As the transition to chiropractic EHR software continues to gain momentum, federal legislators and health care officials must take note that—though national numbers may be rising—some regions of the country have been more receptive to these systems than others. Recently, experts from HealthBiz Decoded sought to highlight this geographical disparity with an infographic distributed by HealthcareITNews.

According to the graphic, which drew data from Bloomberg News, the following five states (in alphabetical order) are leading the way in EHR implementation:

1. Massachusetts 
2. Minnesota
3. North Dakota
4. Oregon
5. Wisconsin

The news outlet states that the national average for EHR implementation as of December 2012 was 40 percent, and the states listed above fell within the 60 to 70 percent range.

One of the greatest challenges in promoting this shift has been educating chiropractors and other medical professionals about its benefits, which include improving the balance between administrative and clinical time, bolstering patient privacy and making comprehensive medical records more readily accessible to those who need them. Doing so is all the more important in the face of problematic reports that focus on the expense and potential complications —most of which can be attributed to overly complex software and insufficient training.

Whether your practice is in an area with a high implementation rate or you are paving new ground for health care professionals in your region, the key to a successful and bountiful transition is finding the best chiropractic EHR software provider. Ideally, the product itself should be intuitive and easy to work into your current workflow, while the provider should be responsive and offer comprehensive training. By selecting a provider and software with these characteristics, you'll be in the best position to reap the rewards of EHR implementation without unnecessary costs or headaches.