EHR field mapping: how to map data between EHRs
EHR field mapping is the plan that says where each piece of data from your old EHR will land in the new one: in a matching field, in a different field with a rule applied, as an attached document, or in an archive. To build one, list every field in a test export, find its match in the new system, map pick lists and codes, decide what arrives as documents, have clinical and billing leads review it, then test it on a sample of clients.
- Start from a real test export, so the mapping covers the fields your old system actually produces.
- Every field ends up in one of four places: a matching field, a field with a rule applied, a document, or an archive.
- A clinical lead and a billing lead should review the mapping, and a sample migration should prove it before cutover.
What is EHR field mapping?
Field mapping, also called data mapping, matches each field in your current EHR's export to a place in the new EHR. Client date of birth may move straight across. A full name may need splitting into first and last name. A pick list such as appointment status may need each old value matched to a new one. Past notes the new system cannot import as fields may arrive as read-only documents attached to the right client. What moves in an EHR migration explains which data usually lands where.
What goes into a field mapping document?
| Column | What it records |
|---|---|
| Source field | The field name in the old system's export, such as client date of birth |
| Target field | Where it lands in the new system, or "document" or "archive" |
| Rule | Any change on the way, such as splitting a full name into first and last name |
| Value matches | For pick lists such as appointment status or service type, how each old value matches a new one |
| Reviewer | Who approved the line: the clinical lead, the billing lead or the project owner |
| Sample result | What the sample migration showed for that field |
A shared spreadsheet works well, with one row per field and one tab per record type.
How do you build an EHR field mapping, step by step?
Step 1: List every field in the export
Start from a full test export, as covered in how to request and test a full EHR export. List every file and every column, including custom fields and intake form answers.
Step 2: Find the match in the new system
For each field, find where the new system stores the same information. Note any difference in format, length or required fields.
Step 3: Map pick lists and codes
Match each old value for appointment statuses, service types, clinicians, locations, payers and diagnosis codes to its new value. Lists that look the same often differ in spelling or in how many options they offer.
Step 4: Decide what arrives as documents
Agree which records the new system will hold as read-only documents instead of fields, such as past notes or scanned files, and how each one will be named and attached to the client.
Step 5: Review with clinical and billing leads
Walk the clinical lead through notes, diagnoses and documents, and the billing lead through insurance, claims and balances. Record each approval in the mapping.
Step 6: Test on a sample and update
Move a small set of real clients and check their charts in the new system. Fix the mapping for anything that landed in the wrong place, then repeat the sample if the changes were large.
Which fields need the most care?
- Free-text fields that hold several things at once, such as an address or a list of contacts in one box.
- Custom fields and intake forms that exist only in your old system.
- Clinician, location and payer names spelled differently in the two systems.
- Diagnosis codes stored as free text.
- Recurring appointments and appointment statuses.
- Flags on restricted records, such as Part 2 consents, which need to stay attached to the right client.
Who should sign off the field mapping?
The project owner signs off the full mapping after the clinical lead and the billing lead have approved their parts. Keep the signed version, because the reconciliation report is checked against it at the end of the project.
Frequently asked questions
What is data mapping in an EHR migration?
Data mapping, or field mapping, is the plan that matches each field in the old EHR's export to a place in the new EHR: a matching field, a field with a rule applied, an attached document, or an archive. It is reviewed by clinical and billing leads and tested on a sample of clients before cutover.
Can every field be mapped to the new EHR?
Not always. Some fields have no match in the new system. Those can be moved into a related field with a rule, attached as a document, or kept in a read-only archive. The mapping should record which option was chosen for each one.
Who should review an EHR field mapping?
A clinical lead should review notes, diagnoses and documents, a billing lead should review insurance, claims and balances, and the project owner should sign off the full mapping.
Does Ferry handle the field mapping?
Yes. Field mapping and a test run on a sample are part of every Ferry migration, before the full move runs. Prices are published on the home page.
See where mapping fits in the EHR migration checklist, and look up related terms in the EHR migration glossary.
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.