What Happens To Your Data When Switching EHR Systems?

September 23, 2026

You’ve decided it might be time for a software change. Then comes the question that stops most practice managers in their tracks: “what happens to all the data we’ve built up?”

Patient demographics. Clinical notes going back a decade or more. Medication histories, allergies, referral letters, scanned documents: the accumulated record of every patient who has ever walked through your door.

For many practices, this is where the search for new software stalls. Not because the new system isn’t better, but because the data feels too risky to move.

Changing software doesn’t mean leaving your data behind, and it doesn’t mean starting again from a blank patient list. With the right preparation, the information your practice depends on can be assessed, prepared and carried across into a new system.

Data migration is a process, not a copy and paste

Data migration is the process of moving information out of your current software and into a new system. Depending on what your existing system holds, that can include patient demographics, clinical records, medications, allergies, immunisations, investigation results, correspondence, documents and referrals, along with other everyday practice data.

The complexity comes from something most practices never have a reason to think about: no two systems store information the same way. Practice software isn’t built to a single shared standard, so a field that’s a simple text entry in one system might be a structured, coded value in another. Even something as basic as an allergy list can be organised in completely different ways behind the scenes.

That’s not a flaw in any particular system. It’s the reality of an industry where different vendors have built things independently over many years. In practice, this means every field falls into one of three categories during a migration:

Fields that move straight across.

The data type exists in both systems in a comparable form, so it transfers with little to no restructuring.

Fields that move across but land somewhere different.

The information carries over, but because the two systems model it differently, it may sit in a different part of the patient record than you're used to.

Fields that need a closer look.

Some data types are specific enough to a vendor's system that they need a sample of your real data checked before anyone can confirm exactly how, or whether, they'll convert.

Knowing which of your data falls into which category before you commit is one of the most useful things a practice can ask for early on.

What can you expect at each stage of a data migration?

No two software providers run migration exactly the same way, but at MediRecords, it comes down to four stages: scope, authorise, transfer and test, then go live. A typical process may look something like:

Scope the migration

A good plan starts with the practical questions: what does your current system hold, what can it export, and are there oddities, like old scanned documents or unusual custom fields, that need special handling? Scoping is shaped around your practice, not treated as one size fits all.

Authorise the migration

Once requirements are understood, formal authorisation is typically required before anyone accesses your existing system or data. This is usually a consent style agreement that sets out exactly what's being moved and gives permission to access the source system. It's a short, straightforward step, but an important one, since it ensures everyone is clear about what's happening before it happens.

Transfer and prepare the data

Your data is exported and prepared in a test environment first, never straight into your live account. This is where the real differences between systems get sorted out, and where you get a clear picture of what's included and any limitations that apply.

Test, review and go live

Your data is checked against your source system, and any issues that come up are fixed before you see the results. Duplicate records can occur since new data is added alongside what's already there, which is why they're flagged in a clean up report for your team to work through. Once the test is clean, your team reviews it against a supplied checklist, and once you're happy, your records move into your live account and a start date is set.

Common data migration myths

“We’ll lose years of history.” Structured records, and often scanned documents and notes, are designed to carry across, not be left behind. Testing in a separate environment before going live is precisely to catch anything that hasn’t come through properly, so it can be fixed before your team ever relies on it.

“It’ll take months and disrupt everything.” Most migrations are measured in weeks, not months, and one handled properly shouldn’t require your practice to pause normal operations while it happens. New information is inserted alongside what’s already in your current system, rather than overwriting it, so there’s little risk to the records you’re actively using day to day. Your team can generally keep working in the old system right up until going live.

“Our team needs to understand databases to get through this.” None of the technical mapping is work your team needs to do. What’s asked of your practice is far more practical: confirming what data you want brought across, providing access to an export of your current system, and reviewing the results once they’re ready. The database level work sits with the migration team, not with practice staff.

What this means for your practice

No practice needs to manually move records or understand how databases work to get through a migration. What’s expected of you is straightforward: help define what matters, provide access to your data, answer a few questions about your current system, and review the results once they’re ready. Handled properly, the record you’ve built over years of patient care arrives intact in the system you’re moving to.

Curious what a move to MediRecords would actually look like for your practice? Check your system with our free interactive migration tool to see exactly what data can move across, where it will land, and which fields might need a closer look.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does data migration work with MediRecords specifically?

MediRecords migrates data from many of the major practice management systems used across Australia. If your current system isn’t a common one, a sample of your data can usually still be reviewed to confirm what’s possible. The process follows the same shape outlined above: scoping what needs to move, signing a short consent agreement, testing your data in a separate environment, and reviewing the results before anything goes live in your MediRecords account.

How do you make sure the migrated data is accurate?

A few checks happen before anything reaches your live account. Your data is first moved into a test environment and reviewed against your existing system. Where a patient’s history exists in multiple records, the version with the longest, most complete history is the one brought across. Where the migration creates duplicates, a clean up report is shared with your team so you know exactly what to review.

How long does a data migration usually take?

Most migrations are measured in weeks, not months. The exact timeline depends on which system you’re moving from, how much data you have, and how complex your records are.

What happens if my data doesn't fit neatly into the new system?

Not every field converts the same way between systems, since no two platforms store information identically. Some data moves straight across, some lands in a different part of the record, and some needs a closer look at a sample of your actual data before anyone can confirm how it’ll convert.

Is my data at risk while it's being moved?

Any reputable migration process takes steps to keep your data secure throughout, including during testing. Ask your provider directly how they handle this if it’s not covered in what they’ve shared with you upfront.

Considering a move to MediRecords?

Choose your current system and enter your details into the form below. We’ll show your full migration breakdown, and if you’re ready to proceed, our team will be in touch with your timeframe.