LIMS migration is where theory meets reality. You've selected your new system, signed the contract, and now comes the part that keeps lab directors up at night: actually moving from the old system to the new one without disrupting operations.
Key Insight: We've seen labs breeze through migration and labs struggle painfully. The difference usually isn't luck or data complexity—it's planning.
Understanding Migration Scope
"Migration" isn't just copying data. Full scope includes:
- Data migration: Moving historical data from the old system to the new
- Interface migration: Reconnecting all integrations (instruments, EHR, billing, reference labs)
- Configuration migration: Rebuilding workflows, rules, and customizations
- User migration: Training, access setup, workflow changes
- Process migration: Adapting SOPs and procedures
Phase 1: Assessment and Planning
Inventory Your Data
You can't migrate what you don't understand:
What Data Exists?
- • Patient/client master data
- • Test/assay definitions
- • Historical orders and results
- • QC data and control charts
- • Instrument and equipment records
- • Reagent and inventory data
- • User accounts and permissions
- • Documents and attachments
What's the Quality?
- • Missing or incomplete fields
- • Inconsistent formats
- • Duplicate records
- • Orphaned records
- • Known data issues
Reality Check: Most legacy systems have more data quality issues than anyone realizes. Better to discover them now than during validation.
Define Migration Scope
Not everything needs to move:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Must Migrate | Open orders, recent history (2-3 years), active master data, required QC data |
| Could Migrate | Older historical data, completed batch records, old QC beyond retention |
| Shouldn't Migrate | Obsolete test definitions, inactive accounts, corrupted data, test data |
Choose Your Migration Strategy
Big Bang Migration
Pros: Clean break, no dual-system period. Cons: Highest risk, requires extensive preparation.
Phased Migration
Pros: Manageable chunks, lessons learned applied. Cons: Longer timeline, temporary complexity.
Parallel Running
Pros: Safety net if new system has issues. Cons: Expensive, data synchronization challenges.
Phase 2: Data Preparation
Clean Before You Move
Migrating dirty data just moves problems to a new location:
- Standardization: Consistent name formats, addresses, date formats, codes
- Deduplication: Merge duplicate patient records, consolidate provider entries
- Validation: Fix required fields, correct wrong values, resolve orphaned records
Data Mapping
Data mapping is the most critical (and tedious) part of migration planning:
| Old System Field | New System Field | Transformation |
|---|---|---|
| PT_GENDER | Demographics.Sex | M→Male, F→Female, U→Unknown |
| TST_CODE | OrderedTest.TestCode | Lookup table mapping |
| RSLT_DATE | Result.CollectionDateTime | Convert to ISO 8601 |
Phase 3: Interface Migration
List every system connected to your LIMS:
- • Analytical instruments (bidirectional)
- • EHR/EMR systems (HL7, FHIR)
- • Billing systems
- • Reference laboratory connections
- • Public health reporting
- • Middleware