Before you sign
- Inventory your data: active patients, episodes, orders, and historical records you must keep.
- Decide what migrates versus what stays in read-only archive.
- Name an internal project lead with authority to make decisions.
- Get the vendor's migration scope in writing: what they move, what you validate.
- Plan the cutover around your billing cycle to avoid claim gaps.
During migration
- Validate a sample of migrated charts against the old system — clinical and billing staff both.
- Configure roles, branches, and payers before training begins.
- Train by role: clinicians on charting, QA on review queues, billers on claims.
- Set a go/no-go date with explicit criteria, not just a calendar date.
Go-live readiness checklist
| Item | Owner | Done when |
|---|---|---|
| Data validation | Project lead + vendor | Sampled charts match the old system and staff sign off |
| User accounts & roles | Administrator | Every staff member can log in and sees the right patients |
| Payer setup | Billing lead | Test claims pass eligibility checks |
| Training completion | Project lead | Each role has completed its training session |
| Support plan | Vendor | You know who to call in week one and how |
The first 30 days
Expect slower charting in week one — that is normal. Watch QA return rates and claim rejections closely; they tell you where training gaps remain. Keep your vendor's support channel busy: the agencies that struggle are the ones that go quiet.
Next step
See how DSL handles this on a walkthrough tailored to your agency.