6 Factors When Selecting an EHR Data Migration Partner
Healthcare organizations and medical practices all share the same goal of providing high-quality patient care. For that reason, choosing an EHR data migration partner that not only understands this goal, but work diligently to meet it is imperative. Unfortunately, many EHR data migration vendors make grandiose promises and fail to deliver. These data conversion companies give the industry a bad name, making it difficult to make the right decision.
At the end of the day, quality patient care means finding a migration company who is trustworthy, reliable, and experienced. Let’s face it, data conversions are often frustrating and overwhelming for healthcare organizations. So, partnering with the right EHR data migration company is critical to protecting patients, their sensitive information, and the overall function of the practice.
With all of this in mind, we have created a step-by-step guideline to facilitate the process of selecting an EHR data migration partner. While there is certainly a lot to consider and even more at risk, understanding what to look for will ease your nerves and ensure a smooth migration.
Keep in mind the following 6 factors when selecting an EHR data migration partner:
1. Pricing
Your practice is a business and like all businesses, you are going to approach the migration process with an important first question: “How much is this going to cost me?” Getting clarification on pricing may seem like a no brainer, but many data migration partners lack transparency when it comes to cost. The best option is a fixed pricing structure, where the number of patients and/or providers does not increase the cost.
From hardware to software, implementation to training, and ongoing maintenance and network support fees, it is absolutely critical to clarify costs from the beginning. Be sure to review each step in the migration process and ask questions to determine exactly what the practice can expect to pay.
2. Guarantee
This factor is a bit tricky because the vast majority of data migration companies do not offer a guarantee. The reality is that avoiding accountability on the work that they do makes it easier for them to get things done quickly and move on to the next project. However, a guarantee is truly indispensable when it comes to successful EHR data migrations.
Look for an EHR data migration partner that guarantees things like HIPAA-compliancy, guarantees of work completed, full assessments, no overseas resources, and data use for migration purposes only.
3. Quality
All EHR data migration partners were not created equally, particularly as it relates to quality. Quality data conversion means partnering with a company who provides a comprehensive assessment of the current system, the new system, and what the practice would like to accomplish in the migration.
As the implementation begins, quality assurance is a must. This means responsive communication and spot-checking every step of the process. To ensure the best quality, ask about how many data pulls the company plans to do. We recommend doing two data pulls to ensure the most possible accuracy.
4. Expertise
A company with EHR data conversion expertise is an absolute necessity for a successful migration. Be sure to ask questions to determine if the data migration partner is able to support data conversions for your specific electronic health care system or practice management system. Look for an EHR data migration partner that specializes in a wide variety of systems for data extraction as well as data migration.
5. Capabilities
Migration capabilities are critical in creating custom solutions for the practice’s specific needs. Elements like database expertise, integration capacity, and security/privacy abilities will lay the foundation for the EHR migration as a whole.
Data complexity means relying on an EHR data migration partner that is capable of structuring the data for the new system to meet patient and practice requirements that will keep the organization running smoothly and efficiently.
6. Speed
While often overlooked, speed is one of the most important factors when it comes to selecting an EHR data migration partner. Moving to a new system efficiently means having your patient data available as quickly as possible. Far too many EHR data migration companies move at their own pace, leaving you helpless in their timeframe.
Be sure to discuss the data migration speed in the beginning to manage expectations and prepare the practice accordingly. In addition, look for a company that guarantees their work after the migration is completed. This will be critical in the event that there is an issue or mistake that needs to be addressed right away.
Partnering with MDH Insight for Your EHR Data Migration
There is a lot of competition in the EHR data conversion space, but most companies fail to successfully deliver on all six of the above factors. At MDH Insight, we have built our reputation on our ability to deliver on all six factors, and more.
From accurate and speedy migrations to quality assurance, MDH Insight is proud to play a role in making patient lives better. Contact us today learn more about partnering in the pursuit of quality patient care!