How to move appointments between EHRs
To move appointments between EHRs, bring past appointments across as history, move future and recurring appointments last at cutover, and match every clinician, location and service code first. Then check each clinician's calendar in the new system against the old one, so no client is missed or booked twice.
- Past appointments are history, so they can move early. Future and recurring appointments move last, right after the data freeze.
- Map clinicians, locations, service codes and appointment statuses before the move, or appointments land on the wrong calendar.
- Check each clinician's next two weeks side by side with the old system, and turn reminders off in the old system the same day.
Why do appointments need their own plan?
Appointments change every day. A client can cancel, reschedule or book a new session between the test export and go-live, so a copy taken early goes out of date. Past appointments stay the same once they happen, which is why they are easier to move.
Recurring sessions add a second problem. Some systems export a recurring series as one rule, others as a list of separate appointments. Ask your current vendor which one you get, and ask your new vendor which one it can import.
What needs to match before appointments move?
| Item | What to match | Who confirms |
|---|---|---|
| Clinicians | Each clinician in the old system has a user in the new one | Project owner |
| Locations and rooms | Office, telehealth and any room names | Front desk |
| Service codes | Each appointment type maps to a service in the new system | Billing lead |
| Appointment status | Kept, cancelled, no-show and late cancel | Billing lead |
| Recurring series | Series rule or separate dates, and the end date | Front desk |
| Client match | Each appointment points to the right client record | Project owner |
The EHR field mapping guide shows how to record these choices in one document.
How do you move appointments step by step?
Step 1: List every appointment type
Pull a list of appointment types, locations and statuses from the test export, and note any that are no longer used.
Step 2: Map clinicians, locations and services
Match each one to its place in the new system. Anything without a match needs a decision before the move, such as a new service in the new system or a general type.
Step 3: Move past appointments with the history
Bring past appointments across with the rest of the client history, so attendance and billing history read correctly in the new chart.
Step 4: Freeze the schedule
At the data freeze, staff stop booking in the old system. Keep a short list of any calls that come in, and book them in the new system once it opens.
Step 5: Move future and recurring appointments last
Run the future appointments as the final step of the full migration, after the freeze, so the copy matches the schedule your staff left.
Step 6: Check each clinician's calendar
Compare each clinician's next two weeks in both systems: same clients, same times, same service, and recurring series that continue past go-live with no duplicates.
What should you check after appointments move?
- Every future appointment appears once, on the right clinician's calendar.
- Recurring series continue to their end date, or to the date you chose.
- Telehealth appointments have a working link from the new system.
- Reminders go out from the new system only, and are switched off in the old one.
- The appointment count in the reconciliation report agrees with what you see.
Frequently asked questions
Should future appointments move before or after cutover?
Move future appointments last, right after the data freeze at cutover. Moving them earlier means any booking or cancellation made in the gap is lost or doubled.
Do recurring appointments move between EHRs?
Usually, though the form varies. Some systems export a recurring series as one rule and others as separate dates. Check both systems during the sample migration and confirm each series continues past go-live.
What happens to telehealth links when you switch EHRs?
If your telehealth links come from the old system's video tool, the new system will issue new ones. Check this during the sample migration and tell clients where their new link will come from.
Does Ferry move appointments?
Yes. Ferry moves past appointments with the client history and future appointments last at cutover, so clients are not double-booked, and the reconciliation report includes appointment counts.
Before cutover, pick the freeze time with how to choose an EHR cutover date.
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.