Practice management software for Australian clinics: an independent comparison
Australian clinics run on a fragmented landscape of practice management software. This is an independent reference — not a vendor directory — covering the major systems in use across AU general practice, specialist, and allied health settings, and how each connects to the AI voice reception layer that Cadence deploys and governs.
Selected from networks we've advised across ANZ
Seven systems account for the majority of AU clinical installations — each with a different architecture and integration story
Best Practice (Bp Premier) is the highest market-share AU GP system by clinic count — approximately 6,000+ practices. Desktop-installed, on-premises primary, with a structured migration path to a cloud-accessible version. Owned by Telstra Health / Bp. Deep MBS billing configuration, large third-party integration ecosystem, and the widest set of compatible AI voice connectors. See the AI voice for Best Practice page for the integration methodology.
Medical Director is the second major GP system by historical install base — also owned by Telstra Health / Bp, and historically paired with Pracsoft for appointment/billing. Predominantly on-premises desktop. Active install base is large but new-installation rate has slowed as practices migrate to Bp Premier or cloud alternatives. See the AI voice for Medical Director page and the Pracsoft advisory page for context.
Cliniko is the dominant cloud-native allied health and GP PMS in AU and NZ — widely used by physiotherapy, psychology, occupational therapy, chiropractic, and multi-disciplinary health networks. REST API-first, modern integration ecosystem, and one of the cleanest AI voice integration paths available in the AU market. Well-suited to practices that want to connect AI voice without a middleware layer.
Halaxy is a cloud-based practice management system with a strong allied health and telehealth user base. Integrated billing, HICAPS, appointment scheduling, and telehealth features. Growing AI voice integration ecosystem. Suited to smaller allied health practices and solo practitioners who want a low-overhead cloud solution.
MediRecords is a cloud-native AU EHR (Sydney, founded 2014) with approximately 600+ clinic users across GP, specialist, and allied health. API-accessible for real-time appointment integration. Detailed coverage on the MediRecords advisory page.
Zedmed is a Melbourne-based, 30+ year market presence GP and specialist PMS — predominantly on-premises. Deep billing configuration and specialist module depth. AI voice integration via middleware. Detailed coverage on the Zedmed advisory page.
Genie Solutions is a specialist-focused AU practice management system with a strong installed base in surgical, obstetrics/gynaecology, and procedural specialties. On-premises primary. AI voice integration via middleware. Cadence has deployment experience with Genie for specialist room appointment management.
Architecture is the first decision — it determines your integration options and operational overhead
Cloud-native systems (Cliniko, Halaxy, MediRecords) have direct REST API access — AI voice agents connect via a standard API call, no middleware required, real-time read/write to the appointment schedule. Setup is faster, the integration is more robust, and the ongoing maintenance overhead is lower.
On-premises systems (Best Practice, Medical Director/Pracsoft, Zedmed, Genie) require a middleware integration layer — a local integration broker installed in the practice network that secures the bridge between the on-premises database and the cloud AI voice platform. This adds setup complexity and a dependency on local network reliability, but it is a solved problem — Cadence has deployed this pattern across all major AU on-premises systems.
Hybrid deployments — where the PMS has a cloud-accessible option alongside the on-premises install (as some Bp Premier and Best Practice configurations offer) — use the cloud endpoint where available and fall back to the local broker where not. The integration scope is assessed during the two-week diagnostic.
The choice of PMS architecture has implications beyond AI voice: remote access for practitioners, multi-site data consistency, disaster recovery, IT cost, and future migration risk. Practices making a new PMS selection in 2025 should weight the AI integration landscape as one of several decision factors alongside clinical workflow fit, billing capability, and support quality.
Which practice management systems work with AI voice reception — and how
Best Practice (Bp Premier): Direct API and calendar sync options available. Cadence has live deployments. See the AI voice for Best Practice advisory.
Medical Director / Pracsoft: Middleware integration via local broker. Cadence has live deployments. See the AI voice for Medical Director and Pracsoft advisory pages.
Cliniko: Direct REST API — cleanest integration path in the AU market. Real-time read/write. Cadence has live deployments.
Halaxy: API integration available. Cadence has live deployments across allied health networks.
MediRecords: Direct API integration. Cloud-native, straightforward connection. See the MediRecords advisory page.
Zedmed: Middleware integration via local broker. On-premises architecture requires additional setup. See the Zedmed advisory page.
Genie Solutions: Middleware integration. Specialist-room focus. Cadence has deployment experience for surgical and specialist appointment management.
Independent advisory — PMS-agnostic by design
Cadence does not have referral arrangements with any PMS vendor. The PMS assessment is independent — we evaluate which AI voice integration path is most appropriate for your existing system, not which system we prefer to sell.
The two-week diagnostic assesses your current PMS, call profile, integration requirements, and compliance posture. The output is a named AI voice vendor recommendation, an integration architecture for your specific PMS environment, and a deployment plan.
If you are on a PMS not listed above, ask. Cadence has assessed integration options across more than a dozen AU and NZ clinical systems. If a standard integration path does not exist, we scope the middleware build needed to create one.
The AI voice layer sits alongside your PMS — it does not replace it, modify clinical records, or require a system migration. Practices retain full control of their clinical system; the AI agent works only with the appointment schedule.
What the engagement looks like
PMS-agnostic advisory
No referral arrangements with PMS vendors. The integration architecture is selected for your existing system, not the system we prefer.
Cloud and on-premises integration
Direct API for cloud-native systems; middleware broker for on-premises systems. Both patterns are live in production across Cadence-managed deployments.
Two-week diagnostic scope
The diagnostic assesses your PMS environment, call profile, and compliance posture before any vendor is selected or contracted.
All major AU systems covered
Best Practice, Medical Director, Cliniko, Halaxy, MediRecords, Zedmed, Genie — and others assessed on request.
AHPRA and Privacy Act aligned
Every AI voice deployment across every PMS environment meets AU-region hosting, AHPRA-aligned consent flows, and Privacy Act 1988 / APP compliance requirements.
Frequently asked
What practice management software is most commonly used in Australia?
By clinic count, Best Practice (Bp Premier) is the most widely used AU GP clinical system — approximately 6,000+ practices. Medical Director has a large historical install base, predominantly in NSW, QLD, and VIC. Cliniko is the dominant cloud-native system for allied health. Halaxy, MediRecords, and Zedmed each have substantial user bases in specific practice types and regions. The market is fragmented, and 'most common' varies by practice type, specialty, and geography.
Which practice management system is best for a new GP clinic?
There is no single correct answer — it depends on clinical workflow requirements, billing complexity, multi-site plans, and infrastructure preference. Cloud-native systems (Cliniko, Halaxy, MediRecords) have lower infrastructure overhead and cleaner modern integrations. On-premises systems (Best Practice, Medical Director) have deeper AU GP billing engines and larger support ecosystems. A new clinic should evaluate at least two systems in a trial period before committing. Cadence's advisory scope is the AI voice layer — we can refer you to AU healthcare IT advisors who specialise in PMS selection if needed.
Can I add AI voice reception without changing my PMS?
Yes. AI voice reception connects to your existing appointment schedule — it does not replace your PMS or require a migration. Whether your practice runs Best Practice, Medical Director, Cliniko, Halaxy, MediRecords, Zedmed, or Genie, there is an integration path that allows an AI voice agent to read real-time availability and write confirmed bookings to your schedule. The specific integration architecture depends on your PMS and deployment model.
What is the difference between a PMS and an EHR?
A practice management system (PMS) handles the administrative and financial layer: appointment scheduling, billing, Medicare claiming, patient demographics, and recall management. An electronic health record (EHR) handles the clinical layer: patient notes, medications, investigations, results, care plans, and clinical documentation. Many AU systems (Best Practice, Medical Director, MediRecords) combine both functions. Some practices run a separate PMS for appointments/billing (e.g. Pracsoft) alongside a dedicated clinical EHR (e.g. Medical Director).
Does Cadence work with all Australian practice management systems?
Cadence has live AI voice deployments across Best Practice, Medical Director, Cliniko, Halaxy, MediRecords, Zedmed, and Genie. For systems not on this list, integration options are assessed during the two-week diagnostic. If a standard API integration path does not exist, the middleware build required to create one is scoped into the integration phase.
How does AI voice reception know what appointment slots are available?
The AI voice agent queries your PMS appointment calendar in real time — either via a direct REST API call (for cloud-native systems) or via a local middleware broker (for on-premises systems). The agent reads live practitioner availability, the appointment types configured in your PMS, and any booking rules set for the practice. It offers only slots that actually exist in your schedule, not estimated or placeholder times.
Are you a vendor or an independent advisor?
Independent advisor. We don't build the AI voice platform — we evaluate the market on your behalf, select the right vendor, and run the deployment to a published bar. No referral fees from vendors.
Is the data hosted in Australia?
Yes — every shortlisted vendor has to demonstrate AU-region hosting (or NZ for NZ clients), AHPRA-aligned consent flows and Privacy Act 1988 / APP compliance before they make our list.
Want to add AI voice reception to your practice management system?
Cadence runs a two-week paid diagnostic that assesses your PMS environment, call profile, and compliance posture, then recommends the right AI voice vendor and integration architecture for your specific setup. The output is a named vendor pick and deployment plan — whether you engage us for the rollout or not. Start with the AI receptionist for Australia overview or the virtual medical receptionist page.
Book a discovery call