built security and privacy into the product from the ground up:

• The generated Progress Note is securely stored in the practice’s EHR database and is not archived by healow.
• Sunoh automatically deletes recordings and transcripts after seven days.
• No PHI/PII is shared outside of Sunoh and is not used to train AI models.

Although Sunoh complies with all HIPAA and industry standards for the security and protection of patient data, it is important that users understand that no hardware or software by itself is considered HIPAA compliant. Users of any such product also have an obligation to follow all their obligations and industry best practices to ensure that they remain in compliance with all applicable regulations.

How to Choose the Right Therapy Notes Software for Your Practice

The various therapy notes solutions, their features, and their costs, constitute one side of the decision. The other side is the type of practice and the benefits that the software might offer.

The following is a guide to types of providers and a summary of the benefits therapy notes software may offer them. An individual practice may, of course, offer a combination of these services and place varying value on the advantages listed. It is important that a practice identify two or more options and take advantage of demos and free trials before committing to one company.

Psychotherapists

• Saves significant time on documentation, allowing more focus on client care
• Generates accurate, comprehensive notes that meet insurance and compliance requirements
• Offers customizable templates for different therapy modalities (e.g., CBT, psychodynamic)
• Provides session insights and patterns to inform treatment planning

Clinical Social Workers

• Reduces administrative burden, enabling more time for direct client services
• Ensures thorough, consistent documentation for case management and billing
• Assists in identifying client needs and connecting them with resources
• Offers population-level insights to guide program development and advocacy efforts

Marriage and Family Therapists

• Streamlines note-taking for complex family dynamics and interactions
• Identifies systemic patterns and themes to guide interventions
• Generates clear treatment plans with measurable goals
• Facilitates collaboration and continuity of care among multiple providers 

Substance Abuse Counselors

• Simplifies documentation for intensive outpatient and residential treatment programs
• Tracks progress and outcomes related to addiction and recovery
• Provides insights into co-occurring mental health conditions
• Supports compliance with specific billing and reporting requirements

Art Therapists

• Allows for detailed descriptions of client artwork and creative processes
• Identifies themes and symbolism to inform interpretations and treatment
• Integrates seamlessly with digital art therapy platforms
• Generates visually engaging reports and treatment summaries

School Counselors

• Saves time on documentation, enabling more direct student support
• Ensures confidentiality and compliance with FERPA regulations
• Identifies academic, social-emotional, and behavioral patterns to guide interventions
• Facilitates collaboration with teachers, parents, and administrators

Streamline Your Practice with the Best Therapy Notes Software

As we have detailed above, there are a lot of factors that should go into choosing the best therapy notes software. But most of those factors can be addressed if a practice adopts a three-step selection process.

• First, identify one or more potential solutions that meet your specific needs and budget.
• Second, look for leading-edge, AI-related features that mark the vendor as an innovator.
• Third, take advantage of demos and free trials so that you can “try before you buy.”

Wherever your search takes you, doing your homework first increases the odds of making the right decision. We hope that you’ll consider Sunoh.ai among your contenders — and invite you to click here to book a demo today and learn more.