ICD-10 may not start until next year, but that doesn't mean the healthcare industry can or should just sit around until New Year's before addressing it. Quite the contrary: it's imperative that organizations looking to transition to this new coding system begin mapping out preparation timetables and installing new chiropractic EHR software as soon as possible, to ensure near-seamless upgrades without any serious impediments to workflow.

The crux of ICD-10 readiness planning falls on end-to-end testing, a process that has already started underway this year despite the implementation delay. ICD10monitor, an industry news source, has broken down which healthcare groups can benefit most from end-to-end testing as well as how exactly to go about it in the first place. Let's start with providers.

To begin with, suggests ICD10monitor's Betty Gomez, providers have to focus on improving their clinical documentation to create more detailed medical records and specific codes, painting "a clearer picture of each and every patient." Doing so ensures that a clinic or hospital will be able to amass as much information as possible regarding a patient's condition, allowing for more accurate diagnoses and an overall better care experience.

But more than that, creating detailed EHRs plays a role in determining reimbursements from payers. Physicians that fail to provide enough detail in their recordkeeping make their organization more liable for an audit.

"Also, start submitting test claims now; don't wait until the last minute," Gomez recommends. "Some payers have limited windows for testing, and you don't want to miss opportunities to test with your most important payers."

Adopting the best chiropractic EHR software can help bring recordkeeping systems up-to-date, allowing for a smooth transition to ICD-10 without negatively affecting a clinic's workflow in the process.