Relevant to exports completed AFTER 2/19/2025
This guide is designed to help you understand how to map the data in the DrChrono Electronic Health Information (EHI) exports, and it covers how to trace patient data, media files, and document associations across different export files.
The EHI practice level (bulk) export contains a number of folders and files associated with the patients and doctors within a practice group. The export is downloaded locally as a .zip file. Once opened, the following folders are made available:
Doctors - This folder contains various .csv files that are relevant to the providers within a practice group. This folder will not contain any actual media files; those are located in the Media folder.
Media - This folder contains the actual media files that are associated with the various .csv files within the export. This folder may contain .pdf files, .jpg files, etc.
Patients - This folder contains various .csv files that are relevant to the patients within a practice group. This folder will not contain any actual media files.
Practice Group - This folder (practice_group) contains .csv files that are relevant to the practice group as a whole. This folder will not contain any actual media files.
1. Accessing the Index File and Data Mappings
To begin, you'll need to access the index file. The index files provide the essential mappings for each data element in the export files and will be key to linking various pieces of patient and document information. You can learn more about downloading EHI Export Files using the link below:
2. File Organization Overview
For an overview of how the files are organized, including where to find specific data for individual patients and bulk exports, please refer to the following guide:
This reference guide outlines the folder structure, showing where different types of data are stored, including patient demographics, clinical notes, consent forms, and other documents.
3. Mapping Patient Data Across Files
This section explains how to trace and map patient data across the different files in your export.
Step 1: Locate the Demographics File
One of the key files in your export is the demographics.csv file, which contains patient demographic information. In this file, the ID field corresponds to the unique patient ID in the DrChrono system.
Example:
Demographics.csv: The
idfield contains the unique patient ID (e.g.,12345).
Step 2: Locate the Uploaded Documents File
Next, look at the uploaded_documents.csv file, which contains data related to patient documents. In this file:
The
idfield is the unique document ID.The
patient_idfield links the document to a specific patient, matching the patient ID in thedemographics.csvfile.
For example:
Uploaded_documents.csv: The
patient_idfield will match theidfield from thedemographics.csvfile, allowing you to track which documents belong to which patient.4. Data Mapping for Media Files
To summarize, the patient id number located in the demographics.csv file will be found in all other .csv files containing patient data. While the remaining .csv files may not include the patient name, the id number allows a patient to be traced back to the demographics.csv file where the patient first and last name and other relevant information demographic information can be found.
Media Files
The "media" folder in the export contains additional patient-related files, which are stored inside various subfolders:
When you view the file list, you'll see the "media" folder as the main folder. Inside that, there are additional subfolders containing the various media files associated with patients:
clinical - This folder contains media files associated with the clinical_note.csv files and/or uploaded_documents.csv files
education - This folder is nested within the clinical media folder and contains media files associated with the education_resource.csv files
dr_message_attachment - This folder contains the media files associated with the doctor_message.csv files
hipaa_forms - This folder contains the media files associated with the consent_forms.csv files
inbound_faxes - This folder contains the media files associated with the inbound_referrals.csv files
message_attachment - This folder contains the media files associated with the patient_message_attachment.csv files
patient_import - This folder contains zipped .xml files imported into patient charts. For example, CCDA files
referrals - This folder contains the media files associated with the outbound_referrals.csv files
signed_consent_forms - This folder contains the media files associated with the consent_forms_signatures.csv files
Consent Form Files (Folder Name: hipaa_forms)
Media File Location | /.zip file name/media/hipaa_forms | |
Example Media File Location | /.zip/media/hipaa_forms/year/month/2ce01790-e203-46fa-aaee-7e6ab0ea3ed7.pdf If the export contains legacy files or files that existed prior to our data migration, the file location will not contain the year and month folder. The file will be located directly in the hipaa_forms folder and not within a year and month subfolder. Example: /.zip/media/hipaa_forms/2ce01790-e203-46fa-aaee-7e6ab0ea3ed7.pdf | |
Media File Index Location | doctors/consent_forms_#.csv Please note, depending on the size of your EHI export, there may be 1 to many index files. Example: consent_forms_1.csv, consent_forms_2.csv, etc. | URI Column |
Media File Naming Convention Within the Index | hipaa_forms/<year>/<month>/<filename>.<extension> Legacy files that are not indexed by year and month contain a different naming convention. Example: hipaa_forms/<filename>.<extension> |  |
Example Media File Name Within the Index | hipaa_forms/2024/12/2ce01790-e203-46fa-aaee-7e6ab0ea3ed7.pdf hipaa_forms/06-06-2014-239ad18e-3063-41f9-bacf-3fc136e03410.pdf |
Education Resource Files (Folder Name: education)
Media File Location | /media/clinical/education | |
Example Media File Location | /media/clinical/education/8e5f7d5f32a54c85a97f775aad4cb5fc.pdf | |
Media File Index Location | patients/education_resource_#.csv - file_path Column Please note, depending on the size of your EHI export, there may be 1 to many index files. Example: education_resource_1.csv, education_resource_2.csv, etc. | file_path Column |
Media File Naming Convention Within the Index | clinical/education/<filename>.<extension> |  |
Example Media File Name Within the Index | clinical/education/8e5f7d5f32a54c85a97f775aad4cb5fc.pdf |
Patient Import CCDA Files (Folder Name: patient_import)
Media File Location | /media/patient_import/<year>/<month> Please note: Imported CCDA files contained in this subfolder are exported as .zip files which contain the .xml file for a patient | |
Example Media File Location | /media/patient_import/2024/01/a466d6b7-129e-4e37-b3d3-a4755c19bbec.zip Once the .zip file is opened it will create a new subfolder nested under patient_import: /media/patient_import/<year>/<month>/XML Files-selected/Patient_VALDIVIA_PETRA_19630515_27692f8e-4e00-45c7-871e-92730f289e4b.xml | |
Media File Index Location | doctors/patient_import_ccda_file_#.csv Please note, depending on the size of your EHI export, there may be 1 to many index files. Example: patient_import_ccda_file_1.csv, patient_import_ccda_file_2.csv, etc. | import_file Column |
Media File Naming Convention Within the Index | patient_import/<year>/<month>/<filename>.<extension> |  |
Example Media File Name Within the Index | patient_import/2016/08/ba6643ad-b951-46c1-b335-d48aa21adfbf.zip |
Clinical Note Files and Uploaded Documents (Folder Name: clinical)
Note: Both uploaded documents and clinical note files exist in the Clinical subfolder under Media. Files belonging to the uploaded_documents.csv files will not contain the word ‘note’ in the file name itself. The following data mapping examples can be used to locate the uploaded document files.
Example:
Media File Location | /media/clinical/<year>/<month> | |
Example Media File Location | /media/clinical/2024/12/note_21831_2422430_f9b269a4-6044-4797-b89c-3a8df70c5522.pdf If the export contains legacy files created prior to 2013, the file location will not contain the year and month folder. The file will be located directly in the hipaa_forms folder and not within a year and month subfolder. Example: media/clinical/3040_158394_8e747ac8-0ce2-467b-87ca-0cf2113c4825.pdf | |
Media File Index Location | patients/clinical_notes_#.csv Please note, depending on the size of your EHI export, there may be 1 to many index files. Example: clinical_notes_1.csv, clinical_notes_2.csv, etc. | note_pdf Column (clinical_notes.csv files) document Column (uploaded_documents.csv files) |
Media File Naming Convention Within the Index | clinical/2024/12/note_<doctor ID>_<appointment ID>/<filename>.<extension> Please note: There may be appointments within in the clinical_notes_#.csv file with no .pdf note file attached to it. Those fields will be blank in the index file. | uploaded_documents.csv
clinical_notes.csv
|
Example Media File Name Within the Index | clinical/2024/12/note_21831_2422430_f9b269a4-6044-4797-b89c-3a8df70c5522.pdf |
Consent Form Signature Files (Folder Name: signed_consent_forms)
Media File Location | /media/signed_consent_forms/ | |
Example Media File Location | /media/signed_consent_forms/3040_1697333_325987_2.pdf | |
Media File Index Location | patients/consent_form_signatures_#.csv Please note, depending on the size of your EHI export, there may be 1 to many index files. Example: consent_form_signatures_1.csv, consent_form_signatures_2.csv, etc. | cached_signed_file Column |
Media File Naming Convention Within the Index | signed_consent_forms/<doctor ID>_<appointment ID>_<patient ID>_<filename>.<extension> Please note: There may be appointments within in the consent_form_signatures_#.csv file with no media file attached to it. Those fields will be blank in the index file. |  |
Example Media File Name Within the Index | signed_consent_forms/3040_1697333_325987_2.pdf |
Doctor Message Files (Folder Name: doctor_message_files)
Media File Location | /media/dr_message_attachment | |
Example Media File Location | /media/dr_message_attachment/<year>/<month>4269_92693b98-b7dc-4c81-abd8-b6bee0964ddd.pdf If the export contains files created in 2014 or prior, the file location may not contain the year and month folder. The file will be located directly in the dr_message_attachment folder and not within a year and month subfolder. Example: /media/dr_message_attachment/<filename>.<extension> | |
Media File Index Location | patients/doctor_message_#.csv Please note, depending on the size of your EHI export, there may be 1 to many index files. Example: doctor_message_1.csv, doctor_message_2.csv, etc. | attachment Column |
Media File Naming Convention Within the Index | dr_message_attachment/<year>/<month>/<doctor ID>/<filename>.<extension> OR dr_message_attachment/<filename>.<extension> Please note: There may be messages within in the doctor_message_#.csv file with no media file attached to it. Those fields will be blank in the index file. |  |
Example Media File Name Within the Index | dr_message_attachment/2022/05/4269_92693b98-b7dc-4c81-abd8-b6bee0964ddd.pdf OR dr_message_attachment/04-26-2012_3040_dad1714a-bc3c-4590-8595-6d98092670f4.pdf |
Inbound Referrals Files (File Name: inbound_faxes)
Media File Location | /media/inbound_faxes | |
Example Media File Location | /media/inbound_faxes/<year>/<month>/inbound_fax_0_f4e18c50-a06f-488e-86e2-e3b6b7ec4345.pdf If the export contains files created in 2014 or prior, the file location may not contain the year and month folder. The file will be located directly in the inbound_faxes folder and not within a year and month subfolder. Example: /media/inbound_faxes/<filename>.<extension> | |
Media File Index Location | patients/inbound_referrals_#.csv Please note, depending on the size of your EHI export, there may be 1 to many index files. Example: inbound_referrals_1.csv, inbound_referrals_2.csv, etc. | pdf Column |
Media File Naming Convention Within the Index | inbound_faxes/<year>/<month>/<filename>.<extension> OR inbound_faxes/<filename>.<extension> |  |
Example Media File Name Within the Index | inbound_faxes/2022/8/inbound_fax_0_f4e18c50-a06f-488e-86e2-e3b6b7ec4345.pdf OR inbound_faxes/10-10-2013_inbound_fax_0_39768a79-2fc7-42bf-997a-767bbe40d40b.pdf |
Lab Order Document Files (Folder Name: random numerical hash)
Media File Location | /media/<random hash>/ ex. /media/17399 | |
Example Media File Location | /media/<random hash>/6bf7a4b78f7a4a7daa8f5b5478d48b5464376-323143-REQ-6917413-requisition-form.pdf | |
Media File Index Location | patients/lab_order_document_#.csv Please note, depending on the size of your EHI export, there may be 1 to many index files. Example: lab_order_document_1.csv, lab_order_document_2.csv, etc. | file Column |
Media File Naming Convention Within The Index | labs/<ID>/<filename>.<extension> |  |
Example Media File Name Within The Index | labs/16700/035f4d6dd93e4b96a4aee74906d1a9c338504-323143-REQ-6917412-requisition-form.pdf |
Outbound Referral Files (Folder Name: referrals)
Media File Location | /media/referrals | |
Example Media File Location | /media/referrals/<year>/<month>/4269-55b8836b-4212-4ffd-bdab-0d5b4677aae9.pdf If the export contains files created in 2014 or prior, the file location may not contain the year and month folder. The file will be located directly in the inbound_faxes folder and not within a year and month subfolder. Example: /media/referrals/<filename>.<extension> | |
Media File Index Location | patients/outbound_referrals_#.csv Please note, depending on the size of your EHI export, there may be 1 to many index files. Example: outbound_referrals_1.csv, outbound_referrals_2.csv, etc. | pdf Column |
Media File Naming Convention Within The Index | referrals/<year>/<month>/<filename>.<extension> OR referrals/<filename>.<extension> |  |
Example Media File Name Within The Index | referrals/2025/01/4269-55b8836b-4212-4ffd-bdab-0d5b4677aae9.pdf OR referrals/18927-e9d14a1c-da14-4a9f-8e9e-e8dc2b802561.pdf |
Patient Message Attachment Files (Folder Name: patient_message_attachment_files)
Media File Location | /media/message_attachment/ | |
Example Media File Location | /media/message_attachment/4023c2e6-8715-459e-b388-46434d6a5c17.jpeg | |
Media File Index Location | patients/patient_message_attachment_#.csv Please note, depending on the size of your EHI export, there may be 1 to many index files. Example: patient_message_attachment_1.csv, patient_message_attachment_2.csv, etc. | attachment Column |
Media File Naming Convention Within the Index | message_attachment/<filename>.<extension> |  |
Example Media File Name Within the Index | message_attachment/4023c2e6-8715-459e-b388-46434d6a5c17.jpeg |