These days, consumers have many options when it comes to wheelchair accessible vans and minivans. Whether you are interested in adapting your own vehicle to include a specific product or purchasing a modified van that is ready to go, today’s cutting-edge technology has paved the way for wheelchair users to regain their independence–even while driving a car.

Wheelchair users can enjoy the freedom of getting around town without depending on others to help them in and out of the car, or even drive them around. One of the best solutions for this type of access is a vehicle that features a side-entry fold-out ramp. A portion of the vehicle floor is lowered—from in front of the rear wheel to underneath the dashboard—and a ramp is installed that extends from the bottom of the passenger-side sliding door to the ground. The center seats in the vehicle are completely removed so that the wheelchair user can ride up the ramp and easily travel to the front driver position. They can drive while still in the wheelchair!

There are many benefits to these side-entry handicap vans. For one, there is more room for the user to turn around and face forward while entering or exiting the vehicle. Also, the passenger-side entry allows the user to safely enter the car without having to worry about blocking the traffic lane in parking lots. Finally, wheelchair users can operate the ramps by themselves. With the push of a button, the door slides open, the van lowers to the ground, and the ramp extends.

While there have been many advances in the realm of electronic medical record software in recent years, the adoption of such technology by medical professionals hasn’t been moving as quickly as many predicted. Despite the fact that studies have shown an increase in revenue after the implementation of such a system, less than 10% of hospitals and only 16% of primary care physicians in the United States had switched to this type of system as of 2006. The vast majority of medical offices in the country still handle all transactions and data recording on paper as opposed to EMR software, holding fast to the outdated methods that have been in place since the 1950s. While most industries that are information-intensive devote 10% or more of their gross revenue to information technology expenses, the healthcare industry only spends about 2%. Hopefully, this rate will increase as medical professionals realize the benefits that come with electronic records.