EMR migration: key strategies
EMR migration involves transferring patient records, clinical workflows, and other business-critical information. The strategy largely depends on budget and timeline, project volume, system complexity, exposure tolerance, and several other factors.
The three principal approaches being employed:
Full migration
This approach involves migrating data and functionality completely, from the legacy platform to the new one. That’s handled in a single cutover.
The advantages:
- Faster transition
- No need for maintaining two systems
The downsides:
- Higher risks
- Extensive downtime
Partial migration
This approach involves migrating data and functionality selectively, while the legacy platform remains active. For example, older records might stay in the old system while any new records are entered into the new one.
The advantages:
- Lower vulnerability
- No disruption to critical business processes
The downsides:
- Higher costs
- Limited interoperability
Hybrid migration
This strategy combines both full and partial migration:
- Certain components (in particular, core data) are transferred to the new system
- While others (for example, archived data) are integrated or accessed through links rather than immediately migrated
The advantages:
- Balanced efficiency vs risks
- Minimized downtime
The downsides:
- Complex setup
- Inconsistent workflows
