Closing care gaps in athenaOne® as a safety net practice

For Dr. Salman Khan, founder and medical director of Primary Care Solutions in Los Angeles, the mission has always been clear: deliver care to those who need it most. With three clinics embedded in low-income neighborhoods, Dr. Khan’s practice serves as a “safety net provider,” reaching patients too often left behind by the healthcare system.

“We reach out to a bigger community—a vast majority of patients who really need care and who do not have good access to primary care,” Dr. Khan explains. “That’s what I believe is unique about our practice.”

As any independent practice owner knows, fulfilling that mission while managing a growing and thriving business requires operational and clinical efficiency and a robust arm for patient outreach. With athenaOne, Dr. Khan has created workflows that allow him and his staff to care for their community while getting paid fairly for the work they’re doing and growing their business.

Bridging gaps for underserved populations

Practicing in high-need communities is critical, but it comes with real constraints. Dr. Khan describes the financial fragility of safety net practices, the complexity of managing care for patients with limited resources, and the pressure to meet quality metrics—especially as value-based care models reshape incentives.

He recalls the frustration of working with electronic medical records (EMRs) that couldn’t keep up with the administrative burden. “There was a disconnect between our practice and the medical groups and health plans,” he says. “We were doing everything possible, but our efforts weren’t being captured.”

After years of feeling constrained by technology, Dr. Khan’s search for a better solution led him to athenaOne. The transition was deliberate, with a focus on finding a true partner, not just a vendor.

“It took us a while to go through the onboarding process, but I’m glad we spent that much time,” he says. “Since January of 2025, we’ve been using athenaOne, and even in less than a year, I can tell the difference. Our operations have improved significantly, from documentation and claims to billing and patient care delivery.”*

Elevating care with improved efficiency

Providers and staff at Dr. Khan’s practice feel the impact of this shift in their day-to-day, particularly when it comes to searching for information. With clear departmental separation and integrated workflows, each of their three sites operates efficiently and remains connected, making it easier to monitor, coordinate, and share information across the organization.

According to Dr. Khan, the most meaningful result is time. “athenaOne helped us maintain our work-life balance,” he shares. “Charts aren’t as cumbersome. With macros, decision support, and automation, life is a little easier for any provider to spend time with the patient.”*

He shares how his organization thinks about patient visits: “I believe in eye contact time. That has increased since we are using athenaOne. Less time on the computer, more time with the patient.”*

Technology as a tool for equity

Dr. Khan’s embrace of technology in healthcare is pragmatic and hopeful. He leverages athenaOne’s Patient Portal and automatic outreach tools to boost engagement, sending messages and results directly after visits so patients stay informed and empowered. “Patient engagement has improved significantly,” he notes.*

He is also candid about the broader promise of digital health. He speaks to the disparity in how quickly someone with resources can get diagnosed and treated as opposed to someone without the same resources. He says that his goal is to close that gap. “There are many obstacles and roadblocks, but it's not impossible. I truly believe with AI and technology advancement we can achieve that goal,” he says.

Value-based care: Measuring what matters

For Dr. Khan, value-based care is more of a philosophy than a payment model. “It's not just about providing services, it's all about how much care and quality you can provide to our patients,” he says. “When we emphasize value-based care, patient population health care improves significantly.”

athenaOne’s reporting tools have become essential for his team. He shares, “At meetings, we can see who is performing well. It helps us gauge performance and keep improving.”

Find the right technology partner for you

Dr. Khan’s journey is defined by commitment to his patients, his community, and continuous improvement. He believes that technology is a partner, not a replacement, for that human drive.

If you want to learn how you can better engage your community and lighten the burden on staff and physicians, get in touch to learn more about athenaOne.