The primary reason we hear from our customers about why they continue using an EMR they don’t love is the fear of migration. Many have been burned by EMR companies that take months to release the data that rightfully belongs to the doctors. We’ve heard of situations where the transfer process drags on for months, and in some cases, the data is effectively held hostage. These experiences have left lasting scars, as these poor practices are — unfortunately — still somewhat prevalent in the industry.
Even once the data is finally released, integrating it into a new EMR often turns into another drawn-out ordeal, sometimes taking months to implement. That severely jeopardizes the day-to-day operations of a practice. Medical personnel are trained to care for patients — not navigate the bureaucracy of multiple EMR vendors.
Populate understands that pain. We’ve invested heavily to completely remove the burden of data migration from our customers. From the moment a customer signs the contract, our implementation team takes full responsibility and directly engages with the incumbent EMR to handle the entire data transfer process. Once the data is in our hands, we can incorporate it into the new system within one day in most cases — three days if the incumbent EMR is particularly obscure or new to us — thanks to the long-term, strategic investments we’ve made in our data migration tools.
The best part? While we work hard to keep you happy, if for any reason you decide to move away from Populate, we’ll make sure you get your data within 48 hours. No month-long delays. No endless back-and-forth. We understand the frustration. And we believe in keeping you happy — whether you choose to stay or move on.
Why should you consider moving to a new EMR?
Software design philosophy has advanced by leaps and bounds over the last decade. Modern UI/UX is driven by principles that prioritize user delight, efficiency, and clarity — while staying adaptable to evolving technology and rising user expectations. Ideas like minimalism and focus, progressive disclosure, and presenting rich data in digestible formats all aim to deliver the best possible experience, making product use both joyful and efficient.
Most legacy EMRs haven’t evolved to reflect these ideas. What started as basic “storage platforms” often followed one of two paths:
a) bolting on crude workflows to fit specialty private practices, or
b) trying to serve every specialty at once.
The result? A couch that turns into a bed — useful for some, but rarely the best couch or the best bed.
Populate was built from the ground up over the past three years to meet the specific business workflow needs of MSK private practice doctors — Ortho, Podiatry, Physiatry. The design unifies data storage with everyday workflow: scheduling, note writing, and revenue cycle management. And we’ve done it all while keeping the experience smooth and joyful. After all, software where you spend most of your workday should make your job easier — and maybe even bring a smile to your face every now and then.