Which inactive and discharged clients to migrate
Decide which inactive and discharged clients to migrate by listing who still needs chart access in the new EHR, moving those charts, and archiving the rest in a readable copy. Spot-check client counts by status before cutover so the reconciliation report matches what you planned.
- Active, inactive and discharged labels vary by EHR; list what yours means and who still needs chart access.
- Migrate clients who will be seen, billed or referenced in the new system; archive others in a readable copy.
- Spot-check counts by status before cutover and keep the status rules in the field mapping.
What do active, inactive and discharged mean?
EHRs use different labels for the same idea. Active usually means a client with ongoing care or an open episode. Inactive often means no recent visits, with the chart still open. Discharged usually means the episode is closed. Confirm the exact labels in your current system and write them into the inventory. The glossary entries for inactive client and discharged client give short definitions.
Who needs chart access in the new EHR?
| Client situation | Typical choice | Why | |
|---|---|---|
| Still in care or booked after cutover | Migrate | Staff need the chart for notes, schedule and billing | |
| Closed episode, may return this year | Migrate or archive | Decide with the clinical lead based on how often charts are reopened | |
| Long-closed, rarely opened | Archive | Keep a readable copy without loading every old chart into the new system | |
| Needed only for an audit or legal request | Archive | Produce from the archive when asked | |
| Duplicate of another chart | Merge, then follow the surviving chart | Cleanup before export keeps one chart per person | |
Archive vs migrate for inactive and discharged clients
Migrating every past client can slow mapping and testing when most charts stay closed. Archiving every closed chart can leave staff without a chart when a client returns. Pick a rule by status and by how recently the chart was used, then apply it the same way across the roster. Legacy EHR data archiving covers how to keep a readable copy of what stays behind. Retention periods belong with your compliance lead or attorney; the steps below cover only the migrate vs archive choice for day-to-day access.
How do you decide which inactive and discharged clients to migrate?
Step 1: Export a client roster with status
Pull a roster from the old EHR that includes client ID, name, status label, last visit date and assigned clinician. Save a copy before you change anything.
Step 2: Define which statuses migrate
Write a short rule: which status labels move into the new EHR, which go to archive only, and who decides edge cases. Share it with the clinical and billing leads.
Step 3: Clean status labels first
Fix blank, conflicting or outdated statuses during data cleanup before migration. Merge duplicate clients before you count who migrates.
Step 4: Mark archive-only clients clearly
Tag archive-only clients in the roster or field mapping so the migration load skips them on purpose. Keep the same tag through sample and full runs.
Step 5: Spot-check counts by status
Compare the number of active, inactive and discharged clients in the old system with the number marked to migrate. Re-run the count after cleanup so the reconciliation report has a clear source total.
Step 6: Confirm on the sample migration
Include at least one inactive and one discharged client in the sample so clinicians can open those charts in the new system or confirm they are archive-only as planned.
What to watch for
- Status labels that mean different things across locations or past EHR setups.
- Clients marked discharged who still have open claims or future appointments.
- Archive-only charts that staff still open often for phone calls or refill questions.
- Counts that change after cleanup because duplicates were merged.
Frequently asked questions
Should every inactive client move to the new EHR?
Only if staff still need those charts for care, billing or routine lookups. Otherwise archive them in a readable copy and migrate the clients who will be used in the new system.
What is the difference between inactive and discharged?
Inactive usually means the chart is open with no recent visits. Discharged usually means the episode is closed. Confirm both labels in your current EHR before you set migrate vs archive rules.
How do you spot-check inactive and discharged counts?
Compare the roster counts by status in the old system with the migrate list and with the reconciliation report after the move. Include at least one inactive and one discharged chart in the sample migration.
Does Ferry help decide which clients to migrate?
Ferry scopes from your exports and the written migrate vs archive rules you set with your clinical lead. The reconciliation report then compares counts for each record type you chose to move.
For the full project from inventory to archive, see the EHR data migration guide.
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.