Are you locked into your EHR?
Sadly, it is not uncommon for an agency to become locked into their electronic records system or EHR (electronic health record). Even if their contract is getting ready to expire, and they’d like to move on because the program is no longer a good fit, they can’t move on because there’s no easy way to get their data out of their legacy system.
Importing and exporting client data can be one of the most labor-intensive tasks of using an EHR. Depending on:
- the amount of information
- what format you’ve been keeping it in (paper, Excel, Word, other programs)
- which electronic records system you’re trying to transition to…
…it can be a daunting process and needs to be handled with efficiency and organization.
Agencies may shy away from switching systems because they fear having to repeat this time-consuming endeavor. Even if they’re ready to take it on, they may not be able to get their data out of their current system. Unfortunately, not every EHR makes it easy to retrieve your client records so that you can part ways and move on when necessary.
Add It To Your Contract
If you’ve not yet signed a contract with an electronic records system, you’re in a great position! Be sure to have the vendor add a clause that spells out – literally in writing – how you will have easy access to your data, should you ever choose to non-renew your contract in the future.
If you’re already under contract with an EHR, no worries: you can always add it retroactively. Let the vendor know that you’re looking ahead at your ten year business plan and need to have that clause added. If your request is met with resistance or refusal, quietly & strategically implement a backup plan and start backing up the data yourself, separate from the system.
See below for some examples of what to ask for; and perhaps consider hiring an EHR consultant to help with with this and other contract-specific verbiage & practices to protect your facility.
PIMSY Makes It Easy to Retrieve Your Data
We believe in our products & services, and we operate from the basis of our founding principles, every day. While we do everything possible to help you get the most out of our system, if PIMSY’s not the right fit for you, we work with you to move on. It’s your data, and you should be able to get it out of our program whenever you choose.
To that end, PIMSY offers a global export feature, which means that you can easily export the data from any page of the system yourself. This feature can be utilized if you don’t renew your contract, or while you’re customer, for needs such as audits. (At the point of exporting, you are responsible for keeping the information HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 compliant & secure).
If you become a customer but later decide to leave, we give you all of your data on an FTP site to make it easy. We’re not going to hold you hostage: we’re confident in what we have to offer and do our best to work from a place of integrity. Contact us to see if PIMSY is a good fit for your agency. We look forward to showing you what it can do.
For more details, check out our free video demo, features page, and solutions for mental & behavioral health.
More Electronic Records System Complimentary Tools
Put our years of experience to work for you! Check out our EHR Resource Center for more complimentary tools on finding the right system for your organization. Get our tips on what to look out for when researching prospective systems. Our Free EHR Guide is a great place to start!
Leigh-Ann Renz
Leigh-Ann Renz is the Marketing & Business Development Director of PIMSY EHR. For more information about electronic solutions for your practice, check out Mental Health EHR.
