athenaPatient
athenaPatient is generally praised for its ease of use in managing appointments, test results, and direct communication with providers, but it is frequently criticized for persistent login issues, unreliable notifications, and missing key features found in the web portal or competing apps.
athenaPatient is a medical app designed to help users manage their healthcare, offering features like appointment scheduling, access to test results, and direct messaging with providers. While many users find it intuitive and helpful for communication, a significant number of recent reviews highlight critical flaws such as recurring login problems, lack of essential notifications, and limited functionality compared to its web counterpart or other health portals.
What users like
- Facilitates easy communication with healthcare providers, often with quick responses.R2R25R86R98
- Allows convenient access to appointment schedules and the ability to book or reschedule appointments.R3R35R48R92
- Enables users to view test results and other medical information.R24R36R39R48
- Generally considered user-friendly and easy to navigate by many.R4R9R19R38
- Helpful for managing billing statements and other administrative tasks.R10R49R78
What users complain about
- Frequent login issues, including being logged out constantly, requiring new passwords, or the login button not working.R28R43R75R83
- Lacks critical notifications for new messages from doctors, requiring manual checking.R27R30R49R156
- Missing key features available on the web portal, such as care summaries, visit notes, or prescription refills.R45R60R91R126
- Some users report it functions more like a web link than a true app, requiring multiple steps to access information.R83R212
- Issues with appointment scheduling, including not listing available times or not syncing across different portals.R14R71R87R124
- Face ID/facial recognition feature is reported as non-functional or unreliable.R80R189R249
- Difficulty accessing health records or seeing test results, with some reporting no information uploaded or displayed.R7R57R93R136
Latest update · v1.25.3
What the developer says changed (the verdict above weighs this against what reviewers report):
- Bug fixes and improvements
Recurring themes
Who it's for
This app is for patients who prioritize direct messaging with their healthcare providers and want a convenient way to view appointments and some test results R2R25R35. It could be particularly useful for those managing chronic conditions who benefit from quick communication R2. However, users who require consistent access to all their health records, rely on reliable notifications, or prefer a seamless app experience without frequent login issues should be cautious R43R93R27.
Evidence note: The recent reviews skew negative, which contrasts with the high lifetime rating. Many positive reviews are short and general, while negative reviews often provide specific, detailed complaints about functionality. The developer's notes mention 'bug fixes and improvements,' but recent reviews indicate that critical issues like login failures and notification problems persist.
Frequently asked
Can I message my doctor directly through the athenaPatient app?
Does the athenaPatient app provide notifications for new messages from my doctor?
Can I view my test results and visit notes in the app?
What reviewers actually said
Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.
- [R2] Access!: I really like the ArhenaPatient App because I have instant communication with my providers and they usually reply promptly within 24 hrs but usually instantly. My last message I sent my Endocrinologist, she relied in 2 minutes. I love having access to my providers in real-time. This app is a gem for someone like me on dialysis and type I diabetic.
- [R25] Easy to communicate: The app is so easy to communicate with anyone at Blackbird Health. I feel confident knowing my message will get to the appropriate department (schedule, medicine)
- [R86] diabetes diagnosis was well supported: easy to chat with the nurses and I easily got answers within 24 hours. Glad this app existed!
- [R98] App: I love the app it is really great to keep up with results and medication and chat with ur doctors
- [R3] This App is a blessing from God: Recently , I needed to see my doctor but I felt so bad so I called the office and was able to schedule a online tele appointment ThankGod
- [R35] Patient app: So convenient to look up make appointments , message doctor and get results of tests
- [R48] Great app: I like the fact that I can see my test results and when my appointments are coming up.
- [R92] Rescheduling: Love the fact it’s easy to go in and just do that very convenient
- [R24] The best: I like how I can see the results
- [R36] Patient first care: This is a great resource for patients access to their own medical care. I am so grateful to be able to see results of tests
- [R39] La mejor: Me encanta poder ver los resultados de laboratorio cuando lo necesito
- [R4] It’s about time: Of all the medical apps that I’ve used, this is by far the easiest to understand and use; everything is clearly marked and easy to understand. I probably said that already, but it's definitely a step in the right direction.
- [R9] Simpler is so much better: Compared to others; Athena is the very best. The simple and easy steps are easy to follow and edit. I am impressed with the overall smooth flow and ease of using the application.
- [R19] Love it: This app is really good. It is user friendly and easy to read as well as easy to navigate. Thank you for making it that way so everyone can use it to keep up with what is going on with their healthcare. BRAVO!!
- [R38] Amazing: I absolutely love how easy this app is to use
- [R10] Excellent: Very helpful to monitor and track progress, appointments and billing with added supportive information and documentation.
- [R49] Helpful but flawed: This app is helpful in keeping up with appointments and billing statements. It’s also nice to be able to message providers directly, BUT when you send a message you do NOT receive a notification other than by email. I have all notifications turned on but I have to constantly refresh the app or check my email to see if I’ve gotten a response. Sometimes I’ll miss a message by 20-
- [R78] Easy to use: It’s honestly such a user friendly app and makes looking at appointments, bills and even joining telehealth appointments so easy.
- [R28] Password failure: This app only allows one time use of password each time I want to open it it requires me to get a new password. Also I can’t add an additional doctor
- [R43] Entirely worthless: It logs me out every time I open it. I downloaded the app to have access when away from my computer but now I have no access.
- [R75] Faulty app: This is the worst app. Every time I want to log into it, it won’t let me even if I change password.
- [R83] Horrible: This app is absolutely horrible and frustrating. Why have an app that I have to log into every single time and it routes you to a website within the app it self… it’s like being in the 90s. Additionally you request a password word reset and it take 10min for the email to show up. Worst app ever.
- [R27] No alerts are sent ever when doctor responds to messages. I have to recheck over and over.: The alerts are turn on for this app but I’ve never gotten one for in-app messages. How hard could it be to add alerts for the potentially VERY important messages or responses from my doctor?
- [R30] lacks notifications of new inbox msgs: decent app but lacks a critical feature: notifications for new inbox msgs; while it gives me notifications for “script needs review”, it doesnt for new inbox msgs; and the “review” is just telling you your doc send a script to the pharmacy; no “review” involved; pmeaee give us notifications for new inbox msgs so if we are in conversation with doc we will k
- [R156] Not awesome: Messages don't come through always. I can't see the message I sent and I can't mark stuff as read or done. It doesn't send me notifications even though I have it set to. Kind of terrible app.
- [R45] Prescriptions: I would love to see a link on here to refill prescriptions or message the pharmacists. That would make it so much easier to have an all-in-one app for patients.
- [R60] A couple of suggestions: Need to be able to connect to other clinic apps, particularly mychart. Also, would like to view prescriptions.
- [R91] Visit notes: I would like to be able to see my visit notes.
- [R126] Good app - missing some tabs: I really like this app for messaging my clinician and checking my appointments but it’s missing key tabs on the Athena online portal such as Care Summaries which include instructions and documents.
- [R212] Not a True app - useless: If I click on any other phone app, it takes me directly to content. This is just a link to a website that opens a page on Safari where I type my login and password, then do it two factor authentication, then click through 3-4 screens before I can access any useful information. I can achieve all of that by simply bookmarking patient portal on Safari.
- [R14] Athena App: Works well most of the time. Scheduling appointments can be tricky. A lot of times they won’t list available appointments so you end up having to call to schedule.
- [R71] Patient appointments: The appointments do not tie in from one portal to the next as I have an appointment scheduled yet it doesn’t show from one portal to the next (Midi health portal to Athena portal). This should be fixed.
- [R87] Multiple mix ups: Loved the doctors, they genuinely seem to care. My issue is the first four or five times I was seen it was by the same provider. Randomly one of my appointments got canceled. That provider had emailed me previously so I was able to get in touch with her by email to get something set up that same day because I was running out of my medication. And the app was telling me her next a
- [R124] WORST HEALTH APP ON THIS PLANET: If I could give 0 stars I would. I’m pregnant and have an autoimmune disease I need to have all my appointments showing because i have so many. this app only shows my Obgyn appointments and not my MFM Henry ford appointments which both offices go through Athena app. All this app causes me is stress now I have to call offices to figure out my appointments and I have
- [R80] Once in? It’s okay: Biggest improvement could be make Face ID actually work! I opted to use a complex password. Since facial recognition does not work, nor does it not play well with password apps. You do need to remember and manually type in everything. Once in, it works fine. A lot better than the app their hospital they are associated with works. Information is fairly easy to find. They offe
- [R189] Good App….But….: The app is nice that I can get information directly to/from my doctor. My issues with the app are on the functionality of the app, the app has a Face ID option; however, it is never used. Every time I open the app I must sign on to use it and walk through the steps to get to the main provider page, it’s just clunky. I would like to remove two practices and cannot do that myself. M
- [R249] Faceid: Doesn’t work
- [R7] Useless: Our dr just switched from an app that worked great to this. It has no info. Nothing gets uploaded. It’s terrible. Follow My Health was great. Might as well not even have this one.
- [R57] By showing any results: The previous app had results from visits and procedures on it within hours and this app it has been almost a week and no results
- [R93] Not able to access to my health records: This app keeps logging me out ; not sure what’s the glitch even after resetting my password I’m not able to login into my health chart neither does this portal information synced with MyChart. Such a useless health app.
- [R136] Nothing to see: Every time I check for results of treatment, there’s nothing to be !found
- [R22] Image results: Great app, just needs to add image results.
- [R23] Review: It’s wonderful that we can communicate with staff members to better understand our concerns and care possibilities , without having to make an appointment always. Thank you for this service.
- [R37] Outstanding!: The app is definitely a huge help with communication!! Fast and reliable.; not to mention important information can be forgotten through phone calls.. with the app I can read an information and instructions as many times as needed! No mistakes!
- [R31] A+: Easy to navigate and use, wish other medical facilities apps was this good.
- [R54] Resources: The app allows me to check appts, labs, and messages to my providers. That saves time for me and you staff. I appreciate the abilities of the app. Thanks.
- [R63] Communication: Yes I like the app because it seems to be the ONLY way to communicate with my doctor. The office number will never return a phone call!!!! 😔😠
Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store