Practice migrations

A new office, a new server or a move to different practice-management software all mean the same thing: everything has to keep working on Monday morning. We plan migrations so the practice loses as little chair time as possible, and we stay through the first days on the new setup.

The three kinds of migration

Moving office. Every workstation, the server, the network, the phones and the imaging have to come out of one building and work in another, usually over a weekend. We plan the new network before the move, label everything, and set up the new site so that machines come up where they belong.

Replacing a server. Old servers do not fail on a schedule. We move your practice-management database, imaging data and file shares onto new hardware, verify every record came across, and keep the old server available until you are certain.

Changing software. Moving from one practice-management system to another, or bringing in new imaging software, is mostly about the data. We work with the software vendor’s migration process, check the results against the old system, and make sure staff can find what they need on day one.

How we plan it

• A written plan with dates, who does what, and what has to be true before each step
• A full backup, tested by restoring it, before anything is touched
• The new environment built and checked while the old one is still running
• The cutover scheduled for the quietest window the practice has
• Someone on site for the first clinic day, and reachable for the first week

What can go wrong, and what we do about it

Vendors run late, data does not map cleanly, and a workstation that worked on Friday sometimes does not on Monday. Our plan assumes some of that will happen. The old system stays available so you can always go back, the old server stays powered until you say otherwise, and we are in the building when the doors open.

Cost

Migrations are quoted as a project after we have seen what is moving. The quote covers our time; hardware and software licences are listed separately so you can see exactly what you are paying for.

Common questions

How much downtime should we expect?

For a server replacement or an office move, the aim is none during patient hours. The work happens over a weekend or an evening, and the practice opens on the new setup. For a software change, the vendor’s process sets the pace and we plan around it. The window in the plan is a realistic one.

Will our old records all come across?

For a like-for-like server move, yes, and we prove it by checking record counts and opening real charts on the new system before cutover. For a change of practice-management software, the vendor’s migration tool decides what maps cleanly. We check the results and tell you exactly what did not come across, so nothing is discovered in front of a patient.

Who talks to the software vendor?

We do, with you copied in. Migration support lines are used to dealing with technicians, and it saves you a day of being put on hold.

Can we keep the old server as a backup?

Yes, and we recommend it for at least a month. It stays powered but disconnected from daily use, so you can always go back and look something up.

What if we move and want to change software at the same time?

It can be done, but we will usually suggest doing one before the other. Two big changes on one weekend doubles the risk and halves the chance of knowing which one caused a problem.

Getting started

If you know a move or a replacement is coming, the earlier we see the current setup, the better the plan. The free on-site assessment is the right first step, even if the migration is months away.