Know your data. Take a complete inventory of systems and applications. It also is helpful to know the financial forecast (maintenance costs, IT labor burden and potential compliance penalties) for the systems. Plan well. Develop a strategy, timeline and budget for the data project. Give yourself enough time to obtain the data from your vendors. Confirm which data will be converted to the new EHR, with the remainder to be migrated to an active archive. Include a secure backup plan for the most important data so nothing is lost. Refer to HIPAA backup requirements for guidance. Verify, test and audit. Utilize available verification and testing methods to ensure all the information is in the proper place. Audit and document every step of the process. Train your staff. Educate the team about why the new system was necessary and provide training on new processes and procedures to access records.