All great initiatives start with a plan, a great deal of soul searching about exactly what it is you are trying to accomplish, and what you have at your disposal to work with. The process of discreet data extraction from your electronic health records system is no different. Having a plan and knowing what you have – and where you’re going – are critical. We at Ero Health have compiled a list of tips and things to consider as you prepare for your data extraction project:
-
Do you have current processes in place for capturing your data?
Before we begin any extraction of data, it’s important that we know what processes you currently follow, and if your providers have guidelines for how data is entered. This will help us determine how clean and useful your data is, and what considerations we’ll need to account for as we plan for the extraction. For example, if there is no process in place to guide a provider to type in “ten” versus “10” into a data field, that inconsistent data will mean nothing to the system (the new one or the existing one), and will make mapping the data between systems more challenging.
-
How will you be using your data once extracted?
There are many reasons for extracting discreet data. You may be importing it into a new EHR, or archiving it. Regardless, your data extraction and the output we provide will be tailored for your specific needs. We’ll either prepare it for useful import into your new system, or provide easily searchable PDF documentation that can be used for archival purposes.
-
What third-party systems will you need to integrate with?
This is important to know as we prepare your data to be useful in a new EMR environment. For example, if you are routinely interfacing with lab devices, we know that those devices like to receive data in more numeric format versus text.
-
Will you be consolidating multiple systems?
Preparing to consolidate multiple systems requires a bit more thought and preparation, especially when identifying which fields will be migrated and the names of those fields. For example, “Are you a smoker” is a common piece of information to capture in your EMR. However, the field may be named something different across multiple systems. We’ll help you identify these fields and develop a plan to match them up.
-
How do you want to view your data in the new system?
If you are moving to a new system, you have a choice of how you will see your data in the new system. However, the detail to which you would like to view the data will affect the cost of the data extraction and import. You can decide to simply have a summary document created that can be referred to when a new patient is documented in the new system. Alternatively, you can decide to have individual discrete data points transferred over to the system. We can assist you in discussion the costs and benefits of each option.
No matter your reasons for extracting discreet data, making sure the data is clean and consistent is the best way to prepare. If you need a discreet data extraction, contact Ero Health today! We have extensive experience, and can create custom solutions to fit your needs.
