When it comes to clinical data migration, the 5P’s principle (Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance) helps you achieve optimal results. In other words, when converting and transferring healthcare data from one system or location to another, the more you identify and address potential clinical data management challenges in advance, the more successful your migration project will be.

In fact, without a pre-project plan and data migration checklist, your entire project could get derailed or cause security, privacy, compliance, or regulatory problems down the line. There’s also a lot of data to consider. The healthcare industry generates approximately 30% of the world’s data volume. By 2025, the compound annual growth rate of data for healthcare will reach 36%. That’s 6% faster than manufacturing, 10% faster than financial services, and 11% faster than media and entertainment.
 

6 Questions to Inform the Strategy in Your Data Migration Checklist

Justifying the time and cost investment of a data migration project can require answering several critical operational questions and getting ahead of potential risks. Consider these six questions before meeting with leadership or setting a budget:
 

1. Is a full or partial system migration most beneficial?

You’ll need to determine whether it makes sense to migrate all or only a subset of your data. As you consider the healthcare data life cycle, archiving data should be an important part of this conversation. Your conclusions will drive the cost and timeline of the entire data migration project, but there are other factors as well. With a full migration, you’re better able to meet regulatory compliance standards and will maintain complete access to patient information and historical clinical data – supporting care continuity, research, and data analysis and reporting. You also have to consider the importance of data integrity, however, and whether older information may be incomplete or in the wrong format, necessitating extra steps in the process. Migrating some data may be more efficient and allow for prioritization of the most high-value data and information, but you also lose the benefits of a full-system migration.
 

2. Which is better—a cloud-based or a hybrid approach to data migration?

While a hybrid approach to clinical data management may feel more familiar, the reality is that today’s cloud services are safe, secure, scalable, and affordable. Migration to the cloud enables you to convert massive amounts of complex data automatically, and it eliminates the need to pay maintenance fees for expensive in-house hardware. In addition, many cloud storage service vendors even provide backup options to give you an additional layer of security. So, it’s not surprising that 78% of healthcare organizations have either completed a cloud-based migration or are in the process of migrating their data to the cloud, according to a 2023 HIMSS Analytics Report.
 

3. When archiving data, is it best to work in phases or complete all the work at once?

There is no right answer, and that answer may depend on business needs, like resource management and minimization of operational disruption, or concerns about mitigation of errors and the flexibility to adjust to shifting priorities. While an all-at-once transfer typically involves taking systems down for a longer period, the advantage is that it’s a “one and done” proposition. With a phased approach, the data migration process is completed in pieces by running both systems in parallel, thus eliminating downtime.
 

4. Who should be on the clinical data migration team, and why?

The individuals on the clinical data migration team each should bring distinct skills, knowledge, and experience that make the overall project successful. For this team, you’ll need data owners and stewards (e.g., health information management [HIM] teams, researchers, and clinicians) who understand the importance of data integrity and have a vested interest in ensuring the data is migrated successfully. Clinicians use this data to provide patient care, researchers use it for clinical research projects, and HIM teams use it for critical business functions. All these individuals can provide essential information about potential gaps or problems during the data migration process.

The clinical data migration team should also include a group of functional experts who can validate the data and ensure it transfers accurately and maps correctly. Finally, the team needs professionals skilled in software development and data transfer who can resolve potential technical issues quickly and effectively. If your organization doesn’t have the right clinical data management expertise to manage the project, consider partnering with a third-party vendor that can help you achieve the results you seek.
 

5. What are the biggest challenges with archiving data?

One challenge of any data migration project is poor-quality data. Migrating and archiving data doesn’t negate existing data errors and omissions, and it may even exacerbate them. To combat this, perform data cleanup before starting the migration process. Identify records with mistakes, duplicates, or unnecessary details, then leverage data cleansing tools to get rid of inaccurate or damaged data. Implement data quality checks, validation rules, and data cleansing workflows at every stage of the migration project.

A second challenge is inconsistent data formats. Clinical data comes in a wide variety of formats, and there may also be special considerations for migrating images, multi-level patient records, and diagnostics. Converting the data to a consistent, interoperable structure—especially older data in legacy systems—becomes paramount.
 

6. What are the biggest potential risks with data migration?

There are three major risks that we’ve identified:

1. Migrating too much or too little data. A pre-planning assessment and data migration checklist are invaluable for understanding what data needs to be moved. Check all systems with electronic and paper-based clinical data to understand the depth and breadth of your data. Be sure not to omit data currently stored in aging legacy systems. Archiving data rather than migrating it may be the best option in some cases.
2. System disruptions and downtime. These can cause a negative impact on patient care, including treatment delays and compromises to patient safety.
3. Data loss or corruption during migration. This can also impact the quality of patient care because clinicians would not be able to access vital information when they need it.

The best way to mitigate these clinical data management risks is to stick to the data migration checklist and roadmap for completion that includes a clearly defined project scope, budget, specific data migration solutions and transfer methods you’ll use, and steps you’ll take to promote the importance of data integrity (e.g., ongoing and proactive validation and monitoring).
 

Alleviate Data Migration Concerns With a Skilled Partner

Anticipating and addressing clinical data management challenges ahead of time can make your data migration project, including archiving data, go smoothly. So can the right technology. See Olah™, Verisma’s simple, fast, and complete solution to data archiving, in action.

Let’s face it: Data migration projects can be daunting for healthcare organizations. You need to understand the full scope of complex, existing data, pull together the right team to make important decisions, and navigate situations where costs can add up quickly.

As you move data from one system to another (e.g., to consolidate data centers, leverage a better electronic health record (EHR), or retire an obsolete server), one of the critical decisions your team must make is how to maintain access to older, historical information (sometimes called “cold data”) that’s critical for patient care and business continuity. Errors and omissions during the complex migration process can have dire consequences.

Fortunately, data archiving—the process of transferring cold data to less expensive, secondary storage for safe patient care and compliance and regulatory purposes—can help streamline your data migration efforts, enabling you to save money, promote data integrity, and minimize workflow disruptions. Here’s how.

 

6 Benefits of Healthcare Data Archiving for Data Migration

 

1. Reduction in the Volume of Data to Migrate

Strategic archivers understand the importance of having a structured approach to data archiving, which drastically reduces the volume of data needed to migrate to a new system while simultaneously providing end users with efficient and uninterrupted access to cold data. With an archiving plan, you reduce the likelihood of unnecessary headaches during these transitions—your data resides safely in a storage system or cloud-based archival solution where users can access it when they need to. This is helpful for current as well as future data migration projects. In fact, data migration often becomes more manageable and cost effective when you strategically commit to ongoing data archiving. A lower volume of data lessens the overall complexity of the migration process that often equates to a faster transition to the new system.

 

2. Enhanced Data Quality and Integrity

With healthcare data archiving, you preserve the integrity of the data by mitigating the risk of data loss or corruption inherent in the migration process. Archiving cold data rather than migrating it leads to overall enhanced data quality. One caveat? Data quality checks and validations are important before, during, and after the data archiving process to ensure data integrity.

 

3. Archived Data Sets the Stage for Optimal System Performance

New systems perform optimally when end users have all the information they need at their fingertips. That’s where data archiving can help. With healthcare data archiving, your end users no longer need to access legacy systems in addition to the new system to gain a clear picture of the data in its totality. Archiving solutions can integrate directly with the new system to provide seamless access, drive maximum productivity and efficiency, and support ideal system performance in your organization. This heightened performance, in turn, promotes a positive return on investment, enhances end-user satisfaction, and may improve patient care quality as well.

 

4. Better Compliance With Data Retention Policies and Regulatory Requirements

Data archiving provides much-needed reassurance that you’ll meet regulatory obligations regarding data retention and patient privacy even while pursuing one or more complex data migration projects. You won’t need to worry about not having access to historical data, not being able to provide patients with timely access to their information, or accidentally destroying data prematurely. In addition, healthcare data archival solutions compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) safeguard your organization against potential legal, compliance, and security issues associated with data loss or unauthorized access that can have costly reputational and financial implications.

 

5. Lower Data Migration Costs

Archiving data before beginning a data migration project significantly reduces overall migration costs because your migration efforts only target mission-critical data—not all your data. This means there’s far less data to “clean,” or put into the format required for the new system. Cleaning the data may also require reorganizing folder structures, renaming files, extracting certain data points, and digitizing information. Even with automation, manual human review is needed during the data cleansing process. On the other hand, only migrating what you need allows you to focus on reducing duplicate records and providing direct access to organized records in the new system—all while older, historical data remains intact. Even after the data migration project is complete, continuing to archive older, historical data helps you reduce storage costs and data backups necessary to accommodate data growth in the new environment.

 

6. Archived Data Enhances Patient Care and Safety

Unimpeded access to archived data minimizes the risk of medical errors and adverse events because it provides clinicians with complete information about past diagnoses and treatment. This information is often critical to making informed decisions, and it may even save lives. Healthcare data archiving solutions enable your teams to retrieve treatment, medication, and prognosis information even during large data migration projects, thereby enhancing patient safety and quality of care.

 

What is Data Conversion’s Role in a Migration Project?

While archiving often serves as a beneficial component of data migration projects, there’s another aspect of the process it can sometimes be confused with. Before moving data, it’s helpful to consider compatibility and whether data conversion may be necessary.

What is data conversion? It’s a unique aspect of data migration that may be necessary for transferring data from one system or platform to another. Conversion ensures the data has the right format, structure, and standard necessary for the new system. It’s vital to both data integrity and accessibility and should be discussed in the early planning stages of any new project.

 

The Ongoing Importance of Healthcare Data Archiving

Healthcare data archival will continue to play a pivotal role in data migration, ensuring the preservation, accessibility, and integrity of historical data. As healthcare organizations migrate to new EHRs and other novel systems, strategic data archiving will be paramount importance. Without it, stakeholders may not have access to historical data necessary to derive accurate insights and patient care decisions.

Prioritizing data archival ensures organizations can ultimately leverage all—not just some—of their data effectively.

See Olah™, Verisma’s simple, fast, and complete solution to data archiving, in action.

The baseline standard for healthcare organizations aiming to stay at the forefront of innovation is continual implementation of advanced and emerging technologies. In fact, 85% of healthcare leaders recently said their organization’s digital and technology budget would increase this year. The top three priorities for investment included cybersecurity infrastructure, electronic health record (EHR) integration and modernization, and digital front door or virtual care. Collectively, these technologies increase an organization’s ability to attract and retain patients, provide value-based care that improves clinical outcomes and lowers costs, and streamline operational efficiencies.

Healthcare technology isn’t the only driver of modernization, however. So is having a comprehensive strategy for data migration—one that includes data assessment, cleanup, structuring, conversion, archiving, migration, and validation. Organizations need a clear plan to move data from one system to another so they can continue to capitalize on the value of that data. In this article, we’ll provide six reasons why legacy system migration is a key step in a healthcare organization’s journey toward modernizing the care it provides.

 

Legacy System Migration and Modern Care

There are several inciting events that can kick-start a migration project. For example, perhaps your organization recently acquired a group of physician practices with the goal of increasing patient access and generating new revenue. To maximize the success of this acquisition, an EHR conversion may be necessary. Or perhaps you’re switching EHRs because you want to provide a better telehealth platform and advanced patient engagement tools. Regardless of the reason, the need for projects like EHR migration and gathering patient-level information into one unified database is paramount.

Data is at the heart of care and operations, and it can be stored on highly disparate systems, whether you’re talking about patient medical records, financial data, images (e.g., x-rays, ultrasounds, and scanned documents), or other information that may be critical for performance improvements. Legacy system migration, including EHR migration, is the only way to ensure that everyone has the most up-to-date information on patients, treatments, and staff.

 

How Data Center Migration Gives You a Competitive Edge

When upgrading or implementing a new system as part of your modernization strategy, you’ll need a clear plan for data migration. Without one, you’ll undoubtedly undermine your efforts and may even fail to achieve your desired return on investment for any new or upgraded technology.

Data center migration is an important part of any modernization strategy because it:

1. Allows you to leverage advanced data analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence. When historical data continues to reside in legacy systems, that data is difficult to incorporate into new and emerging analytics tools that provide insights your organization can use to make data-driven decisions. Legacy system migration ensures data from disparate systems is all in one place for easier analysis. In addition, the greater the volume of data your organization can analyze, the more accurate the conclusions it can draw. Historical data provides context for understanding current trends, but only with the help of data migration.
2. Supports data accessibility. Data migration prevents users from having to log into multiple systems to access the data. In addition, cloud migration provides secure accessibility from a variety of devices such as mobile phones, laptops, or wearable devices. In healthcare, time is money, and even seconds matter when lives are at stake. Fast and easy access to data supports critical workflow efficiencies that improve overall performance. A lack of access offsets any productivity gained through new technology. Data accessibility is necessary for modern, value-based care.
3. Promotes data interoperability. Migrating legacy data to a new, interoperable system means healthcare organizations can, in turn, exchange that data with a variety of other external entities or incorporate it more seamlessly into medical solutions and technologies within the health system’s own quickly expanding ecosystem (e.g., laboratory information systems, telehealth platforms, remote patient monitoring devices, and internet of things devices). Without data migration, interoperable exchange is costly and perhaps even impossible in some cases. Efforts to leverage new technologies are also limited. Data interoperability supports a modern care experience that promotes care coordination and patient engagement.
4. Simplifies the modernization of existing platforms and operating systems and increases data security. An aging infrastructure is highly problematic for today’s healthcare organizations, and migrating data out of legacy systems to more modern systems ensures a smooth transition while providing inherent protection against cyberattacks. That’s because legacy systems pose a significant cybersecurity threat. These antiquated systems are not built using the latest security tools and techniques, and they may not even function on the latest versions of operating systems. A breach can be financially devastating—with the average cost of a healthcare data breach nearly $11 million—and it can greatly harm an organization from a reputational perspective.Unfortunately, 35% of third-party breaches that occurred in 2023 affected healthcare organizations, overtaking all other sectors, and legacy systems are often the point of entry for bad actors. However, breached organizations were more likely to pass the cost off to consumers rather than invest more in security. Migrating data to new, updated systems ensures organizations operate in a modern and secure environment, particularly when paired with a legacy system decommissioning strategy.
5. Drives cost savings. Organizations are continually looking for ways to offset the cost of new technology. Data migration is helpful because it eliminates the need to continue maintaining legacy systems, for which organizations often pay a monthly licensing fee. With data migration, organizations also avoid costs related to updating legacy systems and costs associated with lost productivity due to slower hardware. Eighty-five percent of organizations that have archived and retired legacy systems report positive financial results. Organizations can reinvest these cost savings into modern care tools and additional staff.

 

Choose a Partner That Meets Your Migration Needs

Leveraging new technology is an important part of modernizing a healthcare organization. It can help you achieve data completeness and consistency, ensure data integrity, facilitate scalability, strengthen data safeguarding, assure data consolidation, and more. But it’s not as simple as “plug and play.” Legacy systems hold a significant volume of patient data that’s necessary to access and use. That’s why data migration is so important. Leaving that data in legacy systems is not the answer. Learn more about Olah™, Verisma’s simple, fast, and complete solution to data archiving, and how it can streamline your data migration plans.

Here’s the good news: When it comes to data archiving solutions, you’ve got options. The bad news: You’ve got options.

It’s nice to have choices when deciding on your ideal partner, but that also means you’ll need to thoroughly research each solution to find the best fit. On the surface, all may look equally viable in terms of archiving records effectively. However, every healthcare organization embarking on the journey of application retirement for the first time has different needs and priorities. The same is true for organizations that need to replace their current data archiving solution or vendor. The top three reasons for making the switch, according to a recent KLAS report, are missing data, missed timelines, and lack of integration with the electronic medical record (EMR).

All of this means you have your homework cut out for you, including understanding what common myths about archiving records are untrue, to ensure you make the best purchase decision possible. The wrong choice can be costly in terms of lost productivity, compliance risk, patient safety, and more.

Structured Data Archiving Options: Understanding the Differences

Generally speaking, healthcare data archiving solutions differ significantly when it comes to the following categories:

• Methodology for archiving records
• Speed and efficiency
• Cost structure
• Compliance and security
• Customization
• Integration capabilities
• User experience

In OIah’s experience, most healthcare organizations consider “compliance and security” to be the most important distinguishing factor, with speed and efficiency a close second. The same KLAS report found that price, sales experience, and functionality drive purchasing decisions for all providers, whether they’re replacing a data archiving solution or choosing one for the first time. You already know the top priorities at your own facility. Thoroughly vetting each structured data archiving option is paramount because it prevents you from wasting time, money, and resources on a solution that doesn’t ultimately deliver the return on investment you seek.

With that said, healthcare organizations focusing on application retirement typically want to make the process as expeditious as possible. They need to move legacy data quickly and efficiently to contain costs, mitigate risk, and promote business continuity. That’s why proactive planning is so critical.

Questions to Consider When Weighing Application Retirement Solutions

Preparing questions in advance helps you make the most of your conversations with vendors and understand the intricacies of the differences between data archiving solutions designed specifically for healthcare settings. We’ve done some of that work for you. Use the list of 12 questions below as a starting point and add additional queries you feel are relevant to your organization’s unique needs and priorities.

1. What methodology do you use for archiving records?

While some data archiving solutions use extract, transform, and load (ETL) to migrate a portion of legacy data into new systems, others use a quick and simple “lift and shift” methodology to maintain all data from legacy systems. This is an important distinction you’ll want to clarify.

2. How do you store archived records?

Some offerings from vendors store archived records in silos. Users must click into multiple silos to access records for a single patient. Others store archived records in one patient-centric location that includes all archived data for each individual patient. This means multiple clicks aren’t necessary, making the user experience much more positive. Again, an important question to ask.

3. What is the speed and efficiency of the data archiving solution?

ETL solutions can be slower because they involve data conversion and validation. Non-ETL solutions rapidly archive large volumes of legacy data, making them much faster. This is an important consideration in terms of user productivity and patient safety.

4. What is your cost structure for archiving records?

It’s best to start exploring financial considerations upfront. Some vendors may have hidden costs associated with the number of patient records archived or the size of the legacy system. Others offer a more straightforward pricing model so you know how much the entire application retirement project will cost.

5. How do you ensure compliance and security?

Some vendors stay abreast of new and emerging regulatory requirements while others lag behind. A preferred vendor, for example, is likely aware of the potential for a machine-readable-code requirement for PHI (personal health information) holding systems, which would increase interoperability by ensuring that data’s produced in a more easily-read format. Also ask the vendor to articulate specifically what it does to promote HIPAA compliance and cybersecurity, or you may be placing patient privacy and data security at serious risk.

6. How well does the data archiving solution integrate with existing systems?

Some data archiving solutions integrate seamlessly with existing systems, while others may require additional effort for which your organization may not have available time and resources. For example, at a minimum, you’ll probably want the legacy data deeply integrated with your upcoming EMR and admission, discharge, transfer feed so users can see that data as easily as possible. Be sure to inquire whether the vendor supports the FHIR communication standard, a next-generation interoperability standard designed to enable the efficient exchange of clinical and administrative health data.

7. Can we customize the solution?

Some data archiving solutions may offer more options for customization or be nimbler than others when it comes to implementing enhancements. If this is important to your organization, be sure to ask for examples.

8. How easy will it be to access, use, and even purge archived data now and in the future?

Focus on data representation and manipulation capabilities your users need. For example, do they need to search and filter data based on multiple criteria? Do they commonly ask for the ability to save filters for repeated use? Does the system automatically identify data records to purge based on a variety of factors? Can you implement exceptions? Is there a detailed audit log of all activities?

9. What level of support do you provide?

Services are equally as important as software to the success of your data archiving project. Be sure to inquire about ongoing support for data retrieval, staff education, data lifecycle management, performance monitoring and optimization, disaster recovery planning, and scalability. Also inquire about updates such as system upgrades and potential data security improvements.

10. How do you ensure data integrity?

How likely is it that legacy data will be corrupted or lost during the application retirement process? This is an important consideration from a legal perspective, as organizations could be held liable if important legacy patient data is missing.

11. What user training do you provide?

Ideally, the healthcare data archiving solution requires minimal user training. If training is necessary, how does the vendor provide ongoing assistance so everyone can leverage the system effectively and efficiently?

12. What future costs can we anticipate?

With some healthcare data archiving vendors, the introductory price you receive isn’t the one you have in the long term. Ensure prospective vendors document their current and future rates in writing.

Choosing the Right Vendor for Archiving Records

Narrowing the options for healthcare data archiving solutions may seem daunting, but it becomes more manageable when you ask pointed questions about what the vendor does—and does not—do. Throughout this process, the answers will become crystal-clear and you’ll know exactly what you need.

See Olah™, Verisma’s simple, fast, and complete solution to archiving, in action today.

When it comes to choosing a clinical data management vendor, making an informed decision is paramount. The most effective way to ensure that you find the right fit for your organization? Ask questions. Lots of questions. Failing to gather important information means your data archiving needs may not ultimately be met. Healthcare data storage is nuanced, and doing your homework ensures maximum return on investment (ROI) from any solution in which you invest.

Here are 14 must-ask questions during meetings with potential data archiving partners:

 

1. What is the total cost of ownership of the data archiving solution?

While data archiving can save you money, it’s critical to look at the long-term financial picture. This includes understanding the initial costs of data migration and ongoing costs related to future migrations, user training, and more.

 

Why this is important:

The “sticker price” isn’t always meaningful in the context of the big picture. For example, do data usage patterns indicate you may need additional healthcare data storage in the future? If so, how might costs increase? How long do you need to store the data, and what are the short- and long-term costs associated with that timeframe? What about training new staff? Will this result in a significant loss of productivity? The goal is to promote positive financial results and reduce costs.

 

2. Are there any hidden fees or additional costs of which the healthcare organization should be aware?

Be sure to investigate items that may be added after you initially sign with a vendor or vague line items buried in a contract. For example, do fees increase commensurate with the number of patient records archived or the size of the legacy system?

 

Why this is important:

Hidden fees can easily escalate costs and detract from the overall anticipated ROI. This is the opposite of what should happen.

 

3. How easily does the data archiving solution integrate with existing systems?

Consider clinical data systems (e.g., the electronic health record) and non-clinical data systems (e.g., the enterprise resource planning system). Can users easily access information with as few clicks as possible?

 

Why this is important:

Data integration is an important aspect of ease of use and overall user satisfaction. It will alleviate provider and staff burden during ongoing healthcare staffing shortages and improve the speed of care and patient experience.

 

4. What kinds of data can the solution archive, and are there limitations?

For example, can the solution handle images as well as other file types? Can it integrate data from any legacy application or only certain ones?

 

Why this is important:

Limitations could stand in the way of current and future strategic goals. They could also affect ROI.

 

5. How does the data archiving solution ensure compliance with HIPAA?

Clinical data management vendors can employ their own full-time privacy and security officer and/or have a compliance officer to ensure all regulatory requirements are met. Inquire about any staff who may be safeguarding your data and consider the following questions: Does the solution integrate into your enterprise audit and compliance software? Does it provide healthcare organizations with print-ready reports that demonstrate compliance, including audit logs? If so, how does the solution track data at each stage of user access?

 

Why this is important:

One of many reasons to implement a healthcare data storage solution is to reduce cybersecurity risks—not introduce new ones. Asking this question gives you a sense of whether and how the vendor prioritizes security compliance.

 

6. What security measures are in place to protect the data?

For example, what are the vendor’s encryption methods, and when is data encrypted? Is 256-bit encryption used? Does the solution permit role-based access with break-glass access protocols? What about specific healthcare data storage requirements? Is electronic protected health information and personally identifiable information stored within a Tier III (or higher) SOC 2-certified data center?

 

Why this is important:

Again, it’s about reassurance that the healthcare data storage vendor has taken all possible steps to protect your data.

 

7. Does the vendor carry sufficient cybersecurity insurance?

If so, what’s included? Every company needs to be prepared in the event of a data breach, and asking these questions can ascertain that your data archiving vendor can cover your organization and itself.

 

Why this is important:

This question demonstrates the vendor’s level of accountability and commitment to its customers’ best interests.

 

8. How easily can users access and retrieve data from the data archiving solution?

Do users have immediate access to historical records? Can they see a singular view of patients across archives?

 

Why this is important:

A poor user experience breeds frustration. If users can’t find what they need in a timely manner, this could also affect compliance with information blocking requirements in the 21st Century Cures Act.

 

9. Is the data archiving solution web-based? Or does it require an onsite server?

 

Why this is important:

Web-based solutions provide secure access from anywhere, thus improving the user experience and efficiency while simultaneously reducing the risk of data breaches.

 

10. What type of support and training is provided during and after implementation?

How easy is it for users to learn the solution? Can they learn it in minutes, or will it take hours or even days?

 

Why this is important:

Time is money. Training should be clear and concise, and the solution should be highly intuitive so users can access information when, where, and how they need it.

 

11. How long does it typically take to fully implement the data archiving solution?

The answer to this usually depends on the specific approach the clinical data management vendor takes. Solutions using an extract, transform, and load (ETL) approach can be slower because they involve data conversion and validation. Non-ETL solutions rapidly archive large volumes of legacy data, making them much faster.

 

Why this is important:

Today’s healthcare organizations don’t have time to waste. Timely access to information is paramount.

 

12. How does the clinical data management vendor maintain data integrity during migration?

For example, what data validation standards does the vendor use to ensure data retention requirements are met? Does it use a combination of automated and manual validation processes?

 

Why this is important:

If a vendor can’t articulate this clearly, it could mean their validation standards are lackluster. This poses a direct threat to information that providers use to make critical decisions. Poor data validation can create many problems and challenges related to patient safety, care quality, and more.

 

13. Are there case studies that demonstrate the successful implementation of the data archiving solution?

 

Why this is important:

Case studies—and any specific returns on investment and metrics cited therein—can be helpful in terms of comparing options and customer experiences.

 

14. Can the healthcare organization request references?

Case studies may or may not be blinded. Either way, it’s a good idea to speak with individuals who have first-hand experience with the solution. Ideally, it would be individuals working in a similar-size organization and/or with the same or similar legacy systems.

 

Why this is important:

You’ll learn things the vendor might not tell you (both good and bad). In addition, even if an organization goes on the record for a case study, it may still be worthwhile to contact them directly to get a sense of how their experience evolved over time since the case study was published.

 

A Solution to Accelerate Your Data Archiving

Taking the time to thoroughly vet clinical data management vendors helps healthcare organizations find the right solution that fits their needs. Learn more about Olah™, Verisma’s simple, fast, and complete solution to data archiving.