VDH is transforming and modernizing the Department’s core administrative systems and processes to increase efficiencies and overall effectiveness. The COVID-19 pandemic placed significant pressure on the Department’s outdated legacy administrative processes and systems. These antiquated processes and systems rely on manual workarounds and have created significant operational and administrative challenges to effectively and efficiently respond to the current pandemic while continuing to perform essential core functions.

VDH plans to implement changes to its business processes and operational systems including a new IT Service Management (ITSM) system, a new product suite for the agency, and Robotics Process Automation to realize operational efficiencies and effectiveness over the next three years. This modernization will increase productivity, decrease manual processes, reduce opportunities for errors, and increase VDH’s state of readiness to respond to future outbreaks or public health emergencies.

To begin the journey to upgrading systems, the initiative is starting with the systems outlined in the September reports that would benefit most from new processes and IT enhancements. Specifically, during Q2 FY22, VDH has gathered needs and assessed potential ITSM off-the-shelf solutions to upgrade two administrative service request systems. The current systems are the Shared Business Services (SBS) Tracking, Logging, and Reporting System (STLAR) and Submit a Technology Request Now (SATRN) business service systems, which were implemented as an interim Asset Management solution through Web F&A to track COVID-19 hardware assets.

In addition, as part of VDH’s efforts to implementation automation, a Robotic Process Automation (RPA) initiative is underway to identify processes that are good candidates for automation. The first RPA initiative is a Redundant, Obsolete, Trivial (ROT) Bot that reviews of electronic files.

The Administrative Systems Initiative is on track to successfully meet the objectives within the three-year ARPA SLFRF funding window. In the next quarter, the focus will be to finalize the assessment of STLAR/SATRN, identify upgrade options, procure a service request tracking system, and initiate other administrative systems projects.