Alabama’s ViSION: Imaging Solution for Issuing Certified Copies and Workflow Processing Cathy Molchan Director, Quality Assurance and Registration Alabama Center for Health Statistics P O Box 5618 Montgomery, Al

ViSION Vital Statistics Image Oriented Network Purpose of ViSION Issue any Alabama Vital Record in any of the 67 county health departments Process all workflow at state office

The Beginning of a ViSION… 1993 – Keying Began Birth; re-keyed all indexes back to 1908 Death, Marriage, and Divorce; loaded previously keyed files back to – Imaging Began Birth; imaged 1930 forward Death, Marriage, and Divorce; imaged 1990 forward Imaged 7 million records by June 1996

ViSION at the State Office… All Incoming Vital Records keyed and scanned into the System All Copies Issued via ViSION Old Records not yet scanned into the system are added as they are requested Records are also added when clerks have “down time” All Amendments, Delayed Births, etc. created via ViSION Complete History of Record Maintained in the System

ViSION at the State Office… All Incoming Vital Records put into the System 99% of all births filed using EBC Data Entry performed on remaining births, all deaths, marriages, and divorces Records are then imaged and stored in the System

ViSION at the State Office… Getting the Requests In All incoming mail is keyed and entered into the System and all documents associated with the request are scanned into System Each request is assigned a unique “Control Number” by the System

ViSION at the State Office… Workflow Based on type of request, the System routes it to the appropriate work area Requests for Copies go to Searchers Requests for Amendments and Corrections go to Special Services Division Upon completion of the request, copies are issued by the System

ViSION at the State Office… Tracking Copies Sent Mail Room – All Copies and receipt letters print in the Mail Room The “Control Number” is printed on the receipt and all copies issued Copies are reviewed and State Seal is applied Using the “Control Number”, copies are marked as mailed in the System

ViSION at the State Office… All Amendments, Delayed Births, etc. created via ViSION In order to initiate a change or correction to a record or create a new record, there must be a request in the System Clerk uses the “Control Number” to initiate the new record Once the new record is created, it is imaged in the system replacing the previous image Copies of the new image are then issued All evidence used to change the record is scanned into the system “Sealed” evidence is scanned also, but can only be accessed by supervisory staff

ViSION at the State Office… Complete History of Record is Maintained System maintains a “history” of the record; when it is added, imaged, printed, viewed, certified copies printed, working copies printed etc. System identifies who performed the above transactions All documents associated with a particular request are maintained in System Employees can print “Working Copies” for office use Audit trail is established

ViSION in the County Health Departments… October 1995; pilot program in two Counties January 1996; began adding 2-3 counties per week June 21, 1996; all 67 county health departments up and running

ViSION in the County Health Departments… Vital Records Issued in all 67 county health departments All birth, death, marriage, and divorce records at the state office are available in all county health departments Application completed by customer is transmitted via WAN to state office using a dedicated printer/scanner at the county health department

ViSION in the County Health Departments… Image of application automatically appears on searcher’s screen at the state office If record is located, searcher presses “print” and the system automatically transmits the requested number of copies to the printer/scanner that the request was sent in on

ViSION in the County Health Departments… Copies print on safety paper loaded in county printer/scanner Copy has State Header and certification statement and signature of State Registrar

ViSION in the County Health Departments… County registrar reviews certificate(s) received If okay, registrar places raised seal on record and issues to customer Most requests are filled in 15 minutes or less

Information for “Techies” Software OS/400 V4R4 Visual Info/Image Plus RPG and COBOL Development Everything was developed in-house Supported in-house Miscellaneous Approximately 9 million images (certificates and workflow) available on-line Print over TCP/IP to LAN attached Lexmark Optra Printers at the state office

Information for “Techies” Main System Hardware AS gb Memory 177gb DASD 2 Direct Attached 3995-C48 Optical Libraries 1,341gb capacity each library Each library has gb WORM cartridges Work Station Hardware Scanning Station Scanner, computer, and 21” monitor Viewing Station Computer and 21” monitor