Switching software is a non-event if you set the contract up correctly. It's a nightmare if you didn't.
Before signing up — the export clause
Demand in writing:
- One-click CSV/JSON export of all patient records, prescriptions, and visit history.
- Export available indefinitely, including 30+ days after cancellation.
- No charge for export.
- No "data is processed for X days before export becomes available" clauses.
The migration sequence
- Export full data from current tool. Verify the file opens, the encoding is correct, and all patients are present.
- Set up the new tool. Import via CSV. Validate against a sample.
- Run both tools in parallel for 2-4 weeks. New visits go into the new tool; old tool stays read-only.
- After parity is confirmed, cancel the old tool.
- Keep the export file in a safe location for 12 months as a backup.
Common gotchas
- Hidden fields: some tools export visible columns but not custom fields. Verify completeness.
- Encoding: Indian-language patient names sometimes corrupt during export. Use UTF-8.
- Phone format: country code presence/absence varies. Standardise on +91 prefix.
- Date format: DD/MM/YYYY vs MM/DD/YYYY mistakes ruin chronological imports.
If you're stuck with a tool that won't export
You have two paths: legal escalation under DPDP Act (data is the data principal's, not the platform's), or pragmatic — print the patient list as PDF, scan with OCR, and manually clean up. The legal path is faster if you have time.
Vaidya OS supports one-click CSV export at any time, free, even after cancellation.