We recently went over the 3 steps of data conversion (scope, extraction, and cleaning), but what happens to the historical data which is still in the legacy system and not converted into the new system?

After all, we can’t just toss out all the history!What is Data Archival?Data archiving is the process of moving data from your old EHR/EMR to a safe place for long-term retention.

You backup data by making a copy of it in case it were to be destroyed or lost.

You archive data to take reduce storage consumption/cost while still having access to it.Where Does the Data Go?Once your data has been extracted from the legacy system, cleaned and consolidated, it’s ready to be moved.

EHR Data must be archived in a vendor neutral EHR archive, such as Triyam’s medical records archival solution called Fovea.Fovea is a certified web based solution, which can be hosted in-house or in the cloud.

This is a much less expensive alternative and once all documents have been archived into Fovea, the legacy systems can be shut down.Accessing the Archived DataIf you’re accessing archived data from Fovea, you will be able to assign authorized users who will set up login credentials.

Hospitals and providers are many times lead to the false belief that they will not need the old system once they move to the new one.

Even after the move to a new EHR, many continue to pay annual support fees to the legacy EHR system – just to retain access to historic information.Triyam specializes in extracting all data from old EHR system, migrating current data into new EHR, and moving historic records to an archive.

Unfortunately the bad news does not stop with just the cost of setting up the new system.

The legacy EHR vendor whose system you just replaced, wants you to pay up for releasing the historical data stored in their application.

Triyam can help you extract all your historical data from the legacy EHR, even without any assistance from the legacy EHR vendor.

By archiving legacy data into Triyam’s medical records archival system Fovea, facilities can shut down the legacy EHR and save thousands of dollars.Contact us to learn about the ownership of patient data, compliance requirements and the hidden costs in EMR Conversion.State MandatesWhen writing the Medical records retention policy for a hospital, the management team should consider state mandated requirements.

In fact, according to reports issued by KLAS, 40% of physician offices and 50% of large hospitals have changed or are in the process of changing EHR vendors.These changes are often necessary to meet the needs of patients and physicians, but they also come with their own set of challenges.

Healthcare organizations create terabytes of patient data every year in the form of clinical records, lab results, imaging and financial records.

State laws and the federal Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) require providers to store all of this information for years and sometimes even decades.An AfterthoughtAs a result, data archiving should be a key component of any healthcare organization’s overall IT plan, but this isn’t always the case.

As it turns out, we’re not the only ones noticing this trend.Nathan Evans, the research manager for KLAS research.

Nathan is responsible for the overseeing of research and reporting for legacy data archiving at KLAS.

We had the pleasure of hosting him on our most recent webinar where he confirmed that this is a common issue.Listen to Nathan speak about KLAS’s research findings on EHR data archival here.He informed us that the neglect of attention to legacy data is a topic KLAS hopes to provide feedback on when they publish their 2019 KLAS Data Archiving Report.

They’re consistently encouraged to increase patient engagement, keep up with the never ending changes to insurance policies, as well as comply with value-based care.

All while treating patients to the best of their ability.These demands have caused organizations to rely heavily on their IT systems and more and more of them are realizing that the systems they’re currently using just aren’t cutting it.

This is why we recommend performing a collectability analysis.This report will help you decide what resources you should devote to the collection effort.

Once the analysis is complete you’ll want to choose a cut off age.

Consider OutsourcingBecause your resources are limited, it’s important to evaluate the pros and cons of outsourcing a portion of the receivables to a third party.The beauty of an outsource firm is they typically charge a percentage of what they collect regardless of the resources required on their end.

This helps to avoid using up your own internal resources as well.You can also choose to start out managing all collections internally, then pass the baton to an outsourced vendor once it becomes too much for you to handle.4.

Triyam’s CEO was recently given the opportunity to participate in an expert round-up of the new EMR by Epic.

This content was specifically geared towards this particular system, but his peers offered up a plethora of valuable insight that could easily be applied to rolling out any new EMR system.We’re excited to share this insight with you here today in hopes of making your next transition as smooth as possible.The Planning Phase is KeyThe ever-wise Epic EMR Security Coordinator, Amit Haror says she learned just how important the planning process is while implementing Epic at Mackenzie Health, which makes perfect sense.You wouldn’t run a marathon without proper shoes and hydration.

The same mentality should be applied when making any sort of IT system change.Transfer Relevant Data & Archive the RestRegardless of how much we’ve talked about it, there’s still a large number of hospitals and providers who assume their patient data will automatically be transferred to their new EHR.However, this isn’t the case in the majority of instances.

By the time they realize this, all budget is burnt out for implementation.

This requires them to continue paying annual support fees to the legacy EHR in order to retain access to historic information.Take our word for it, running two systems isn’t fun for anyone involved.

Archival of the historic medical and financial information in the old system is always the right solution in these situations.Include the Right PeopleHibah Khan, an Epic Certified Application Specialist at St. Joseph Healthcare in Ontario, pointed out that one of the biggest oversights when implementing a new system is involving all of the necessary stakeholders.The behind-the-scene staff like your finance and coding teams, need to be kept in the loop from day one.

Before you get too deep in into the new – you need to consider the status of your legacy EHRs and how to safeguard both employee and patient data.

It’s critical that you recognize your legacy EHR for the holy grail of personal data that it holds.Here are a few reasons you need an archiving system for your legacy data.Data Visibility in One PlaceYou might think that leaving data just where it sits, in multiple systems, is the easiest solution to legacy data.

Consult with an industry expert to find a system that works for you and meets all of your needs.Cost SavingsIt’s common for some facilities to have more than 20 legacy systems.

You might be surprised to learn that most facilities see their return on investment in as quickly as 2 years.Ease of Data ManagementHaving data silos can create unnecessary challenges when you need to sort and find information.

Setting up and transitioning your legacy data to one system is the perfect time to clean and purge unneeded files, which may save you both money and headaches in the future.Quick Data DiscoveryYou need to know where legacy documents such as text docs, spreadsheets, and other files are being housed.

Having to search through five old systems to find necessary documents is both time-consuming and inefficient.Minimize the Risk of BreachMultiple systems increase the risk of security breaches, especially if they are old systems running on old unsupported operating systems and hardware.

There are retention policies to adhere to, HIPAA regulations you have to meet, and system upgrades to perform just to name a few.But who manages a physician’s medical records when he/she is no longer in the picture?

Whether it’s a merger with a larger entity, retirement, death, or going out of business, there comes a time when a physician will no longer practice.It’s a valid question, considering the number of actively licensed physicians over 60 grew to 29% between 2010 and 2016.

Another survey found 48% of the 17,000+ surveyed plans to decrease hours or speed up their retirement.However, questions from insurance companies and lawyers will likely still come up from time to time long after the physician is permanently out of the office.

This poses the question how will you retain the EHR records in those situations?Legacy Data PlanIf your practice is among the many who are in this boat in the next couple of years, it’s time to focus on your legacy data plan.

This basically consists of putting a plan into action for securing electronic records for the long term.

When a physician is selling the practice or merging with a larger entity, having a ready archival record is a great asset, which makes the deal very attractive.Although some states have different guidelines or laws, the following recommendations are standard for retaining medical records:Adult patients, 10 years from the date the patient was last seen.Minor patients, 28 years from the date of birth.Deceased patients, five years from the date of death.In California, where there is no statutory requirement, but the California Medical Association recommends that medical records be retained indefinitely or for at least 25 years after the patient’s last visit.This may seem excessive, but medical record retention ensures better quality care for patients long-term.

Healthcare providers have been consolidating rapidly for at least the past 25 years.

However, the types of mergers we’re seeing now are of a different variety.What’s Changed?Up until a few years ago most mergers simply combined two or more competing hospitals.

This is where hospitals combine with outpatient clinics, physician practices, and other facilities within the system.It’s easy to see why we’re seeing more vertical acquisitions, as they go a long way in creating a better patient experience.

An efficient, vertically integrated entity is better equipped to use all relevant patient data, streamline and improve care and communication, and reduce costs.These are much needed improvements for patients and providers, but bringing vastly complex businesses together is no easy feat and hospitals and clinics aren’t the only one’s switching things up.Everyone’s AffectedThe change in the U.S. healthcare climate has affected every aspect of the hospital service industry, especially health IT services.

When EMR vendors merge it’s almost always for a great reason, but it isn’t always clear what the future will hold for them due to the major changes that have to take place.

Because it’s hard to tell how a combined suite of products will fare long-term, it’s always good to have a backup plan.That’s where data archiving comes in.Data Archiving protects older data that an organization needs to maintain for regulatory or continuity of care requirements.Data archiving is a great alternative to maintaining multiple legacy systems, which is what post-merger scene looks like.