PDFs, Document Mapping & the Hidden Risks in EMR Data Conversion

When Document Mapping Derails EMR Data Conversion Projects

Here’s how it happens:

• Document mapping stalls because scanned files aren’t discrete
• Record counts don’t align during validation
• Users can’t find what they need post-go-live
• Costs balloon due to manual review

One client inherited a folder labeled “Scans – 2012 to 2020.” Thousands of PDFs with no naming conventions, no metadata, and no clear owner. No one even knew what was in there.

This is how timelines stretch, budgets explode, and end users lose trust in the application. It’s a classic EMR data conversion failure and it’s entirely avoidable.

What Is Discrete Data in Healthcare? Why Does It Matter?

Discrete data is like a well-organized toolbox: everything has its place, it’s easy to find, and it’s ready to use when you need it.

Think: vitals, medications, and diagnosis codes. Non-discrete data, on the other hand, is the junk drawer in your kitchen—PDFs, scanned documents, faxes, and attachments all crammed together with no rhyme or reason.

Here’s the problem: converting non-discrete data doesn’t make it useful. You can’t query it, map it, or validate it reliably. Instead, it clogs charts, frustrates users, and creates unnecessary headaches.

The goal of EMR data conversion isn’t to move everything, it’s to move what matters. A strategic approach ensures your system is functional, intuitive, and ready to support the people who rely on it.

Pro tip: Keep what’s useful. Archive the rest.

The Real Cost of Non-Discrete Data in EMR Data Conversion

Non-discrete data is the hidden tax of EMR data conversion. It inflates timelines, increases manual effort, and introduces risk. Common culprits include:

• Unmanaged document systems no one owns anymore
• Scanning habits with zero standardization
• Files dumped into “Other” with no metadata
• Broken OCR from poorly scanned archives

One client attempted to OCR everything. The result? Six months of delays and a searchable mess that no one could effectively use.

Read the white paper to learn more.

How Smart Teams Handle Non-Discrete Data

The best teams don’t wait until Phase 3 to address non-discrete data; they plan for it in Phase 0.

• What do we have? → Run a full inventory.
• What’s required? → Separate compliance needs from convenience.
• What’s accessed? → Use real retrieval data to guide decisions.
• What’s valuable? → Ask clinicians and HIM teams for input.
• What’s duplicative? → Look for overlap with structured fields.

If a file hasn’t been opened in three years and isn’t legally required, archive it. Don’t convert it. This is medical data conversion triage, and it’s essential to keeping your project on track.

Archive Intelligently. Don’t Convert by Default

Dragging every scanned document into your new system creates more problems than solutions. Over-converting clogs workflows, frustrates users, and slows down progress. Here’s what happens when you try to bring it all:

• Clinical expectations don’t align with what’s in the system
• Charts become cluttered with irrelevant or redundant views
• Users face steep learning curves navigating unnecessary data
• Validation slows down, and errors multiply

The solution? Be deliberate. Convert only what’s essential. Archive the rest with purpose. And yes, that includes PDFs.

What Happens When You Skip Strategy?

Questions to Ask Before You Convert a Single Scanned File

Before you commit to converting scanned files, ask:

• What percentage of your EMR data conversion involves scanned or attached content?
• Are you tracking non-discrete data by department, or are you guessing?
• Have you defined clear criteria for what gets archived versus converted?
• Are your PDFs structured, searchable, or just dumped in random folders?

If you can’t answer these questions with confidence, it’s time to pause and rethink your approach.

QEMR Data Conversion Is About Strategy, Not Stuffing the System