What a Pharmacy Software Conversion Involves, From Data Migration to 90 Days of Support

• Datascan Pharmacy Software has publicly committed to remaining independently owned as consolidation continues to move competing vendors under private equity ownership.
• The company has documented its full pharmacy software conversion process for independent pharmacies: a 6-to-8-week timeline, data migration with a validation window, and weekly calls through the first 90 days of live operation.
• Patient histories, insurance files, controlled substance logs, and inventory records transfer before switchover, and Datascan provides conversions at no cost to established pharmacies.

Bohemia, NY, Sept. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Switching pharmacy software is a scheduled operational project, and Datascan Pharmacy Software has documented what the move involves, from a data migration that carries patient histories to a weekly check-in protocol that runs through the first 90 days of live operation. The company's August 2026 commitment to remain independently owned comes as consolidation continues to move competing vendors under new ownership.

The number of independent community pharmacies fell to 18,960 as of July 2025, according to the National Community Pharmacists Association's 2025 Digest, and the vendors that serve them have been consolidating too.¹ When a software company is acquired, the pharmacy inherits new ownership, pricing, and support teams, which often prompts an owner to start looking for an alternative vendor. 

"When a pharmacy's software vendor gets acquired, the owner usually finds out at renewal, when the price has changed or a new service is suddenly bundled in," said Sarah Callioras, Vice President of Datascan Pharmacy Software. "By then they're already deep into the system, and the fear of moving all that patient data keeps them there another year. We lay the whole conversion out ahead of time so an owner can see exactly what they're signing up for before they commit."

A Conversion at Datascan Runs 6 to 8 Weeks From Agreement to Live Operation

Datascan extracts and migrates the pharmacy's records first, giving the store a remote login within 1 to 2 weeks to review its migrated data well before go-live. Training follows, with recorded material the staff works through at its own pace. The switchover itself keeps Datascan specialists in the store for 3 to 5 days, depending on volume and point-of-sale usage.

Patient Histories, Insurance Files, and Controlled Substance Logs Transfer Before Switchover

The migration covers the records a pharmacy can't operate without: patient histories and prescription records, insurance files and authorizations, partial fill records, controlled substance logs, custom notes built by staff over the years, inventory data, and point-of-sale records. Under Datascan's documented process, a team arrives on-site one hour before opening on go-live day and moves over the final data set, including every prescription processed up to closing the night before. From there, Datascan specialists work alongside the pharmacy's staff to run the store and handle any issues, so an established pharmacy starts its first live day with its complete history in place.

Follow-ups Continue Through the Switch and the First 90 Days

Datascan's pharmacy management software includes after-hours support in the base price, and the company reports that its support staff average more than 10 years with the company. During the switch, the on-site team stays as late as the store needs on day one and assists staff through live operation on day two. The follow-up schedule keeps a named project manager in weekly contact through the first month.

Independently Owned Since 1981

A pharmacy that changes systems commits to that vendor for years, putting ownership in the evaluation alongside price and support. Datascan has been independently owned since it sold its first system in 1981 and is now a second-generation family-owned company. Datascan lists its base pricing on its website, so owners can weigh a pharmacy software conversion with information about the full cost before making a formal inquiry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: How long does a pharmacy software conversion take?
Answer: It varies depending on the pharmacy and vendor, with conversion typically running in weeks across four stages: data migration and validation, training, the on-site switchover, and follow-up after go-live. At Datascan the full process averages 6 to 8 weeks from agreement to live operation, with the first 1 to 2 weeks spent on migration and validation and the on-site switchover taking 3 to 5 days depending on the store's volume and point-of-sale usage. Follow-up is scheduled through day 90.

Question: What happens to patient data when a pharmacy switches software systems?
Answer: In a planned conversion, the pharmacy's records move before the store goes live. This includes patient histories, prescription records, insurance files, partial fills, controlled substance logs, custom notes, and inventory. Datascan gives the pharmacy a remote login within 1 to 2 weeks to review its migrated data, and prescriptions processed through the final night before switchover on the old system appear in the new one the next morning.

Question: Do pharmacy software vendors include after-hours support in the base price?
Answer: It varies by vendor, and after-hours coverage is sometimes priced as a separate add-on. Datascan includes after-hours support in its base package.

Question: How can a pharmacy tell if its software vendor is about to be sold or shut down?
Answer: Early signs include new bundled services appearing at renewal, a change in card processor or claims route, slower support with unfamiliar names on the line, and a product roadmap that stops moving. A vendor's ownership position is publicly verifiable. Datascan has been independently owned since 1981, and stated its commitment to remain independent in August 2026.

¹ NCPA Releases 2025 Digest Report." National Community Pharmacists Association, 19 Oct. 2025, ncpa.org/newsroom/news-releases/2025/10/19/ncpa-releases-2025-digest-report. 

About Datascan Pharmacy Software

Datascan Pharmacy Software is an independently owned pharmacy technology company dedicated to helping independent community pharmacies operate more efficiently, profitably, and independently. For more than 45 years, Datascan has provided pharmacy management technology built around the real-world needs of pharmacy owners and their teams. Its integrated platform includes pharmacy management software, point of sale, customizable workflow, long-term care and compounding capabilities, patient and delivery mobile applications, multi-store management, and nearly 100 third-party integrations. In an increasingly consolidated pharmacy technology market, Datascan remains committed to independence, transparent pricing, responsive service, and giving pharmacies the freedom to choose the vendors and solutions that work best for their businesses. Datascan's mission is simple: provide powerful, reliable technology while remaining a trusted long-term partner to independent pharmacy.

Sarah Evans
Head of PR, Zen Media
sarah@zenmedia.com