EHR MIGRATION JOURNAL 3
Data Planning, Implementation,
and Go-Live
Journal 1
Journal 2
Journal 3
Journal 4
Once you’ve chosen your preferred new EHR platform, there are several key decisions to consider as you begin planning your data migration strategy, and implementation & Go-Live processes. This journal will provide you with some guidance and resources to assist you with this complex, costly, and often stress-inducing journey.
Does This Sound Familiar?
Data migrations are typically all-encompassing projects that can cause havoc in even the most skilled IT departments with trickle down impacts on physicians, administrators, and other mission-critical departmental staff.
Here are a few trouble spots that may be familiar to you:
- Data Clean-up: Duplicate records, and errant demographic data
- Data Elements Selection: Demographics, structured vs discreet, CCDs, progress notes, etc. (converting too much or too little)
- Managing Legacy Systems: Integration vs archive vs sunset legacy systems
- Project Staffing: Internal vs 3rd party resources, team leaders, multi-disciplinary participants, competing departmental priorities/needs
- Maintaining Day-to-Day IT Projects: Falling behind on routine EHR/PM system ticket management and upkeep?
We Can Help
There are established migration strategies and processes that improve your chances of a successful EHR/PM platform transition with minimal disruptions, hitting project timelines and budgetary goals.
Based on Keena’s 15 years of integration experience and proven success, here are 8-Steps to consider when planning and executing your EHR migration project.
01
Scope The Project: The first step is all about knowing what you need related to data (elements/quality), project staffing (leadership/multidisciplinary teams) and timeline (realistic project plan/optimal time of year).
02
Select a Conversion Specialist: Almost every organization is going to need additional expert resources for this project. Look to 3rd parties with experience, ETL workflow tools, references, and reasonable pricing.
03
Build Migration Plan v1.0: As with most complex projects the plan will be dynamic even as work begins. Make sure to address the following important plan elements: what data is to be converted | plan schedule and approach (incremental vs Big-Bang/timeline) | clearly identify resources/responsibilities | define plan iterations.
04
Get Connected: Project managers are often surprised by how difficult it can be to enable 3rd party specialists to gain/maintain access to legacy infrastructure. Plan ahead with required legal paperwork and provide internal staff support as needed.
05
Sample, Test, Validate, Iterate – Repeat: Getting your chosen patient data in the right location in your new system is a dynamic process. It will take several iterations to perfect. It is very likely that the ultimate conversion profile will emerge out of this process. Be patient and work closely with your conversion specialist.
06
Connect Extract with Import: Your conversion specialist will likely prepare an extract file to your EHR vendor for import. Import requirements vary between EHR vendors, so communication of the detailed export specifications is very important.
07
Don’t Forget About Workflow: In the end, getting a practical perspective on how the conversion project impacts daily activities—from scheduling, to check-in, to visits, to ordering tests, and finally to billing- is essential. This means understanding the work of the staff that fulfills these functions – not just the physicians.
08
Go Live! Going live is the culmination of the plans and collective effort of the implementation team. On one level it’s like another testing iteration done in a production environment and final chance to refine workflow anomalies missed during testing. Be sure to have your implementation team stand close by during this final step in the process.
We Are Data Migration Experts
Over time, through innovation, rigorous quality control and automation, we have perfected our processes to ensure the safe and accurate transfer of your data.
Our Recommended Solutions
If you are moving to a new EHR, we can execute a high-quality conversion project that will shorten your timeline, reduce conversion costs, and quickly bring your new system online.
Here is a partial list of services to support your project needs:
Conversion and Data Migration
By leveraging advanced technology, maintaining strong relationships with leading EHR/PM vendors, and utilizing our extensive conversion library, we get your system online quickly and with minimal expense.
eMPI Solution
Keena works to keep your patient information clean and connected. Our Enterprise Master Patient Index (eMPI) software helps you resolve duplicate patient records, while keeping demographic data in check across separate registration systems.
ETL and Reporting
Keena’s ETL Solution brings disparate date from isolated systems into a consolidated view. By bringing all your clinical, financial and claims data into a single view you’ll be able to create dashboards and scorecards to turn your full data set into meaningful information for clinical and business decisions.
Master Data Management Solution (MDM)
With an MDM solution in place, organizations involved in merger/ acquisition processes or exchanging data with HIEs and ACOs, can accurately consolidate information on patient identities and activities, and pool their data into a single database for essential management reporting.
Jay Mangicaro
Product Advocate
Set up a 45-minute introductory/discovery call
for any of data migration solutions listed above
or
Contact Jay Mangicaro
Keena Client Success Spotlight
Mission Cancer + Blood |
Des Moines, IA
Take a look at our client success story:
“Mission Cancer + Blood: A Complex EHR Data Migration Project”
“
We so much appreciate Keena and their involvement in the conversion and archive of our EHR and PM system platforms. This project was intimidating because we were changing so many things at once, but with their assistance the process went smoothly, and we were able to be up and running on the new system very quickly with great visibility into our old records in KeenaArchive. Our clinics were quickly operational with minimal disruption to patient care and very easy access to mission-critical clinical and financial patient data.”
Phill Stover
Chief Executive Officer, Mission Cancer and Blood
Older/Newer Migration Journals
EHR Migration Tips and Tricks?
If you’re considering a move to the Epic platform, our conversion team has written a supplemental whitepaper “Considering an Epic Conversion? Here’s the data you need.” This piece highlights important tips and tricks specific to an Epic migration project.