The transition to ICD-10 promises to be a game-changer across the medical field, and one that will facilitate the efficient and effective analysis of the abundant information stored within chiropractic EHR software. However, it has been 35 years since the last update in medical coding was implemented, and a new survey conducted by the eHealth Initiative has indicated that many health care organizations are wary of the changeover, and don't fully comprehend the benefits of its implementation.

According to an official announcement reproduced by FierceHealthIT, based on the responses from 281 participating health care organizations, "the industry expects to encounter significant barriers, challenges and revenue losses following ICD-10 implementation, particularly among acute care hospitals, physicians, clinics and physician practices."

This skepticism may contribute to an overarching lag in preparedness, as the news outlet reports that a June survey of 500 practices indicated that only one-third had taken steps to equip their facilities with the necessary tools to manage the transition. But, with the October 14 deadline looming ever closer, it's clear that government entities and health care officials will have to work harder to emphasize the advantages of ICD-10 to encourage more physicians to embrace and expedite the change.

It's undeniable that the shift to ICD-10 will pose a few challenges for chiropractors, but with the right chiropractic EHR software on hand, the capabilities of this new code set can extend well beyond billing. The key is to invest in chiropractic EHR software that is intuitive and already optimized to utilize ICD-10, so that it is naturally integrated into your office workflow. With regular updates expected to continue every few years after ICD-10 is implemented, a stable workflow is a necessity for chiropractic offices.