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Switch EHRs without losing a chart
Nobody switches EHRs for fun. You switch because the old system is fighting you — and then the move itself becomes the thing you dread, because a practice's whole memory lives in there: charts, notes, fee schedules, cards on file, telehealth links in a hundred calendar invites.
The fix is the same as any move: a list, in order. This checklist walks the six phases — decide, export, import, parallel-run, cut over, decommission — with the concrete items that actually get missed. Check things off as you go; your progress is saved on this device, and you can print the whole list for a clipboard-and-coffee session.
Completely private: everything runs in your browser — your checkmarks are saved only on this device, and nothing is sent anywhere.
Picked up where you left off — your checkmarks are saved in this browser.
1 Decide
Before you sign anything with the new vendor.
2 Export from the old system
Get everything out while you still have full access — export first, cancel last.
3 Import into the new system
4 Parallel run
One to two weeks with both systems alive. This phase exists to catch mistakes while they're free.
5 Cutover
6 Decommission
All checked. Somewhere a past version of you, mid-export at 11pm, is very proud.
Leaving Sessions Health? Practice Harbor imports your client charts directly — demographics, documents, and notes — so the export phase is most of the work you'll do by hand.
This checklist is general guidance, not legal advice. Record-retention periods, telehealth rules, and what your contracts allow vary by state and by vendor — check yours where the list says to.
EHR switching questions, answered
How long does switching EHRs actually take?
For a solo or small group practice, plan on two to six weeks from first export to cutover — most of it waiting on exports and doing spot-checks, not heads-down work. The mistake is compressing it into a weekend: the parallel-run phase, where both systems briefly overlap, is what catches the broken reminder template or the mis-mapped fee before a client sees it.
Do I have to move all my old notes into the new EHR?
No. Your obligation is to retain records and be able to produce them — not to have them live inside any particular system. Many therapists import demographics and open balances, then keep historical notes as per-client PDFs in encrypted storage (or attached to the new charts as documents). What you must not do is lose access to them when the old subscription ends.
What happens to cards on file when I switch?
They usually do not come with you. Stored card numbers live with the payment processor, not your EHR, and are rarely portable between processors — and even where a migration is possible, the authorization your client signed named the old system. Plan to re-collect card-on-file consent and card details through the new system before you charge anything, and never copy card numbers by hand.
How long should I keep the old EHR after cutover?
Keep it read-only for at least 90 days. That is when the stragglers surface: a claim that needs a resubmission, an old balance to reconcile, a records request for a chart you have not spot-checked. The records themselves must be retained much longer — retention periods vary by state and are longer for minors — but that obligation transfers to your exported copies, not the old subscription.
When is the best time to cut over?
A quiet week, at a month boundary. The month boundary keeps billing clean — sessions before the line are billed from the old system, sessions after it from the new one — and a quiet week gives you slack to fix surprises. Avoid your intake-heavy season and any week you are away.
What will my clients notice?
Three things, if you tell them in advance: a new portal invite to accept, a new telehealth link to click, and possibly re-entering a card. One short email covering all three — sent a week before cutover — turns the switch from confusing into a non-event. Everything else, from notes to claims, is your side of the desk.
Using it in your practice
Open the checklist before you commit to a new system, not after. Going through the decide and export phases first will tell you how much of your data comes out cleanly, and that should shape the timeline.
Assign each phase to a person and a date. Loop in your biller before the cutover date is final so claims in flight have a clear owner. If you have staff or supervisees, give them logins during the parallel run so they can find problems while both systems still work. Ask the new vendor for a signed BAA before any client data leaves the old system.
After cutover, keep the checklist open until the decommission phase is finished. Put a calendar reminder at the end of the read-only period so you make the final export and cancellation on purpose, not because a renewal notice arrived.
What it does not do
- It is a general checklist. Your vendors' export formats, contract terms, and migration support decide what is actually possible.
- It does not replace your state's record-retention requirements. Know how long you must keep old records before you delete anything.
- Exports contain PHI. Store and send them encrypted, and never through a personal cloud folder or unencrypted email.
- Payer enrollments, clearinghouse connections, and card authorizations usually have to be redone rather than moved.
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The best switch is the last one. Practice Harbor is an EHR built by a psychologist — scheduling, notes, telehealth, and billing that stay out of your way.
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