How to run a sample migration before EHR cutover
A sample migration moves a small set of real clients from your old EHR into the new one before cutover. To run one, pick clients that cover every clinician and record type, move them using the draft field mapping, have clinical and billing staff check each chart against the old system, log every difference, fix the mapping and repeat until the sample comes across clean.
- Choose sample clients that cover every clinician, record type and unusual case, including your most complex charts.
- Check each sample chart side by side with the old system: notes, documents, diagnoses, appointments, balances and consents.
- Log every difference, fix the field mapping and run the sample again before the full migration.
Why run a sample migration before cutover?
The field mapping is a plan on paper. A sample migration shows what it looks like in the new system, with clients your staff already know. Problems found in a sample are quick to fix in the mapping; the same problems found after cutover affect every client.
How do you pick sample clients?
Choose a mix that covers:
- every clinician and every location
- clients with long histories and many notes
- clients with uploaded documents and scanned files
- clients with open balances or open claims
- clients with Part 2 consents, if your practice holds them
- clients with recurring appointments
- a discharged or inactive client
- any record you already know is unusual, such as a merged duplicate or a name change
How do you run a sample migration, step by step?
Step 1: Fix the version of the mapping
Agree which version of the field mapping this round uses, so every difference can be traced back to a mapping rule.
Step 2: Move the sample clients
Move the chosen clients into the new system, in a test environment if the new EHR offers one, or as a clearly marked set of records.
Step 3: Check each chart side by side
Open each sample client in both systems. Compare demographics, diagnoses, notes, documents, appointments, balances and consents.
Step 4: Log every difference
Record the client, the record type, what you expected and what you found. One shared list keeps the review in one place.
Step 5: Fix the mapping and repeat
Update the field mapping for each difference, or fix the source data in the old system, then run the sample again until the checks come back clean.
Step 6: Sign off the sample
Ask the clinical lead and the billing lead to confirm in writing that the sample looks right before the full migration is scheduled.
What should clinicians check in each sample chart?
- Notes are complete, in date order and attached to the right client.
- Diagnoses and treatment plans match the old system.
- Documents open and carry clear names.
- Appointments, including recurring ones, show once.
What should billing staff check?
- Insurance details and payer names.
- Balances and payments posted.
- Open claims, and where each one will be finished after cutover.
Who should review the sample?
The clinical lead reviews notes and diagnoses, the billing lead reviews insurance and balances, and the project owner keeps the issue list. Training staff on the sample at the same time lets them learn the new layout with clients they know, as covered in how to prepare your staff for an EHR cutover.
Frequently asked questions
How many clients should be in a sample migration?
Enough to cover every clinician, record type and unusual case in your practice. A solo practice may need only a handful; a group with several locations needs more. Pick for coverage first, then add a few clients at random.
What is the difference between a sample migration and a test export?
A test export checks what your old EHR gives you. A sample migration checks how that data looks once it is in the new EHR. You need both, starting with how to request and test a full EHR export.
What happens if the sample migration finds problems?
Log each one, fix the field mapping or the source data, and run the sample again. Schedule the full migration once the sample checks come back clean.
Does Ferry run a sample migration?
Yes. Every Ferry migration maps fields and tests on a sample of clients before the full move runs, then ends with a reconciliation report for every record type.
After sign-off, plan the cutover with the EHR migration checklist.
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.