Ummm...I would stick with the warning. After extensive research in my mini AC lab (three computer workgroup and VM), I discovered the following. First things to remember, the exported Excel file will always be saved to the database actually installed. (I always copy the folder after the first clean install to another location). This would be different if the computer to import from were on a different PC. Second, and this is huge, the Excel file has to have Sheet1 renamed from Demographics to Sheet1.
The current database will be overwritten entirely by the new imports. This is why the import function should only be used once. So, in my experiment (these always take at least 25 to 30 restarts and changes to the other folder), I found the following behavior.
Current Database:
1000 with progress note
1001 with progress note
1002 without Progress Note
All named with last name starting with "A" for simplicity.
New Database to be imported from:
1000 with progress note
1001 without progress note
1002 without progress note
All named with last name starting with "Z."
Mapped the database and imported:
All patients from the current database were GONE.
All patients from new database were imported but had IDs of 1003, 1004 and 1005. All progress notes were missing.
In actual new database, the three "Z" patients were still there and numbered 1000, 1001 and 1002 as expected with 1000 still with his progress note.
I believe this import feature is for importing demographics that one current has whether in AC or another EMR which can be exported to an .xls file or other. I think this is only to be used once.
I could be wrong, but this is what I discovered. You can experiment as you wish.
Both databases have to be the exact save version or at least have the same database structures.
