Better
Slovenian openEHR platform for building shared care records instead of buying a closed EHR
Quick Overview
| Company | Better, programska oprema, d.o.o. |
|---|---|
| Category | Healthcare & EHR Software |
| Headquarters | Ljubljana, Slovenia |
| EU Presence | EU (Slovenia) |
| Open Source | No |
| Pricing | Better Studio free tier; platform licensing quoted per institution |
| Free Option | Free tier for Better Studio; demo on request for the platform |
| Replaces | InterSystems HealthShare, Oracle Health, custom-built EHR integration platforms |
Detailed Review
Better takes a different approach from every other entry in this category: instead of selling a finished EHR, it sells an openEHR- and FHIR-based platform — Better Platform plus Better Studio, a low-code environment — on which a hospital, region or vendor builds its own clinical applications, shared care records, medication management (Better Meds) and patient-reported outcome tools.
The clinical data itself is stored in open, vendor-neutral archetypes rather than a proprietary schema, the same underlying idea as DIPS's openEHR-based record already in this directory, but offered as a platform rather than a finished product.
That openness is the actual argument for choosing it: an organisation that builds its shared care record on Better is not locked into Better's own application layer the way it would be with a closed EHR, because the data model is a published open standard rather than a private one. Deployments span more than 30 markets, including NHS trusts in England, university hospitals in Sweden, Germany and Switzerland, and national programmes in Slovenia, Greece and Ireland.
Better, programska oprema, d.o.o. is headquartered in Ljubljana, Slovenia, with additional offices in Cardiff and Hamburg. Better Studio has a free entry point; the platform itself is licensed to healthcare institutions on a quoted basis. The honest trade-off is that a platform is not a turnkey EHR — an organisation still has to build or commission the applications that run on it, which is a materially different commitment from buying a finished record system.
What Better does well
- openEHR and FHIR-based, avoiding a proprietary clinical data model
- Better Studio offers a free low-code entry point
- Deployed in 30+ markets including NHS trusts and Nordic university hospitals
- Slovenian company with offices in the UK and Germany
- Modular: platform, medication management and PROMs sold separately
Where Better falls short
- A platform to build on, not a finished EHR out of the box
- Requires implementation effort a turnkey system does not
- Platform licensing not published; quoted per institution
- Value depends on having the capacity to build or commission applications
Standout feature. The clinical record is stored in open openEHR archetypes, so a hospital building on Better is not locked into Better's own applications.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- openEHR and FHIR-based, avoiding a proprietary clinical data model
- Better Studio offers a free low-code entry point
- Deployed in 30+ markets including NHS trusts and Nordic university hospitals
- Slovenian company with offices in the UK and Germany
- Modular: platform, medication management and PROMs sold separately
Cons
- A platform to build on, not a finished EHR out of the box
- Requires implementation effort a turnkey system does not
- Platform licensing not published; quoted per institution
- Value depends on having the capacity to build or commission applications
Alternatives to Better
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Better?
Better takes a different approach from every other entry in this category: instead of selling a finished EHR, it sells an openEHR- and FHIR-based platform — Better Platform plus Better Studio, a low-code environment — on which a hospital, region or vendor builds its own clinical applications, shared care records, medication management (Better Meds) and patient-reported outcome tools.
The clinical data itself is stored in open, vendor-neutral archetypes rather than a proprietary schema, the same underlying idea as DIPS's openEHR-based record already in this directory, but offered as a platform rather than a finished product.
Where is Better based?
Better operates from Ljubljana, Slovenia, which places it under EU (Slovenia).
What does Better cost?
Better Studio free tier; platform licensing quoted per institution. Free tier for Better Studio; demo on request for the platform.
Who is Better best for?
Health organisations building on open, vendor-neutral clinical data. The clinical record is stored in open openEHR archetypes, so a hospital building on Better is not locked into Better's own applications.
What are the drawbacks of Better?
A platform to build on, not a finished EHR out of the box. Requires implementation effort a turnkey system does not. Platform licensing not published; quoted per institution. Value depends on having the capacity to build or commission applications.
Is Better a good alternative to InterSystems HealthShare?
Better is built as a European alternative to InterSystems HealthShare: Slovenian openEHR platform for building shared care records instead of buying a closed EHR. It will not be a like-for-like feature match in every respect, so check the review above for where the two genuinely differ before switching.
How does Better compare to other Healthcare & EHR Software?
Better is one of several European Healthcare & EHR Software we cover. It is most often compared with InterSystems HealthShare, Oracle Health, custom-built EHR integration platforms.