In Instinct EMR, medical record data migration is the process of transferring patient histories, client information, appointments, and clinical documents from your current veterinary software into Instinct EMR when switching systems. Instinct EMR partners with Bitwerx, a company specializing in veterinary data migration, to manage this process.
Before migration: what to know
Because migration involves extracting data from third-party systems, there are some limitations to be aware of before you begin.
Data accuracy and quality
The quality and completeness of migrated data depend on the information available in your legacy PIMS and the data provided through Bitwerx. While Instinct EMR takes extensive steps to review and validate migrated records, some data may not transfer perfectly due to limitations within the source system or during the extraction and conversion process. Instinct EMR cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of all migrated data. If questions or discrepancies arise, the Instinct EMR team will work closely with your practice to investigate and provide guidance.
PIMS-specific limitations
Each practice management system stores and structures data differently, so certain records, document types, or data relationships may not migrate cleanly into Instinct EMR from some PIMS platforms. Instinct EMR will proactively communicate any known limitations as they are identified during your migration process.
Post-go-live support window
Bitwerx maintains migration support tickets for up to 3 months after the final data pull. After this period, any additional migration work may require a new ticket and could incur additional conversion fees. Instinct EMR strongly encourages practices to carefully review migrated data and report any issues within the first 2 weeks after go-live.
For integration-supported PIMS
If your current PIMS is integration-supported, the migration follows a more automated process. To confirm whether your PIMS qualifies, see PIMS Systems Supported for Data Migration.
Install a secure migration agent. Bitwerx will contact your practice to install a secure agent on your server, allowing them to safely access and export your medical records.
Complete the initial data pull. Bitwerx performs an initial extraction of your records—this process can take up to two weeks. Your team then reviews the migrated data in a sandbox (test) environment before go-live, confirming everything looks correct before records move into your live Instinct EMR system.
Complete the final data pull after go-live. A few days after your practice officially begins using Instinct EMR, Bitwerx performs a final extraction to capture any new records created after the initial pull. Instinct EMR then uploads these records into your production system and notifies your team by email.
For manually supported PIMS
If your current PIMS is manually supported, migration requires a more hands-on extraction process. To confirm whether your PIMS qualifies, see PIMS Systems Supported for Data Migration.
Obtain data from your current PIMS. Contact your current software provider and request that export links or copies of your data be sent to Bitwerx or to Instinct EMR.
Complete data extraction and review. Bitwerx extracts the data and transforms it into a standardized format for import into Instinct EMR. Your team then reviews the migrated data in a sandbox (test) environment before go-live.
Complete the final post-go-live pull. A few days after go-live, a final extraction captures any new records created after the initial pull. Instinct EMR uploads these records into your production system and notifies your team by email.
After your data is imported
The following applies to both migration paths once the final data pull is complete.
Medical documents, lab reports, and attachments are uploaded to the correct patient visits based on their original creation dates, if applicable.
Some imported records may temporarily create $0.00 invoices in Instinct EMR. These will be closed in bulk.
Instinct EMR will provide a list of possible duplicate patients or client accounts for your team to review and merge if needed.
Tip: Instinct EMR strongly recommends maintaining read-only access to your old PIMS for 3–6 months after go-live as a backup reference during the transition period. |
Still need help?
Contact support via live chat or email [email protected].