What affects the cost of an EHR data migration
The cost of an EHR data migration depends on how many systems are involved, how many clients and years of history you move, how many documents and scanned files come with them, and how clean and complete your current EHR's export is. Open claims, Part 2 consents and the share of old records you archive instead of migrating also shape the price.
- The biggest cost drivers are the number of systems, the volume of records and documents, and the quality of the export.
- Cleaning up data, archiving inactive records and getting a test export early keep the scope clear.
- Plan for your own staff time and any overlap on the old EHR contract, as well as the migration fee.
What drives the cost of an EHR data migration?
| Factor | Why it matters | How to find out |
|---|---|---|
| Number of systems | Each source system has its own export and its own field mapping | List every system that holds client records, including any from an acquisition |
| Clients and years of history | More records mean more mapping checks and a larger reconciliation | Count active and inactive clients and the oldest record date |
| Documents and scanned files | Files need an index that ties each one to the right client | Ask your vendor whether the export includes files and an index |
| Export format and quality | Structured files map more directly than PDF-only chart packages | Request a full test export and open the files |
| Open claims and balances | Claims need a plan for where each one is finished | Run an open claims report in the old system |
| Part 2 consents | Restricted records need their consent rules carried over | Count clients with Part 2 consents on file |
| Migrate or archive | Moving every record takes more work than archiving older ones | Decide which records your team needs to open day to day |
How is Ferry priced?
Every Ferry quote is a flat price agreed before work starts, based on a review of a recent export. Published prices:
- Solo: $1,500 flat, for single clinician practices.
- Group: $5,000 to $15,000 flat, priced by volume and systems.
- Multi-site: from $20,000 flat, for programs and acquisitions.
Every migration includes field mapping, a test run on a sample of clients, clinical notes, documents and demographics, open claims reconciliation, Part 2 consent handling and a reconciliation report for every record type. An archive-only option is available for legacy data.
What costs sit outside the migration fee?
- Staff time for the project owner, clinical lead and billing lead to review the mapping, the sample and the reconciliation report. Who does what in an EHR migration lists each role.
- Any fee your current vendor charges for a full export. Ask in writing before you sign with a new system.
- Overlap on the old EHR contract while you keep read-only access for lookups and open claims.
- Training time on the new system, covered in how to prepare your staff for an EHR cutover.
How can you keep the scope clear?
- Request a full test export early, using how to request and test a full EHR export.
- Clean up duplicates, open notes and past appointments first, as set out in how to clean up EHR data before a migration.
- Decide which older records go to a read-only archive, using the legacy EHR data archiving guide.
- Write down every record type in scope, so the quote and the reconciliation report cover the same list.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an EHR data migration cost?
It depends on the systems, the volume of records and documents, and the quality of the export. Ferry publishes flat prices: $1,500 for a solo practice, $5,000 to $15,000 for a group, and from $20,000 for multi-site programs and acquisitions.
Why does a flat price need a test export first?
The export shows what the old system gives you and in what form, which sets the mapping work. Reviewing it before quoting lets the price cover the real scope from the start.
Does archiving older records change the scope?
Yes. Records you archive stay readable in a read-only form, while records you migrate are mapped, tested and reconciled in the new system. Ferry quotes the scope you choose, so you can compare a full migration with a split between migration and archive.
What do we need to send for a quote?
Send a recent export from your current system. Ferry reviews it, confirms the systems and the scope, and gives you a fixed price before any work starts.
To compare your options before you ask for quotes, see EHR data migration: in-house or hire a service?
How Ferry helps
Ferry migrates data between behavioral health EHRs at a fixed price, with a reconciliation report for every record type. Get a migration quote.