# athenahealth Marketplace Partner Program — Research Report **Date**: 2026-03-16 **Purpose**: Evaluate the Marketplace Partner Program as a path to production API access for Kinometric's balance assessment PDF upload to athenaOne patient charts. --- ## 1. Program Overview The athenahealth Marketplace is an app store with **800+ solutions** across **60+ capability categories**, serving athenaOne's connected healthcare network. Partners build integrations, get listed, and receive leads from athenahealth's customer base. **Key stat**: Enhanced onboarding automation has improved partner speed-to-market by **45%**, and customers can activate partner solutions in **1-2 business days**. --- ## 2. Step-by-Step Application Process ### Phase 1: Initial Contact & Business Agreement 1. **Email DealDesk@athenahealth.com** expressing interest in the Marketplace Partner Program 2. Alternatively, submit a case in the **Partner Community** indicating which services you want to integrate 3. athenahealth evaluates your solution fit and assigns a **Partner Success Manager** 4. Negotiate and sign a **Platform Services contract** (required for production proprietary API access) ### Phase 2: Development & Integration 5. **Register your app** on the Developer Portal (https://developer.athenahealth.com): - Log in to Developer Portal console - Click (+) Create a New App - Select app category (3-Legged OAuth for patient-context apps, or 2-Legged for system-level) - Complete required fields: intended end users, OAuth client type, token auth method, redirect URLs - Select **Preview environment** first (sandbox auto-provisioned) 6. **Build and test** in the sandbox/preview environment using non-sensitive dummy data - Sandbox practice ID: 195900 (public sandbox) - Test all API calls, especially POST /clinicaldocument for PDF upload 7. **Validate integration** — athenahealth evaluates and tests your solution ### Phase 3: Security & Compliance 8. Complete **HITRUST self-assessment** (see Section 5 below) 9. Pass athenahealth's integration quality review ### Phase 4: Production & Launch 10. Receive **Production OAuth credentials** (requires Platform Services contract) 11. Client signs **Authorization and Consent agreement** to share data with your app 12. Go live on the Marketplace with your listing page 13. Complete HITRUST self-assessment within **90 days of GA** or be removed --- ## 3. API Access: Certified vs. Proprietary ### Certified FHIR APIs (Free) - Aligned with ONC g(10) / 21st Century Cures Act - **Read-only** for most clinical data - Available at **no cost** to customers and partners - Can self-service to Production OAuth credentials via Developer Console (release 23.3+) - **NOT sufficient for Kinometric** — cannot write clinical documents ### Proprietary APIs (Requires Contract) - **800+ endpoints** including write access across administrative, clinical, and financial functions - Includes `POST /patients/{patientid}/documents/clinicaldocument` — the endpoint Kinometric needs - Requires **athenahealth Platform Services contract** for Production OAuth credentials - Supports both 2-legged (system-level) and 3-legged (user-authorized) OAuth ### Key Endpoint for Kinometric ``` POST /v1/{practiceid}/patients/{patientid}/documents/clinicaldocument Content-Type: multipart/form-data Parameters: - documentsubclass: "CLINICALDOCUMENT" - file: PDF binary data (application/pdf) - User-Agent header required ``` **Bottom line**: Kinometric MUST have a Platform Services contract to use the proprietary POST /clinicaldocument endpoint in production. --- ## 4. Costs & Fees ### Marketplace Listing Fees - **No fee** to use the Marketplace - **No interface fees** to integrate - **No setup fees** to connect with partners ### Platform Services Contract - **Cost not publicly disclosed** — negotiated directly with athenahealth - Required for any app using proprietary (non-FHIR) API endpoints in production - athenahealth's general pricing philosophy is collection-based (tied to practice revenue), not flat fees - No long-term contract lock-in; can leave anytime with your data ### Revenue Sharing - Reportedly **15-30%** of revenue generated through the Marketplace channel (per third-party sources) - **Not officially confirmed** in public documentation - Partners bill customers directly; athenahealth may take a percentage - The official FAQ states: "Clients do pay our partners based on the contract established for their product or service" ### HITRUST Self-Assessment Cost (External to athenahealth) - **MyCSF platform access**: ~$2,500-$6,000 per 90-day period - **e1 basic self-assessment**: $6,250 minimum (platform + report) - **e1 with external assessor**: $20,000-$35,000 - **Full e1 validated certification**: $30,000-$70,000 for small companies - athenahealth specifically requires HITRUST self-assessment, not full certification --- ## 5. Security & Compliance Requirements ### HITRUST Self-Assessment (Mandatory) - Must complete within **90 days** of being Generally Available (GA) on the Marketplace - Based on HITRUST's **Common Security Framework (CSF)** - Partners score themselves during the self-assessment - HITRUST performs a **limited quality assurance review** (selects one category at random) - Must provide evidence within **30 days** if selected for QA - **Failure = removal from Marketplace** ### HITRUST e1 Assessment (Recommended Tier for Startups) - **44 requirement statements** (minimal scope) - Covers: user authorization, basic incident response, patch management - Timeline: **4-8 weeks** to complete - Designed for startups and lower-risk organizations - Can use "External Inheritance" from cloud providers (AWS/Azure) to reduce scope by ~14% - Valid for **1 year** ### Other Security Expectations - HIPAA compliance (Kinometric already has this in progress) - Data encryption in transit and at rest - BAA (Business Associate Agreement) with athenahealth - Partners are "thoroughly vetted for security, HIPAA compliance, and integration quality" - Ongoing quality checks after listing --- ## 6. Timeline Estimate | Phase | Duration | Notes | |-------|----------|-------| | Initial outreach to DealDesk | 1-2 weeks | Email response time | | Business discussions & contract | 2-6 weeks | Platform Services negotiation | | Sandbox development & testing | 2-4 weeks | Kinometric already has sandbox working | | Integration validation by athenahealth | 2-4 weeks | They test your solution | | Production credentials provisioned | 1-2 weeks | After contract signed | | Marketplace listing creation | 1-2 weeks | Marketing materials, listing page | | HITRUST self-assessment | 4-8 weeks | Can run in parallel | | **Total estimate** | **3-6 months** | Could be faster given existing sandbox work | **Third-party estimate**: 6-12 weeks from sandbox to production is typical, longer if BAAs stall or Marketplace listing is required. **athenahealth's claim**: Onboarding automation has improved speed-to-market by 45%. --- ## 7. Similar Products in the Marketplace ### Relaymed (Closest Analog) - **What they do**: Middleware that connects point-of-care lab devices to athenaOne, automatically uploading test results into patient charts - **Status**: **Accelerate tier partner** (highest tier), 4.9-star rating - **Integration**: Native athenahealth integration (no third-party interface engine) - **Relevance**: Exactly what Kinometric wants to do — diagnostic device results → PDF → patient chart - **Key insight**: Relaymed is "the only middleware solution for athenahealth" for POC testing - **Connection flow**: Practice approves authorization form → athenahealth provides practice ID → connected ### Avo (AI Clinical Decision Support) - AI-driven insights and auto-generated clinical notes directly into athenaOne - Writes data into the EHR workflow ### Proem Behavioral Health - Clinical workflow software for behavioral health screening - Captures data and writes results into patient records ### Smart Meter (Remote Patient Monitoring) - Biometric data flows directly into patient charts in real-time via API integration - Vitals automatically transmitted — no manual entry ### TM Flow (Not on Marketplace) - FDA-cleared vascular/autonomic diagnostic device - 7-10 minute in-office test - Uses its own **CCS Cloud Data Management** system - **Not found as an athenahealth Marketplace partner** — appears to handle data independently - This is notable: TM Flow chose NOT to integrate via Marketplace despite being a similar diagnostic tool --- ## 8. Partner Tiers ### Standard Partner - Base listing on Marketplace - Dynamic Marketplace page - Automated lead generation - Co-branded collateral and marketing templates - Dedicated Partner Success Manager ### Accelerate Partner (Top Tier) - Special badge and ribbon on Marketplace - Featured on Marketplace homepage and search results - Distinguished by adoption and ratings from athenahealth customers - Earned through performance, not purchased ### Diversity & Inclusion Program - Recognizes diversity-leading partners - Separate program track --- ## 9. Recommendations for Kinometric ### Immediate Next Steps 1. **Email DealDesk@athenahealth.com** with a brief pitch: - "Kinometric is a balance assessment platform used by pain management practices. We need to upload PDF test results to patient charts via the POST /clinicaldocument endpoint. We already have a working sandbox integration (practice 195900) and are interested in the Marketplace Partner Program." 2. **Ask specifically**: - Platform Services contract requirements and costs for a small startup - Whether Marketplace partnership includes production proprietary API access - Revenue share terms - Timeline from application to production ### HITRUST Preparation 3. **Start HITRUST e1 preparation now** (can run in parallel with partnership discussions): - Register on MyCSF platform (~$2,500) - Review the 44 e1 requirement statements - Many overlap with HIPAA controls Kinometric already has (encryption, access controls, incident response, password policy, audit logging) - Target 4-6 weeks to complete ### Integration Readiness 4. **Kinometric's sandbox work is an advantage** — the integration is already built and tested 5. Document the clinical workflow: Patient takes balance test → App scores data → PDF generated → Upload to athenaOne chart 6. Prepare marketing materials for Marketplace listing ### Alternative Path (If Marketplace is Too Heavy) - If the Marketplace program is overkill or too expensive, ask about a **Platform Services contract only** (without full Marketplace listing) - This might provide production API access without the marketing/listing overhead - The tradeoff: no Marketplace visibility, but potentially faster to production ### Risk Assessment - **Low risk**: No upfront fees for Marketplace listing - **Medium risk**: HITRUST self-assessment cost ($6,250-$35,000) - **Unknown risk**: Platform Services contract cost (not publicly disclosed) - **Timeline risk**: 3-6 months is realistic; could stretch to 6-9 if negotiations stall --- ## 10. Key Contacts & Resources | Resource | URL/Contact | |----------|-------------| | Partnership inquiries | DealDesk@athenahealth.com | | Developer Portal | https://developer.athenahealth.com | | API Documentation | https://docs.athenahealth.com/api/guides/overview | | Onboarding Guide | https://docs.athenahealth.com/api/guides/onboarding-overview | | Marketplace Homepage | https://marketplace.athenahealth.com | | Marketplace Program Info | https://www.athenahealth.com/solutions/marketplace-program | | Marketplace FAQ | https://www.athenahealth.com/~/media/athenaweb/files/marketplace/pdfs/faq.pdf | | HITRUST e1 Info | https://hitrustalliance.net/assessments-and-certifications/e1 | | Clinical Document API | https://docs.athenahealth.com/api/api-ref/document-type-clinical-document | | Partner Terms | https://www.athenahealth.com/landing/partner-terms-and-conditions | --- ## Sources - [athenahealth Marketplace Partners](https://www.athenahealth.com/solutions/marketplace-partners) - [athenahealth Marketplace Program](https://www.athenahealth.com/solutions/marketplace-program) - [athenahealth Developer Portal](https://www.athenahealth.com/developer-portal) - [API Onboarding Overview](https://docs.athenahealth.com/api/guides/onboarding-overview) - [Certified API Access](https://docs.athenahealth.com/api/resources/certified-api-access) - [Clinical Document API Reference](https://docs.athenahealth.com/api/api-ref/document-type-clinical-document) - [Marketplace FAQ (PDF)](https://www.athenahealth.com/~/media/athenaweb/files/marketplace/pdfs/faq.pdf) - [athenahealth Marketplace Program Enhancements (BusinessWire)](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230320005460/en/athenahealth-Enhances-its-Marketplace-Program-to-Strengthen-Customer-and-Partner-Success) - [Relaymed athenahealth Integration](https://relaymed.com/connections/ehrs/athenahealth/) - [HITRUST e1 Assessment](https://hitrustalliance.net/assessments-and-certifications/e1) - [HITRUST Certification Cost Guide (Compyl)](https://compyl.com/blog/how-much-does-hitrust-certification-cost/) - [HITRUST Certification Cost (Sprinto)](https://sprinto.com/blog/hitrust-certification-cost/) - [Athena EMR Integration Guide (TopFlightApps)](https://topflightapps.com/ideas/athena-ehr-emr-integration/) - [Azara Healthcare Accelerate Partner Announcement](https://www.azarahealthcare.com/press/azara-healthcare-qualifies-as-accelerate-partner-in-athenahealths-marketplace-program) - [TM Flow System (Gateway Clinical)](https://gatewayclinical.com/tm-flow-ans-abi-sudo-diagnostic-tool/)