We've extolled the merits of chiropractic EHR extensively on this blog over the past year, but it's understandable to be a bit skeptical of our coverage. Who better to hear such endorsements from, then, than medical practitioners who have witnessed the benefits of chiropractic management software first-hand in their daily operations?

Recently, the industry news outlet MedicalXpress reported on the results of a Physician Workflow Survey conducted by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health IT. Upon reviewing the data collected from more than 3,000 physicians, researchers came to some promising conclusions about the effect of chiropractic EHR on clinician effectiveness and overall patient care.

"A majority of physicians said they were alerted to a potential medication error or critical lab value and about one-third reported that EHRs helped them identify needed lab tests or facilitated direct communication with patients," said lead researcher Jennifer King, Ph.D., chief of research and evaluation at the ONC.

Given all of the negative press that EHR software has garnered — particularly as physicians struggle to meet ever-stricter meaningful use guidelines — such reports are vital to reinforce the true driving force behind such innovations: Improving patient care. This not only entails the safeguarding properties that are inherent in increasing access to a patient's complete medical history. It also involves simplifying the administrative tasks that draw so many physicians away from the clinical work that really drives them.

Of course, as we've noted in past posts, not all types of chiropractic EHR are created equal, so if you hope to reap the numerous benefits of this technological innovation, due diligence is required to ensure you choose the best provider for your needs. Ultimately, you and your EHR provider should be committed to the same end goal — your patients. You can gauge a company's priorities by the infrastructure they have in place for software maintenance and post-sale training and support.