Chiropractic EHR truly has the power to revolutionize the healthcare industry and enhance the quality of care that patients can enjoy across the board. As well as streamlining workflow in various clinical settings, the widespread adoption of EHR can improve care on a national scale by enabling physicians to share medical records easily, instantly and securely.

Yet, in order to facilitate this interoperability, more physicians have to throw their hat into the ring. According to one congressional committee, encouraging EHR adoption and cooperation is one of the most essential tasks facing the Obama Administration and, more specifically, the Office of the National Coordinator of Health IT.

"We must recognize that these technologies will be unable to truly transform our health system unless they can easily locate and exchange health information," a report from the members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee states, noting that the ONC "must provide appropriate guidance to providers [...] on its vision for interoperability and work to engage all stakeholders in [EHR] adoption."

HealthcareIT News covered the new report, which includes projected timelines for interoperability standards to be put in place. These regulations would focus primarily on granting universal access to medical records and longitudinal data that can be used to identify trends in treatment and the progression of different ailments. The key here, as in so many industries, is an open channel of communication that enables practitioners to find the information they need to make informed decisions about each patient's care, and to remain abreast about health-based trends in the community and beyond.

While it falls to the ONC to oversee interoperability between federal divisions and private practices, individual chiropractors have to make the best choice for their specific needs. Factors like interface design, technical support and training can distinguish the wheat from the chaff when it comes to chiropractic EHR software, so don't make this all-important decision before you've investigated these elements.