How to set up staff users and permissions in the new EHR
Set up staff users and permissions in the new EHR by inventorying every role from the old system, mapping each person to one role with least privilege, removing shared logins, and testing one user of each role before go-live. Finish this before the freeze so staff can open the new system on day one.
- Inventory every role and named user from the old EHR before you create accounts in the new one.
- Give each person one login and the least access their job needs: admin, clinician, biller or front desk.
- Test one user of each role before go-live and keep a written list of who can reset passwords.
Why set up users before cutover?
Staff cannot chart, schedule or bill on go-live without working logins. Building roles early also surfaces shared passwords and leftover accounts from former staff. Tie this work to how you prepare staff for an EHR cutover so training uses the same accounts people will keep.
What roles usually exist?
| Role | Typical access | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Admin | User management, settings, full reports | Keep this list short | |
| Clinician | Own schedule, notes, assigned charts | Limit chart access to what care requires | |
| Biller | Claims, balances, payer setup | Separate from clinical note edit rights when the EHR allows | |
| Front desk | Scheduling, demographics, reminders | Often the first to notice missing appointments | |
| Read-only / auditor | View charts and reports | Useful for owners or compliance reviews | |
The glossary entry for role (user permission) defines the term used in quotes and setup checklists.
How do you set up staff users and permissions?
Step 1: Export the old user and role list
Export every active user, their role and whether they still work at the practice. Cross-check with HR or the owner so former staff are left out of the new system.
Step 2: Map each person to one role
Write a table of name, email, role in the new EHR and locations or programs they serve. Prefer the least privilege that still lets them finish daily work.
Step 3: Create accounts without shared logins
Create one login per person. Shared front-desk or billing logins hide who changed a record and block password resets when someone leaves.
Step 4: Set admin vs clinician vs biller rights
Configure admin, clinician and biller permissions from your role table. Turn off features a role skips in daily work, including delete rights and bulk export where that is separate.
Step 5: Test one user of each role
Before go-live, have one admin, one clinician, one biller and one front-desk user complete a short task list in the new EHR. Fix permission gaps the same day.
Step 6: Plan access for the parallel run
Decide who keeps read-only access to the old EHR during the parallel run and who is admin-only in the new system for password resets on day one.
What to watch for
- Former staff still listed as active in the old EHR.
- Clinicians who also bill under a second shared login.
- Admin rights given to everyone "just in case."
- Training accounts left open with full access after go-live.
Frequently asked questions
When should staff users be created in the new EHR?
Create and test them before the data freeze so training and go-live use the same accounts. Waiting until cutover day leaves staff locked out of charts and schedules.
Should billing and clinical staff share a login?
Give each person one login. Shared logins make it hard to see who changed a claim or a note and complicate access changes when someone leaves.
How do you test permissions before go-live?
Pick one person per role and walk through their daily tasks: open a chart, write a note, post a charge, book an appointment or run a report. Fix gaps before cutover.
Does Ferry create staff users in the new EHR?
Ferry migrates clinical and billing data. Your practice or new EHR admin creates staff users and permissions; Ferry can confirm the data those users will see after the 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.