Healthcare data is growing at an unprecedented rate. In order to keep up with this data growth, organizations are turning to electronic health record (EHR) systems. But migrating data into a new EHR is a serious and labor-intensive task. Healthcare institutions must consider various components, such as the type of data, its volume, format, security, regulatory compliance, and the potential impact on existing operations. It is recommended to follow best practices for EHR data migration, from preparation to post-migration, to ensure successful completion.
The data migration to a new EHR is crucial, as it enhances patient care efficiency and reduces operational costs for hospitals. It consolidates patient records, billing, clinical data, and more into a single source of truth, ensuring continuity of care and improving the patient experience.
Triyam is an award-winning data management firm with a proven ability to extract, migrate and archive data with 100% integrity.
What is EHR Data Migration?
EHR data migration is the process of transferring a patient’s electronic health records (EHR) from one electronic health record system to another mostly when a healthcare provider switches to a new EHR vendor or upgrades to a newer version of their existing system, ensuring all important medical information is moved securely and accurately to the new system. This allows for continuity of care without losing critical patient data.
Which Team Members Are Needed for Data Migration?
It is important to involve the organization’s Data Governance team early on for buy-in and project support. This ensures that a dedicated project manager, supported by technical resources and subject matter experts, can oversee and implement the agreed-upon plan.
How To Transfer Data From One EHR To Another?
Before transferring data from the old EHR to the new one, ensure that you do field mapping. By following this process, you can confirm that accurate data is pulled into the new system’s data fields. Afterward, use the appropriate tools to extract, transform, and load the data from the legacy database to the staging database.
What Are The Three Stages of Data Migration?
Pre-migration: Define the scope and goals of the EHR migration, Choose the right healthcare data migration platform, Clean and prepare the EHR data, Perform a test EHR migration and Create a data backup.
During migration: Perform the EHR migration during off-hours, Monitor the EHR migration process and Communicate with stakeholders
Post migration: Perform post-migration testing, Monitor EHR data quality, Update documentation and Train employees
What Are The Challenges Associated with Migration of Data From One EHR Product To Another?
Ensuring data accessibility, maintaining database integrity, making data readable in the new system, addressing the lack of standards, enabling data sharing, and converting information to a new system are common interoperability challenges. These issues often arise unexpectedly during EHR transitions.
Improve Patient Care With Efficient EHR Data Migration
A carefully planned EHR data migration ensures that essential health information is transferred to a new system seamlessly, maintaining continuity of care without any disruptions. When carried out effectively following the industry-established guidelines, it can help improve various areas of patient care.
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- Clinicians can digitally access unified health records, enabling them to make well-informed decisions during patient care.
- Interoperability is enhanced by making migrated data compatible with other healthcare IT systems as per regulatory standards.
- Analytics capabilities are improved on upgraded systems to better analyze clinical data for population health management and remote monitoring.
- New functionalities like e-prescribing, integrated lab results, telehealth features improve care coordination and outcomes.
- Office workflows are optimized with features such as secure portal messaging and two-way patient communication.
- Data is securely hosted on vendor-managed cloud infrastructure ensuring higher uptime and reliability.
What Are The Three of the Five Major Barriers to EHR Adoption?
Miscommunication, misinformation and misinterpretation between vendors, clinic executives and end-users (physicians and staff) has contributed to countless problems in the marketing, selection, implementation and utilization of the EMRs
How Can Records Be Migrated From Paper to Electronic Systems?
Here are the four steps necessary to convert paper-based processes to electronic record keeping.
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- Standardize Naming Conventions
- Select the Deployment Method
- Digitize Records
- Instill Change Management
What is the Process Of Transferring Data Electronically From One Place to Another?
Data transmission is the process of transferring information between two or more digital devices. This transfer can occur in either analog or digital formats. Basically, data transmission enables devices or components within devices to communicate with one another.
What Should I Do With The Paper Records After Converting Them to EMR?
Once paper records are converted into electronic medical records (EMRs), healthcare providers must decide how to manage and store the original physical documents. There are two main options: offsite storage facilities or secure in-house storage
Offsite storage has drawbacks, such as:
Cost: It’s often pricier than in-house storage.
Access: Retrieving records takes longer than on-site access.
In-house storage is more affordable but requires proper planning. Healthcare providers must ensure:
Security: Restricted access, secure locks, and fire suppression systems.
Environmental Control: Stable temperature and humidity to protect records.
Disaster Recovery: A plan for backups or off-site storage to guard against disasters.
How To Ensure Compliance And Security During Migration?
Here are some tips to ensure compliance and security during EHR data migration:
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- Conduct a security risk assessment of the destination EHR system and confirm it complies with industry standards like HIPAA, HL7 (Health Level Seven), and MITA (Medicaid Information Technology Architecture)
- Encrypt the migrated data files both in transit and at rest. Use secure protocols like SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) while physically transferring data between systems
- Tightly control user access during the migration process and ensure only authorized personnel can view protected health information being migrated
- Safely back up the migrated data files after completing the transfer. Keep these backups in line with data retention policies to allow for future retrieval if necessary
- Hash or digitally sign the migrated data files to check for any modifications during the transfer process ensuring data integrity
- De-identify any sensitive data used for testing purposes during the migration project. Properly dispose test records afterwards
- Patch security holes on the legacy EHR system that could still have access to migrated records post go-live
- Perform security audits of the migration activities and documentation. Ensure all compliance requirements are addressed
Work With an EHR Data Migration Expert Today
Finally, it is important to work with a trusted partner when planning and executing a data migration. A partner that has experience in healthcare data migrations will be able to help you avoid common pitfalls and ensure a successful migration. with Triyam today.
Triyam has successfully completed thousands of EHR data migrations for healthcare organizations of all sizes. We understand the challenges that come with data migration and we have the experience and expertise to help you overcome them. Contact us today to schedule a demo and learn more about our data migration services.