1. What does the Cerbo export actually contain?
Patient demographics, chart notes, lab results, documents and basic encounter history — all as CSV files and a document folder. It is more than many EMRs export, and it is enough to rebuild a working chart in a new system. What it does not contain is everything that was configuration rather than data: templates, protocols, scheduling rules, billing history and integration credentials.
| Data category | Exported? | Format | What survives the move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient demographics | Yes | CSV | Name, DOB, contact info, insurance, allergies, medications. Imports cleanly into any system that accepts CSV. |
| Chart notes / SOAP notes | Yes | CSV | The text of every note, with dates and provider attribution. Formatting (bold, sections) flattens to plain text. |
| Lab results | Yes | CSV | Discrete values with reference ranges where the lab sent them. Trend lines rebuild automatically if the new system indexes by analyte. |
| Documents (PDFs, images) | Yes | File folder | Consent forms, uploaded labs, patient-submitted documents. File names are typically patient ID + date. |
| Prescriptions / Rx history | Partial | CSV | Medication name, dose, date. The e-prescribing connection itself does not transfer — you re-enroll the prescriber in the new system. |
| Billing / payment history | No | N/A | Invoices, payment records and outstanding balances stay in Cerbo. Export the ledger before you cancel. |
| Templates & protocols | No | N/A | Note templates, intake forms, custom fields. These are configuration, not data — rebuild in the new system. |
| Scheduling history | No | N/A | Past appointments. Future appointments export as a list if requested, but recurring rules do not. |
| Integration credentials | No | N/A | Lab portal, e-Rx, payment processor accounts. Each re-connects separately in the new platform. |
| Supplement protocols | Partial | CSV | Product names and dosing if charted. Dispensary integration (Fullscript, Wellevate) re-connects on the new side. |
2. What does a Cerbo migration actually cost?
The dollar cost is small; the time cost is not. Cerbo does not charge an export fee. Most receiving platforms charge $0–$500 for a guided import. The real cost is the 15–40 hours of staff time to rebuild what did not export.
| Cost item | Range | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Cerbo export fee | $0 | Cerbo provides the export at no additional charge. |
| Receiving platform import fee | $0–$500 | Some platforms include import in onboarding; others charge for mapping and validation. |
| Template rebuild (staff time) | 8–20 hours | Depends on how many custom note templates, intake forms and protocols the practice uses. |
| Data validation (staff time) | 4–10 hours | Spot-checking demographics, allergies and medication lists against source charts. |
| Integration re-setup | 2–6 hours | Re-enrolling prescribers for e-Rx, reconnecting labs, re-credentialing payment processing. |
| Parallel-run period | 1–2 weeks | Running both systems to catch anything that did not map correctly. This is the hidden cost most estimates omit. |
Total realistic cost for a solo-to-two-prescriber practice: $0–$500 in fees and 25–40 hours of staff time spread across 2–3 weeks. For a multi-provider practice with complex templates, add 50% to the time estimate.
3. What breaks during the switch?
Four things catch practices off guard, and all four are recoverable if you plan for them.
| What breaks | Why | How to handle it |
|---|---|---|
| E-prescribing goes dark for 1–3 days | The prescriber’s EPCS identity is enrolled in the old system. The new system must re-enroll, which takes 1–3 business days for identity proofing. | Start the re-enrollment two weeks before the switch. Overlap, do not gap. |
| Lab results arrive at the old system | Pending lab orders were placed through Cerbo’s lab portal. Results route back there. | Export pending orders. Place no new orders through Cerbo in the final week; use the new system or fax. |
| Patients cannot log in to the portal | Portal credentials are system-specific. The patient has to create a new account. | Send the new-portal invitation email as part of the switch announcement, not after. |
| Recurring billing stops | Saved cards and subscription schedules are in Cerbo’s payment system, not the export. | Collect new cards and re-enroll memberships in the new system before cancelling Cerbo billing. |
4. What does the switching timeline look like?
Plan for three weeks from export request to full cutover. Practices that try to do it in a weekend end up running parallel systems for a month instead.
| Week | What happens |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Request the export from Cerbo. Begin template rebuild in the new system. Start e-Rx re-enrollment for every prescriber. |
| Week 2 | Import the data. Validate demographics and allergies against source charts. Reconnect labs and payment processing. Send patients the new-portal invitation. |
| Week 3 | Parallel run — both systems open, new patients go into the new system only. Catch lab results still routing to Cerbo. Re-enroll recurring billing. At the end of the week, Cerbo becomes read-only archive. |
The general mechanics of switching any EMR without losing data — not Cerbo-specific — are in how to switch EHR without losing patient data.
5. How long should you keep the Cerbo account after switching?
At least 90 days on a read-only basis, and download the billing ledger before you cancel. Cerbo retains your data for a period after cancellation, but the terms can change and the access disappears with the subscription.
Three things to settle before cancelling: (1) export the full billing/payment ledger — it does not come in the standard data export; (2) confirm every pending lab result has arrived and been filed in the new system; (3) verify that no patient portal messages are sitting unread in the old inbox. A 90-day overlap is cheap insurance against the thing you forgot.
6. Frequently asked questions
Can I export my data from Cerbo?
Yes — Cerbo provides a data export including patient demographics, chart notes, lab results and documents. Billing history, templates and scheduling rules do not export. There is no fee for the export itself.
How long does it take to switch from Cerbo?
Three weeks is realistic: one week for export and setup, one for import and validation, one for parallel run. Practices that compress it into less than two weeks typically extend the parallel-run period instead.
Will I lose my chart notes?
No — chart notes export as CSV text with dates and provider names. Formatting (bold, section headers) flattens to plain text, but the clinical content is preserved.
What about my e-prescribing?
The prescriber re-enrolls in the new system, which takes 1–3 business days for identity proofing. Start the re-enrollment before the switch to avoid a gap in prescribing capability.
Is this guide independent?
No — Aminova publishes it and accepts Cerbo migrations, stated at the top. The field-by-field export table is written so you can plan a move to any platform.