# Athenahealth connects patient records to Anthropic’s Claude

> Eligible patients can let Claude read selected health records and answer questions. The feature requires opt-in and a paid Claude plan.

Oossa · 2026-11-02 · https://oossa.com/en/athenahealth-connects-patient-records-to-anthropic-s-claude

Athenahealth has launched AthenaPatient MCP, a tool that lets Anthropic’s Claude access a patient’s health records and answer questions about them. Athenahealth says it serves more than 20% of the US population, but the feature is not automatically available to every patient.

To use it, patients need a Claude Pro or Claude Max subscription, priced at $20 or $100 per month. They must sign in to their Athenahealth account and authorize access. Patients can choose what information Claude can see and revoke that access later. Athenahealth says patient data accessed through the service cannot be used to train Anthropic’s models.

## What can Claude read?

After a patient grants permission, Claude can refer to information such as lab results, vital signs, medications, health conditions, immunizations, visit history, diagnostic reports, allergies, procedures and care plans. That could let someone ask a factual question about their records, such as the result of their most recent red blood cell count.

Athenahealth says the tool is not intended to provide medical advice or replace a clinician’s judgment. Sam Lambson, the company’s vice president of product management, data and ecosystem, told ZDNet that people should contact a qualified health professional about diagnosis, treatment or changes to their care. A record-based answer should not be treated as an explanation of what a result means for a person’s health.

## A wider move into healthcare

Athenahealth’s partnership follows other technology and healthcare collaborations. Microsoft has teamed up with Mayo Clinic on a healthcare AI model, while Boston Children’s Hospital has partnered with OpenAI on an enterprise AI system for research, clinical and administrative work.

The move also comes as more people turn to chatbots with health questions. A Pew Research Center survey cited by ZDNet found that 34% of US adults had talked with a chatbot for medical advice. Connecting an assistant to a patient’s own records may make answers more relevant to that person’s information, but it also means granting an AI access to sensitive data. The sign-in and permission steps provide controls over access; they do not make the tool a clinician or establish that its answers are medically reliable.

## The facts

- Athenahealth says it serves more than 20% of the US population.
- AthenaPatient MCP requires Claude Pro, which costs $20 per month, or Claude Max, which costs $100 per month.
- Patients can select which health information Claude can access and revoke permission.
- A Pew Research Center survey cited by ZDNet found that 34% of US adults had asked a chatbot for medical advice.

## Why it matters

Athenahealth patients with a paid Claude plan can use the assistant to find details in selected records, such as a lab result. They still need a health professional to interpret results or advise on care, and patients must decide whether to grant Claude access to sensitive information.

## Sources & references

1. [Athenahealth patients can ask Claude about their medical records now](https://www.zdnet.com/health/athenahealth-claude-ai-medical-partnership/) – ZDNet, 2026-11-02

Last updated: 2026-11-02